Greek food is known internationally for its fresh ingredients and delicious flavors. We believed for a long time that Greece was not an easy place to travel as vegans, but quickly realized we were wrong! This guide is perfect for both vegans and vegetarians traveling to Greece. Continue reading to get tips on how to get around with dietary restrictions, as well as our favorite spots in Athens, Santorini, Milos, and Sifnos.
- Athens Vegan Guide
- Santorini Vegan Guide
- Milos Vegan Guide
- Sifnos Vegan Guide
- Greek Coffee & Bakeries
- Vegan Vocabulary
- Traditional Dishes
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Even though veganism is not well known in Greece, Mediterranean food is vegan-friendly from the start. It is mainly composed of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices. It focuses on nourishing meals made with ingredients that are in season. Its rich aromas make Mediterranean cuisine one of our favorites as it aligns well with the plant-based lifestyle.
From the first day, we arrived in Athens, and on each island we visited, we found delicious plant-based Greek Food. We did not know what to expect and soon realized Greece is so vegan friendly! We made a lot of research to find good restaurants with vegan options and compiled a list so you don’t have to research yourself.
Athens
We fell in love with the charming vibe of Athens, the cozy coffee shops, and delicious plant-based food! We didn’t expect to find that much variety of restaurants for us and it simply made our time in Greece even more amazing.
READ: Athens 3 day Itinerary!
Vegan Beat 
Vegan Beat is a cute vegan restaurant in Monastiraki Square. They are very friendly and make everything fresh: mushroom gyros, burgers, Greek salads, sweets, and juices. Everything is delicious, especially with their vegan tzatziki.
Veganaki
Veganaki is located right next to the National Garden and is the perfect place to stop for a healthy lunch. The outdoor dining area is spacious and the food, consisting of vegan traditional dishes, is incredible. Vegan cheese pies, wraps, mousaka, ‘omelette’, and salads are just examples of their extensive menu.
Cookoomela grill
Cookoomela specializes in vegan gyros made from mushroom, or lentils. The crowd of locals eating in front of the shop convinced us it was a great place before we even tasted. They also serve local beers that go perfectly with the garnished mushroom gyros and hand-cut fries.
TIP: Bakeries all over the city are selling these amazing sesame seed bagels. Our favorites were the one from a cute stand in Monastiraki square. They had one type of bagel that was vegan. It is the perfect snack to eat on the go.
Bamboo Vegan
Bamboo Vegan is located behind the National Library. This cute vegan mini market also serves coffee (with plant-based milk) and different types of sweet and savory baked goods. The shelves of the market are filled with vegan products: from dairy-free cheeses, different types of faux meat, and healthy sweets. It’s the perfect place to go buy some vegan snacks for your time in Greece.
Santorini
Finding plant-based food in Santorini turned out to be a little more challenging at first because the cities are quite far from each other. After a bit of research, we found a vegan restaurant in Oia, which ended up being the best meal we had in Greece!
Katharos Vegan Lounge
This restaurant is located on the cliffside of Oia. The view on the Mediterranean allows you to watch the sunset in a cozy atmosphere, without being surrounded by thousands of tourists. This tapas restaurant became fully vegan in 2019 and is from far, the best meal we had in Greece. We really recommend the ‘Baked Herbed Vegan Feta’.
FalafeLand
This little falafel place in the center of Fira was crowded every single night, for a good reason! The portions are generous, the falafel delicious and probably one of the most affordable options in Santorini. We recommend the ‘Giant House Falafel’.
Kaffeine
Kaffeine simply makes the best coffee and is one of the rare coffee shops in Santorini with plant-based milk (soy and almond milk). Try a Freddo cappuccino with almond milk, you won’t regret it.
Milos
We spent 6 days adventuring around the island of Milos and we always had something delicious to eat. While the restaurants we tried during our stay are not directly labeled as being vegan friendly, we found great vegan options after a little bit of research. We always use the app Happy Cow when traveling. It gives us the best recommendations, along with reviews from other vegan travelers.
O! Hamos! Tavern
This is the most known and recommended restaurant in Milos. Only once we tasted the food we understood why! Everything is cooked with fresh, local ingredients and a lot comes from the farm located behind the restaurant. The outdoor garden vibe is very cozy and the generous portions make the price worth it. There was already a line forming outside at 6:30 so be sure to get there early. We recommend trying the chickpea stew, potato dish & garlic green beans.
Spirtoni
This restaurant has a beautiful terrace right on the water, perfect for a sunset dinner. The vegan options consist of falafel wraps, french fries, and big salads. They offer take out of vegan gyros (without the tzatziki) which we ate with delight while watching the sunset.
Artemis Bakery
This bakery is located right next to the main bus station in Adamantas. We were immediately attracted by their sign at the entrance: pitarakia (‘cheese’ pie), homemade pizza, biscotti & macaroons: ALL VEGAN! We ate lunch there a couple of times and often stopped again at night to grab a vegan Foccacia for the next morning.
Gregory’s
Gregory’s is a popular chain which we found in Athens and Milos. They have great vegan options on the go such as falafel wrap and spinach spanakopita. Their menu clearly indicated all the vegan items and plant-based milk available.
Excellent Yachting (Vegan-Friendly Tour Company)
During our stay in Milos, we took a snorkeling trip around the island with Excellent Yachting. We were happily surprised to see that the lunch was completely vegan! Stuffed vine, hummus, pita bread, baba ganoush, fava beans, and tabouleh filled the table during lunchtime. It is a great company to consider if you want to make sure you will have vegan food during your day trip around Milos!
Sifnos
Sifnos is considered the ultimate culinary destination of Greece. The famous chickpea stew (revithada) is a delicacy from the island. Usually cooked for hours in a traditional wood oven, inside a clay pot, it is served with olive oil, lemon, and bread. Sifnos has other specialties such as kaparosalata (caper salad) and revithokeftedes (fried chickpea fritters). Simply make sure they do not batter them in eggs.
Okyalos Restaurant
You can find this restaurant in Apollonia, the capital town of Sifnos. It is located on a charming street and offers an extensive menu with some vegan options. The staff knew right away what vegan meant in terms of our dietary restrictions and accommodated each dish. We recommend you try the Revithada (chickpea stew), it’s the best one we had!
Vegeraki
Vegeraki is a small bakery located in Apollonia serving freshly baked pastries and savory pies. Some of the options are vegan and made with olive oil. It’s the perfect midday stop to grab an espresso and a pastry to go!
Araxovoli Tavern
This local tavern has a veranda located right on the water, next to the port in Kamares. The place was filled with locals and the vibe was very friendly. Not only is the classic revithada delicious, it is also a great restaurant if you’re traveling with non-vegans. They have a variety of fresh seafood and fish from the port, giving options to everybody in your group.
Greek Coffee & Bakeries
Greece is filled with the most amazing bakeries. While a lot of it is not vegan, most bakeries will have a couple of items made with olive oil rather than butter. Greek people are keen to help and will give you a list of all the ingredients they put in the pastry you’re pointing at. From little cinnamon cookies to spinach pastry, there is so much vegan deliciousness all around, you simply have to ask!
Most regular coffee shops do not have plant-based milk yet. You will only find it in specialized vegan places, or chains like Gregory’s. However, the classic Freddo espresso (espresso with sugar over ice) and Greek Frappe (Instant coffee, water, and sugar) are originally made vegan! The first time you get a Greekfrappe, it may look like dairy to you because they foam it in such a perfect way, but it’s vegan! The traditional Greek Coffee is made without milk or cream, so most places will not add without asking.
Vegan Vocabulary
Whenever we traveled to a new country, we try to learn a couple of basic words on the first day to make our life easier. While most Greeks understand English, it might be harder to communicate on some islands that are less touristic. Here are some vocabulary words that might be practical:
- Thank you: Ευχαριστώ (Efcharistó)
- Yes: Naí (Naí)
- No: Οχι (Ochi)
- I am vegan: Είμαι vegan (Eímai vegan)
- I do not eat: Δεν τρώω (Den tróo)
- Meat: κρέας (Kréas)
- Seafood: θαλασσινά (Thalassiná)
- Eggs: αυγά (Avgá)
- Milk: γάλα (Gala)
- Cheese: τυρί (Tyrí)
- Butter: βούτυρο (Voútyro)
- Honey: μέλι (Méli)
Traditional Dishes
Mediterranean dishes are usually easy to make plant-based. A good example is Greek dolmades which consist of grape leaves stuffed with rice and herbs. Simply make sure there is no meat or cheese in the restaurant’s recipe. Another good example is the traditional Spanakopita, usually filled with spinach and feta cheese. Luckily, many bakeries make their Spanakopita with only spinach using olive oil, for us vegans to enjoy!
We ended up eating a lot of falafel during our stay in Greece, simply because we are looking for meals that will give us good proteins and a lot of veggies. It replaces the meat in the famous gyro shops you can find all over Greece.
Traveling as a vegan is all about understanding the local cuisine, and finding traditional dishes that you can adapt to be plant-based. Another great idea is to go buy fresh ingredients at the local markets and cook your own meal! Take advantage of the fresh produce especially on the islands. It will not only be cheaper, but it will also probably be healthier.
We basically spent our whole 3 weeks in Greece eating the most delicious food. The flavors and variety we found on each island impressed us. Everything tastes better when eaten by the Mediterranean Sea, it’s a fact!
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1 comment
Amazing!!!
Bravo!!!