What Your Free Dessert Says About Greek Hospitality (2024)
There are a few things I remember very clearly from my last meal in Thessaloniki. I picked Glykanisos, a small restaurant that sits on the side of one of the mountains that gently rolls into downtown and eventually the sea, in a little town called Pylaia that is only accessible by one bus—and even then, you have to walk along a dimly lit residential street until you run into it. My friend Katy and I ordered much more food than we ever normally would have eaten (maybe). The squid was, as always, perfect, stuffed with molten feta and tomato. But then, after at least 10 visits spread over eight months, the free dessert had changed.
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This doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it was. I had partially based my decision on where to eat that night on the desserts I expected to have—a crackly crème brûlée and a fudgy chocolate cake. I wouldn’t have normally advocated for the approach, but that’s just how good that cake was.
The complimentary dessert rapidly became one of my favorite facets of Greek eating. It’s a staple in most restaurants, except perhaps for the most touristy ones lining Ermou Street in Athens. And the reason for it makes me love it even more.
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For Maria Loi, a Greek chef and owner of Loi Estiatorio in New York, free dessert is just a natural part of of Greek hospitality. "It's to make sure everyone enjoys the meal," she says. "It completes your meal because the dessert is considered another course." It rounds out the eating experience, and, as Loi points out, allows you to enjoy it from start to finish—meaning the Greeks really care about how you feel about their food.
The desserts themselves usually depend on the season—I’ve had homemade ice cream on fruit in the summer and syrupy fried dough in the winter—and they don’t have to be big. One restaurant on Lesbos island served a simple saucer dotted with four sugary cherries for the end of the meal, and it was perfect. Another time, when dining by myself in Santorini, I was given a very small scoop of lavender ice cream drizzled in honey. It was gone in two spoonfuls, but I like to think I did my best to savor that little bit.
The dessert you get may also depend on where you are in Greece; Loi mentions that the desserts in Chalkidiki may differ from ones you find in Athens or other parts of Greece. This makes sense, as some regions in Greece specialize in certain products, but there are constants like baklava, fresh fruit, and mastiha that can be found anywhere you go.
Although I didn’t get what I expected at Glykanisos, I definitely enjoyed the fruits that came out instead. I still wouldn’t call myself a dessert girl, but every time I get a complimentary dessert in Greece, I kick back, make some room in my stomach, and eat every bite.
"It completes your meal because the dessert is considered another course." It rounds out the eating experience, and, as Loi points out, allows you to enjoy it from start to finish—meaning the Greeks really care about how you feel about their food.
Galaktoboureko (custard in filo), kourabiedes (butter cookies) and halva (nut butter sweets) are all among Greece's most beloved desserts. The pies, pastries and biscuits that are considered quintessentially Greek all have fascinating origins and stories behind them.
However, in Greece, they consider that loukoumades date back to ancient times. Some even claim it is one of the oldest desserts in the world. The Greek poet Callimachus mentions that the winners at the Olympics were honoured with “honey tokens”, or deep-fried dough balls with honey.
Fruits, fresh or dried, and nuts, were eaten as dessert. Important fruits were figs, raisins, dates and pomegranates. In Athenaeus' Deipnosophistae, he describes a dessert made of figs and broad beans. Dried figs were also eaten as an appetizer or when drinking wine.
Not all restaurants in Greece charge for bread. It is a common practice in some restaurants to provide bread at the table for free, while others may charge a fee for it. The tradition of providing free bread, called "paximadi," varies depending on the region and type of restaurant.
"It's to make sure everyone enjoys the meal," she says. "It completes your meal because the dessert is considered another course." It rounds out the eating experience, and, as Loi points out, allows you to enjoy it from start to finish—meaning the Greeks really care about how you feel about their food.
Souvlaki, chunks of skewered pork, is still Greece's favourite fast food, served on chopped tomatoes and onions in pitta bread with lashings of tzatziki. Gyros, too, is popular served in the same way. At the taverna, local free-range lamb and pork dominate, though kid goat is also a favourite.
Most of the time, the desserts you eat contain (insanely sweet) corn syrup, so it is much sweeter than it should naturally be, but other than that it is hard to say a rule for baklava's sweetness, because different people put different amounts of sugar.
Ashure (Noah's Pudding) is thought to be the oldest dessert in the world, first made by Noah after his fabled landfall at Mt Ararat. It is a delightful mix of dried fruit, nuts, grains and beans (yes, beans!) made in Turkey and all over the Middle East. Give it a try - you'll be glad you did!
Some things I've learned living in Greece: You will often get free dessert. After receiving your check, most Greek restaurants will bring out a plate with dessert on the house. In the summers, it could be Greek yogurt with honey or a bowl of watermelon.
The original lukumádes (dough balls), which we know since our childhood years, are freshly fried in an open-kitchen, right in front of the house, being served in the ideal warming temperature.
In addition to traditional spirits and wine, Greece is also known for its fruit-based liqueurs. These liqueurs are typically made with a variety of fruits and herbs, and are often served as after-dinner drinks or digestifs. Some popular fruit-based liqueurs in Greece include cherry, apricot, and quince liqueurs.
What time is dinner in Greece? In a country that never sleeps, no time is "too late" for dinner. You will find most eateries open until past 12 at midnight. Regardless, traditionally, dinner in Greek homes is served at around 8-9 pm.
Whether in a restaurant or the home of a new friend there are certain rules of etiquette to follow: Don't take a seat until you are told where to sit. Don't touch your plate until the host begins eating. No elbows on the table and no hands below the table.
And every restaurant featured their version of moussaka, which some might say is the national dish of Greece. Moussaka is an iconic eggplant casserole featuring layers of eggplant, potatoes and a rich tomato meat sauce.
Introduction: My name is Velia Krajcik, I am a handsome, clean, lucky, gleaming, magnificent, proud, glorious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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