What Do Greeks Eat for Breakfast?

Last updated on September 3rd, 2024

I finally decided to start writing this blog post while I was sitting at an airport restaurant in Newark, USA having breakfast. It’s 6:30 am and this side of the world is starting to wake up. During my short stay (that feels so long!) at this transit destination, I catch myself observing people, people from all over the world ordering their breakfast. Avocado sandwiches, burgers, eggs, donuts, toast, coffee (a staple), and even “dirty chai” (Indian chai with a shot of espresso). That’s what Nishant, the friendly Indian passenger near me ordered. He was kind enough to help me pay for my breakfast because my card wasn’t being accepted by the online payment system of this high-tech bistro that accepts only online payments after you scan a QR code displayed in one of the numerous tablets they have installed on every seat (that must have been an investment!). In return, I paid him in euros which he will use next week on his trip to Germany. So it was a win-win situation in the end.

Table of Contents

• Breakfast is a Cultural Thing
• The Quick and Easy Choices
• Is Breakfast Not the Most Important Meal of the Day in Greece?
• So What Do Greeks Eat for Breakfast at Home?
  • Common Breakfast Options
  • Common Drinks
• What I Eat for Breakfast
• Conclusion

Breakfast is a Cultural Thing

It’s so fascinating to see what different cultures have for breakfast. I think it tells you a lot about the people. For example, Nishant told me his mom makes a proper 5-course Indian breakfast every morning that includes lentil sprouts, mangos, figs, almonds soaked in water, and boiled eggs. In his family, they are all vegetarians as many Indians are.

Nnamdi, the also friendly passenger sitting between us, told me that in Nigeria where he is from, they usually eat the leftovers of yesterday’s food because they are a culture that doesn’t waste food. Sometimes they have some bread with butter and Milo chocolate powder with pig’s milk, or the traditional ‘Akara’ which is made from deep-fried bean-flour-based batter.

From the menu options in the US, it is obvious that in that part of the world, bacon and eggs are omnipresent. But what about Greece? What kind of breakfast experience do visitors in Greece get? I can’t help it but recall all the times that I stayed at a Greek hotel when vacationing in my own country. One thing is for sure: breakfast never included bacon, pancakes with maple syrup, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Well, maybe you’ll get those if you choose the Athens Hilton and not Katerina’s “Room to Let”. So it made me think. What would be a typical Greek breakfast? Can there be a signature Greek breakfast that ANY hotel around Greece can proudly present as the ‘traditional Greek breakfast’ instead of the oh-so-well-known English or intercontinental breakfast? To answer this, I’ll share my thoughts, experiences, and eating habits of me and my friends.

The Quick and Easy Choices

To be honest, I don’t recall Greeks living in a fast-paced urban environment like the one I come from being too elaborate with their breakfast. Growing up, most of my classmates would just have ένα ποτήρι γάλα (= a glass of milk) in the morning before going to school and they would buy a τυρόπιτα (= cheese pie) or a κουλούρι (= Greek bread ring with sesame, also called ‘simit’ in English) from the school canteen with their χαρτζιλίκι (= allowance).

Later on, when I was working, most of my colleagues would just arrive at work with an out-of-bed look on their faces and a cup of takeaway coffee in hand, usually a frappé (φραπές). That would help them “open their eye” or as we say in Greek να ανοίξει το μάτι, i.e. to wake up. Their first substantial meal would be a baguette sandwich around lunchtime that they would get from the nearby bakery or coffee shop. A few others would bring their lunch from home, and just like Nnamdi from Nigeria, it would be yesterday’s leftovers.

Other quick on-the-go choices for the hungry tummies in the morning but also around the clock, are the various pastries that can also be found in bakeries and coffee shops. Those are baked goods that consist of phyllo pastry or a more crumbly ‘kourou’ (κουρού) pastry. They look like pies or mini pies that are filled with various ingredients, primarily with cheese (there are many kinds). I must say: Those are delicious to the point that they can become addictive! They are high in calories, though, as they are quite greasy, so don’t get carried away! Consume those with modesty. Here’s a list of the most common pastries you can find at a Greek bakery:

• Cheese pie (τυρόπιτα)
• Kaseri cheese pie (κασερόπιτα)
• Spinach pie (σπανακόπιτα)
• Ham and cheese pie (ζαμπονοτυρόπιτα)
• Ham and cheese croissant (κρουασάν ζαμπόν-τυρί)
• Sausage roll (λουκανικόπιτα)
• Peinirli or pizza boat (πεϊνιρλί)
• Pirozhki (baked or fried buns) with either minced meat (πιροσκί με κιμά), sausage (πιροσκί με λουκάνικο), or potato (πιροσκί με πατάτα).
• Bougatsa or Greek custard pie (μπουγάτσα)
• Chocolate croissant (κρουασάν σοκολάτας)
• Cinammon roll (ρολό κανέλας)

Is Breakfast Not the Most Important Meal of the Day in Greece?

Although it appears that this is the case for the very busy folks who like to quickly grab a bite on the go, there are always people, of course, who will make a proper breakfast in the morning at home before they start their day. I happen to fall into that group. I just cannot leave the house on an empty stomach and I also enjoy having breakfast with my partner and daughter.

You might think, though, that breakfast depends on the pace of life or the geographical area, i.e. whether one lives in a bustling city or a lay-back village. Well, in certain islands or other rural areas where the rhythm of everyday life is much slower, the cases vary again. For example, on my trips to the island of Crete, I was always offered παξιμάδια (= barley rusks) covered with a mixture of tomato pureé, olive oil, and oregano, or just plain olive paté, accompanied by small mizithra cheese pies covered in honey and sesame, and a shot of ρακή, an alcoholic distilled drink made from fermented grape skins. While this may seem elaborate, there are some other rural areas where the breakfast is as simple as a piece of bread cut roughly by hand with some cheese, usually goat cheese, olives, and maybe sliced tomato.

So What Do Greeks Eat for Breakfast at Home?

This question has been swirling around my mind for quite some time now. I wondered how different my breakfast is from that of my friends because I don’t think what I eat in the morning is representative of what most Έλληνες (= Greeks) eat. It would be considered quite large/heavy and it’s a bit influenced by tastes I’ve acquired from my trips. So a while ago, I did ask my Greek friends on Facebook what they eat for breakfast because I was already planning to write this post. I got various answers that I will present below.

Common Breakfast Options

• Toasted ham and cheese sandwich
• Bread with either tahini, Merenda, honey, jam, or butter
• Sweet brioche (τσουρέκι)
• Boiled egg
• Cereal

Common Drinks

• Instant coffee cold (frappé) or hot
• Milk
• Greek mountain tea
• Chamomile tea
• Orange juice

What I Eat for Breakfast

Now that you have an idea of what my friends eat and drink most commonly in the mornings, here’s what I eat and drink every morning:

I always like to start my day with eggs, usually scrambled (which is not so common in Greece) or soft boiled, a slice of bread with hummus (not so common in Greece either) or olive oil and oregano (when I try to keep it healthy!). More rarely (when I crave it) it will be a slice of bread with some cold cut like mortadella or prosciutto, though. I will always finish my breakfast with something sweet like seasonal fruits or a slice of bread with honey, jam, or sweetened ταχίνι (= tahini, sesame paste). As for drinks, I usually have orange juice or herbal tea. Yes, I’m NOT a coffee person!

Conclusion

Greeks are not the kind of people that make elaborate breakfasts every morning for the whole family to sit together and eat as we often see in Hollywood movies. Our breakfast (well, not mine in particular) is usually quite simple.

The everyday rhythm of life doesn’t necessarily mean that the more slow-paced the rhythm is, the richer the breakfast gets. It varies depending on the region and the lifestyle.

Bread and cheese are the king and queen. They are such a staple of the Greek diet, that bread is always offered along with water in Greek restaurants and tavernas without you asking for it. In the next position, I’d place the eggs. Usually hard-boiled or soft-boiled. Surprisingly, fresh fruits are not a very popular choice for breakfast.

From the above, it’s hard to choose a signature Greek breakfast because it would vary a lot. Greek cuisine is so rich and there are so many eating habits, it makes it almost impossible to limit such an important meal of the day to only a few items without turning it into a multi-course meal. I think though that it would be worth it and beneficial for our commerce and tourism to officially establish the idea of a Greek traditional breakfast (with regional variations) where visitors will have the chance to try at hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants a variety of Greek products and delicacies to promote local farmers and businesses with high quality, healthy, and nutritious products.

I hope you enjoyed reading this! Let me know in the comments: What would be your suggestion for a Greek traditional breakfast? What would it include? Or alternatively, let me know what was the best breakfast you had in Greece while visiting.

Γεια χαρά!