Greek Food Without Pork: What to Order in Athens

Once you sidestep pork gyros and souvlaki, most of the Greek table is open to you. Greek cooking is built on grilled meat and fish, vegetables, legumes and yogurt, a lot of it naturally pork-free. Here's what to order with confidence.

Naturally pork-free Greek classics

• Grilled fish and seafood, a Greek strength: grilled octopus, calamari, sea bream, sardines, prawns.
• Chicken or lamb souvlaki and gyros, the pork-free versions of the famous skewers.
• Horiatiki (Greek salad), tomato, cucumber, green pepper, onion, olives, feta, olive oil.
• Dolmades, vine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs (usually vegan).
• Fava, a yellow split-pea purée with olive oil and onion.
• Gigantes plaki, giant beans baked in tomato.
• Tzatziki, melitzanosalata, fava, yogurt and vegetable dips with bread.
• Spanakopita / hortopita, spinach or greens in phyllo (often with feta).
• Saganaki and grilled halloumi, pan-fried cheese (the flamed "flambé" version uses spirit, so skip that one).
• Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts, a simple pork-free, alcohol-free dessert.

The few to double-check

• Minced-meat dishes (moussaka, pastitsio, keftedes), confirm the meat isn't pork and there's no wine in the sauce.
• Sausages (loukaniko), usually pork; ask.
• A handful of stews may have a splash of wine, ask if you avoid alcohol.

FAQ

What Greek food is pork-free? Grilled fish and seafood, chicken or lamb souvlaki and gyros, Greek salad, dolmades, fava, gigantes, tzatziki, spanakopita and grilled cheese are all pork-free by default.

Is Greek salad (horiatiki) safe on a halal diet? Yes, it's tomato, cucumber, green pepper, onion, olives, feta and olive oil, with no pork or alcohol.

Is feta halal? Feta is a brined sheep's-milk cheese (often with some goat's milk), with no pork or alcohol. The one thing strict travelers check is the rennet used to set it, which can be animal or microbial (vegetarian). If that matters to you, ask for feta made with vegetarian rennet. It's worth knowing because feta turns up in Greek salad, spanakopita and saganaki.

Are dolmades vegetarian? The common taverna version is rice and herbs in vine leaves, which is vegan. Some homestyle versions add minced meat, so ask if it's the rice kind.

Which Greek dishes should I double-check? Minced-meat dishes (moussaka, pastitsio), sausages (often pork), and the occasional wine-based stew. Ask about pork and wine.

A note on how we talk about food: this guide is general traveler information about typical recipes, not a ruling on any specific kitchen. Recipes vary from place to place, always confirm directly with the venue.

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