7 Greek Food and Drink Rules Greeks Live By

For Greeks, food is much more than a necessity. The thought of arriving at my Greek grandmother’s house and declaring, "I'm not hungry," is enough to make me smile. Whether or not she had anticipated company, she would never let guests, friends - and above all family - leave without tasting something special.

Remembering her wonderful cooking, from savoury spanakopita to sweet loukoumades, prompted me to consider the other Greek food rules people share. To find out, I went directly to an expert.

Aby Saltiel, co-owner of Kalesma Mykonos, among the islands’ most stylish new hotels, was raised in Thessaloniki and has spent a lifetime enjoying Greece’s finest food. These are the seven food and drink rules that, he says, Greeks follow.

Breakfast is not essential (but it can be delicious)

Breakfast holds less importance in Greece than in many other countries, although Saltiel says some newer habits are gaining momentum.

"Breakfast is a very debatable issue in Greece. Besides the 'cigarettes and coffee' semi-truthful joke, urban Greeks would traditionally eat yogurt, milk, and boiled eggs in the morning," he explains. "Although, in rural areas, everything would depend on the moment and availability. One could see olive oil and sugar on a piece of bread, homemade jams and sheep-milk butter on bread or with rusks, and in some cases, rice puddings, or even 'sweetened trahana,' a fermented, dried wheat."

One meal that Greeks are not simply embracing but mastering? Brunch.

"Greeks enjoy 'brunches' all over, just like everybody else in the world, a breakfast service provided by Instagram."

A salad always accompanies lunch

Lunch matters greatly in Greece, though Saltiel says it invariably comes with some vegetables.

"Lunch until recently was a full-size family meal, mainly due to the lack of a full breakfast, and it would normally involve the whole family," he says. "Yes, there's definitely a Greek salad, or at least a tomato salad when in season."

Saltiel says that changing work patterns and lifestyles have altered Greek eating routines somewhat. Still, he notes, "Greek kids, especially after school, still enjoy a full meal at lunch," perhaps leaving room for the traditional lunch to return someday.

Dinner comes later than expected

Like many other European countries, Greece favours an enjoyable late-night dinner. "Late, very late, almost vampire time," Saltiel jokes. "We are a nation in need of sleep collectively."

Wine matters as much as the food

When you have dinner with Greeks, expect your glass to be generously refilled.

Wine, according to Saltiel, "always was and still is" served with every dinner. "The only thing that has changed in the past few years is our need for better wine, and the great thing is we can find it locally and at great prices. When we refer to dinner meals, we use the word 'trapezi,' meaning 'table,' and that includes food and wine inseparably along with the people present. We don't dine; we set up the table, the setting."

Sweet treats are essential to the experience

"Why should anybody say no to a sweet treat?" Saltiel asks, reflecting on the culture’s affection for sugary pleasures. "We don't overdo it, except for every single holiday. That's part of our collective consciousness. That's how we achieve happiness."

Measurements do not matter

For cooking and baking precision, Greeks are not particularly concerned with getting every last teaspoon exactly right.

"As a matter of fact, we do not," Saltiel says when asked whether Greeks usually measure their ingredients. "In certain instances, we abide by technique but not measurements. "

Greek meals are always shared

Eating with Greeks may mean dining alongside family, friends, neighbours, or even a person they encountered on the way to dinner.

Meals, Saltiel says, are "always with family and friends. Actually, except for tourists and visitors, I don't think I have ever seen someone eating alone at a restaurant. And if so, the restaurant owner will probably keep them company, so he or she won't end up being alone."