Vegetarian & Indian Food in Greece and Santorini

Quick answer

Greece is easy for vegetarians. Greek salad, fava, gemista, briam, gigantes, spanakopita and tomato fritters are everyday dishes, and Orthodox fasting traditions mean many tavernas cook vegan food. Indian restaurants exist in Athens and a few on Santorini and Mykonos. Jain travellers should note that onion and garlic are used widely.

How easy is it to eat well?

Vegetarian & Jain friendliness

4/5

5 = easy everywhere, 1 = plan every meal

Indian food availability

3/5

5 = Indian restaurants everywhere, 1 = rare

What to order (and what to ask about)

Horiatiki (Greek salad)
Tomato, cucumber, onion, olives and a slab of feta. Ask for no onion for Jain diets.
Gemista
Tomatoes and peppers stuffed with herbed rice and baked. Usually vegetarian, but some cooks add mince; ask.
Spanakopita
Spinach and feta in filo pastry, often with egg. Sold in every bakery as a cheap snack.
Fava
Santorini's yellow split-pea purée with olive oil, onion and capers. Vegan, and close to a smooth dal.
Tomatokeftedes
Santorini tomato fritters with herbs, fried crisp. Usually egg-free but check the batter.
Briam
Oven-roasted courgette, potato, aubergine and tomato in olive oil. Vegan.
Gigantes plaki
Giant beans baked in tomato sauce, like a mild rajma. Vegan.
Dolmades
Vine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs. The rice-only version is vegan; versions with mince and egg-lemon sauce are not.
Moussaka
Aubergine and potato layered with minced meat and béchamel. Some tavernas make a vegetarian moussaka.
Souvlaki and gyros
Grilled meat in pitta, the classic cheap meal. Ask for a halloumi or vegetable pitta instead.
Tzatziki
Yoghurt with cucumber, garlic and olive oil, eaten with bread or as a side. Like a garlicky raita.
Greek yoghurt with honey
Thick strained yoghurt with thyme honey and walnuts, a simple breakfast or dessert.

Phrases that help

Useful phrases
Say	Meaning
Eímai chortofágos.	I am vegetarian.
Chorís kréas, chorís psári.	Without meat, without fish.
Chorís avgó.	Without egg.
Eínai nistísimo?	Is it a fasting dish? Fasting dishes have no meat, dairy or eggs, but may include octopus, squid or shellfish.

Is Greece easy for vegetarians?

Yes. Greek home cooking is full of vegetables, pulses and olive oil, and a whole category of dishes — ladera, vegetables slow-cooked in olive oil — is vegetarian by design. Add Greek salad, fava, spanakopita and tzatziki and you can eat well at any taverna.

The Orthodox Church's fasting periods help too. Before Easter and on many other days, devout Greeks avoid meat, dairy and eggs, so tavernas cook plenty of nistísima (fasting) dishes. Be aware that seafood such as octopus and squid is allowed on most fast days, so "fasting" doesn't mean vegetarian.

Santorini specialities

Santorini's volcanic soil grows sweet cherry tomatoes, white aubergines and yellow split peas. Try fava, tomatokeftedes (tomato fritters) and white-aubergine salads, most of them vegetarian.

What to watch for

Mince in gemista, dolmades and moussaka.
Meat stock in some soups and rice dishes.
Fish on mixed meze platters.
Garlic and onion almost everywhere, which matters for Jain diets.

Where can you find Indian food in Greece?

Athens has several Indian restaurants, mostly North Indian, in the centre and around Omonia. Santorini and Mykonos each have a few, mainly in Fira and Mykonos Town, catering to Indian and other visitors; they are pricier than in Athens. Greek food is vegetarian-friendly enough that most travellers need Indian food only occasionally.

For Jain travellers

Ask for dishes without onion and garlic; fava, briam and salads can often be adapted. Carry packaged food for ferry days, when choices are limited.

How much does eating out cost?

A gyros or spanakopita costs €3–5, a taverna meal €15–25 a person in Athens and €25–45 on Santorini's caldera. Restaurants on the caldera edge charge heavily for the view; one street back, prices fall. Tap water is safe in Athens but on Santorini most people drink bottled water.

Budget ₹3,000–5,000 per person a day for food — see our Greece trip cost.

To choose a village with good restaurants, see where to stay in Santorini. For sights, see things to do in Greece, and for documents, the Greece visa guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Greek food good for vegetarians?

Yes. Greek salad, fava, gemista, briam, gigantes, spanakopita, tomato fritters and tzatziki are all common and vegetarian. Many tavernas also cook vegan fasting dishes. Ask about mince in stuffed vegetables and about meat stock in soups, and avoid mixed meze platters that include fish.

Are there Indian restaurants in Santorini?

Yes, a few, mainly in and around Fira, serving North Indian dishes such as dal, paneer and naan. They cost more than Indian restaurants in Athens. Mykonos also has a few. Greek vegetarian food is easy enough that most travellers use them only occasionally.

Is the water safe to drink in Santorini?

Santorini's tap water is mostly desalinated and, while generally treated, most locals and hotels advise drinking bottled water. Athens' tap water is safe to drink. Carry a refillable bottle and buy large bottles from supermarkets, which is far cheaper than buying from cafés.

How we checked this page

Last reviewed 28 October 2026

Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.