You can’t come to Greece without trying the famous souvlaki. This Greek specialty based on grilled meat is a must if you want to satisfy a small hunger or have a quick lunch… and for just a few euros. You’ll find souvlaki vendors everywhere on the street, but when it comes to ordering, doubt sets in….
Are souvlaki and kebab the same thing?
Actually, not so simple. Indeed, souvlaki is more reminiscent of what we call “kebab” in other countries. But in Greece, beware, if you ask for “kebab” you’ll be served minced meat.
In Greek,“souvlaki” literally means “skewer“. More generally speaking, souvlaki refers to all grilled meats:
- depending on how they are served (rolled in pita bread or skewered)
- then according to the way the meat is cooked: giros (meat cut into strips) or kalamaki (skewer)
- depending on the meat offered (usually chicken, pork or a mixture of minced meats called kebab). So it’s easy to get lost!
I’m very lucky to have a pedagogical Greek teacher. “It’s easy” she says. Take a look! (see photo above)
Well, no, not so simple really. Well, I’ll simplify again and show you a picture of three great souvlaki classics, their names in English and their names in Greek.
Pita Giros
Also known as Kebab in other countries. So don’t be fooled.
Giros means “turning” in Greek (for a reminder, think of “gyratory sense“). So the pieces of meat are cooked on a rotating spit, in front of a grill. The meat is then finely sliced into small pieces, tender and well-seared. But the choice is usually between pork or chicken, much more rarely lamb or veal.
The sandwich is prepared in a pita. If you don’t specify what you want inside, by default you’ll have: fries, onions, tomatoes and a mayonnaise-type sauce with chicken or tzatziki with pork. You can easily ask to remove some ingredients and change the mayonnaise sauce with tzatziki (it’s infinitely better).
Kalamaki
This is meat cooked and served on skewers. They are served either on their own (mono kalamaki), or sandwiched in a pita (pita kalamaki). In the latter case, the wooden stick is removed. The filling is the same as for the Giros Pita.
Here again, you’ll find different types of meat in Kalamaki: chicken (kotopoulo), pork (hirino), veal (moschari) or kebab (a mixture of minced pork and veal).
Kebab and Biftekaki
So kebab, as you may have gathered, is minced meat with a mixture of pork, veal and spices (pepper, paprika). It is served either on a skewer (kalamaki) or in a pita.
You’ll also occasionally see the term biftekaki, which is the same mixture prepared on the grill like a steak (no spade). It’s a lot like a classic hamburger, but much more flavorful.
Where to eat good souvlaki in Athens?
There’s no shortage of souvlaki vendors in Athens. You’ll find them on every street corner. The quality is fairly standard, but it seems that the best are those of Souvlaki Kostas. Others claim they are those of Kosta served with a spicy red sauce! Subtle. It’s best to try it out for yourself.
Sophie B.
Updated April 23, 2024
