Cretan Cuisine
Forget everything you think you know about "Greek food." Cretan cuisine is a world of its own — and scientifically one of the healthiest on earth. The famous "Seven Countries Study" by American physiologist Ancel Keys (1958–1978) identified Crete as the region with the lowest heart disease rate in the world. The secret: copious amounts of olive oil, wild herbs, fresh vegetables, little meat, lots of legumes, and seafood.
In Crete, you don't eat "Greek," you eat Cretan. Many dishes are only found here, nowhere else in Greece. And the quality of the ingredients is unparalleled: the olive oil (Crete produces 30% of all Greek oil), the honey (thyme from the mountains), the herbs (wildly gathered), the cheese (Graviera from sheep's milk, handmade in mountain villages).
💡 Tipp
In Crete, you ALWAYS get free raki and fruit after a meal. It's a tradition, not a tourist trap. It would be impolite to refuse it. In good taverns, there is also a small dessert (yogurt with honey, a piece of cake). The word for it is "kerasma" — a guest gift.
Cretan Specialties
Appetizers & Mezedes
Dakos (Ντάκος) — THE Cretan national dish. A hard barley rusk (Paximadi), soaked in olive oil, topped with grated tomato and Xinomyzithra cheese (a tangy, crumbly fresh cheese). Oregano and capers on top. Sounds simple, tastes divine. Perfect as an appetizer or light lunch.
Kalitsounia (Καλιτσούνια) — Small pastries filled with Xinomyzithra and mint (sweet, sprinkled with honey and cinnamon) or with wild greens (savory). Found in every bakery and tavern. The best come from the mountain villages.
Chochlioi Boubouristi (Χοχλιοί Μπουμπουριστοί) — Yes, snails. Cretans love them. Fried in the pan with the opening facing down (hence "boubouristi" — belly down), with rosemary and vinegar. Sounds unusual, tastes fantastic — crispy, spicy, like a Cretan escargot.
Staka (Στάκα) — A buttery-creamy sauce made from sheep's milk cream, typical of western Crete. Served over fried eggs (Staka me avga), over rice, or pilaf. Incredibly calorie-rich, incredibly delicious.
Main Courses
Apaki (Απάκι) — Smoked pork, marinated in vinegar and herbs, smoked over sage and thyme branches. The Cretan ham — thinly sliced as an appetizer or in salads. Better than any Italian prosciutto (I say this with full conviction).
Sfakiani Pita (Σφακιανή Πίτα) — The famous pie from the Sfakia region: thin dough filled with fresh Mizithra cheese, pan-fried, drizzled with thyme honey. Sweet and savory at the same time. Addictive.
Gamopilafo (Γαμοπίλαφο) — "Wedding rice": Rice cooked in lemon-lamb broth until creamy like a risotto. Traditionally served at weddings and festivals, but good taverns have it during the week too. The creamiest, most aromatic rice dish you'll ever eat.
Lamb Kleftiko / Ofto (Κλέφτικο / Ωφτό) — Lamb, slow-cooked in a sealed clay pot or wood oven until it falls off the bone. "Kleftiko" means "like a thief" — the mountain bandits cooked this way to avoid being detected by smoke.
Antikristo (Αντικριστό) — The most spectacular way of cooking meat: whole lamb halves are placed on wooden skewers and set around an open fire (hence "antikristo" — opposite). Grilled for hours over an open fire. Served at festivals and in mountain taverns. An archaic experience.
Cheese
Graviera (Γραβιέρα) — Crete's most important cheese: a semi-hard sheep cheese, mild and nutty, perfect for grating or slicing. The best comes from the mountains of Sfakia and the Asterousia Mountains. Try it at the market in Chania!
Xinomyzithra (Ξινομύζηθρα) — Tangy fresh cheese, crumbly, on Dakos and in Kalitsounia. Only available on Crete.
Myzithra (Μυζήθρα) — Mild fresh cheese, similar to ricotta, sweeter than Xinomyzithra. Served with honey as a dessert.
Raki & Olive Oil
Raki / Tsikoudia
Raki (in East Crete: Tsikoudia) is the elixir of life in Crete. This clear pomace brandy (35–40% alcohol, similar to Italian grappa) is distilled all over the island — legally and illegally. Every family has their own Raki, distilled in the fall after the grape harvest in traditional copper kettles (Kazani). In October and November, you can see the smoke columns of the distilleries all over the island — and you will inevitably be invited to taste.
Raki is ALWAYS offered for free: after meals in every tavern (with fruit and sometimes dessert), when visiting any shop, at every encounter. Refusing is impolite. A small glass (50 ml) is sufficient as a gesture. The expression for this is "Stin ygiá mas!" (Στην υγειά μας!) — "To our health!"
In summer, there is also Rakomelo: Raki with honey and spices (cinnamon, cloves), served warm. A dream in winter, a shot in summer.
Olive Oil
Crete has an estimated 30 million olive trees — more than the population of Greece. The island produces 30% of Greek olive oil, and Cretan oil is considered one of the best in the world. The dominant variety is Koroneiki: small olives with a high oil content and a fruity-peppery taste.
In Crete, olive oil is not used sparingly — it is poured by the liter over everything. Salads swim in it, bread is dipped in it, meat and fish are fried in it, and a half glass is poured over Dakos. The per capita consumption in Crete is estimated at 25–30 liters per year (Germany: 1 liter).
Buying Tip: Buy directly from small producers at the market in Chania or Heraklion — 5-liter canisters from 25–35€ for cold-pressed extra virgin. Look for the label "Κρήτη" (Crete) and ask for the harvest year (always take the current harvest).