Fasolada, also called fasoulada or fasolia, is often referred to as the “national food of the Greeks.” This dish is a bean soup made with dry white beans, olive oil, and vegetables. Portions of this soup are usually small, but that’s okay because it’s very filling.

Gemista is stuffed peppers. Hollowed-out or halved peppers are filled with meat, vegetables, cheese, rice, and sauce. The peppers are stuffed and then baked to perfection. This is one of my favorite dishes on this list!

Spanakopita is a savory pie crust filled with spinach and feta cheese. You’ll usually find spanakopita at markets and cafes, and these warm, flaky treats are perfect for eating on-the-go.

Dolmades are cabbage or grape leaves stuffed with rice, herbs, and vegetables. The filled leaves are rolled, tied, then boiled. Most restaurants will have a version of dolmades that includes minced meat.

Most of us from the U.S. are used to having lettuce in salads. But a Greek salad is made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, feta cheese, olives, and a dressing made of salt, pepper, Greek oregano, and olive oil. You’ll also come across traditional Greek salads that add green bell pepper slices and caper berries.

A gyro is made from meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie. In Greece, pork and chicken are the most common meats used, and the gyro usually includes lettuce, tomato, onion, fries, and tzatziki sauce. Gyros are great to eat on-the-go. But at a sit-down restaurant, my favorite way to eat this dish is to order a platter of gyros, which should be a tray of all the gyro components, and then you can build your own.

Loukoumades are little bites of heaven. These Greek fried doughnuts are usually soaked in hot honey syrup, sprinkled with cinnamon, and topped with chopped walnuts or toasted sesame seeds. These make the perfect breakfast or dessert!

Souvlaki is the Greek version of a shish kabob. Small pieces of meat (and sometimes vegetables) are grilled on a skewer. Then you eat the meat straight off the skewer. This is the ultimate Greek street food for you to sample when you’re out exploring a new city or town.