Food & Drink

What makes Cretan food distinctive

The "Cretan diet" has been studied by nutritionists for decades — it is one of the original Mediterranean diets. Olive oil is used generously, pulses appear frequently, meat plays a supporting role, and fresh vegetables and wild greens are central. The result is food that is genuinely healthy and also genuinely good.

The specific products that define Cretan cooking are not found everywhere in Greece — the olive oil from the Kolymvari PDO area, the thyme honey from the mountains, the cheese varieties (graviera, anthotyros, mizithra), and the wild greens gathered from hillsides in spring.

Olive oil

Crete produces about a third of Greek olive oil and a significant share of European production. The Kolymvari PDO region in western Crete produces oil with Protected Designation of Origin status. Single-estate oils from small producers can be exceptional.

The covered markets in Heraklion and Chania sell quality local oils at reasonable prices. Look for producers who bottle their own oil — this indicates freshness and traceability.

Honey

Cretan honey — particularly thyme honey from the mountain slopes — has a distinct flavour shaped by the island's specific flora. It is sold in markets and specialist honey shops; buying directly from small producers is common.

Cheese

Graviera Kritis: A hard, slightly sweet cheese with PDO status — pressed and aged, with a complex flavour. One of the best cheeses in Greece.

Anthotyros: A fresh whey cheese, mild and slightly grainy — often served at breakfast or with honey.

Staka: A cooked butter cream — rich, distinctive, and entirely Cretan. Often served with eggs or bread at breakfast.

Raki (Tsikoudia)

The local spirit, distilled from grape marc after the wine pressing. Clear, strong (around 40% alcohol) and usually served cold. It is commonly offered free at the end of a meal — a gesture of hospitality rather than upselling. Do not confuse it with ouzo (which is flavoured with anise) — raki is unflavoured.

Wine

Cretan wine has improved significantly over the past two decades. The indigenous grape varieties — Vidiano, Kotsifali, Mandilari, Vilana — produce wines that are genuinely interesting and not widely available outside the island. The areas around Heraklion (Peza and Archanes) and the western regions have established wine producers.

Where to eat well

The best rule: eat where Greeks eat, at Greek mealtimes (lunch 1–3pm, dinner 9pm onwards). Harbourfront restaurants in major towns are often expensive and inconsistent; the best tavernas are usually a few streets inland.

Municipal markets in Heraklion (Odos 1866) and Chania are the best places to buy food products to take home — olive oil, cheese, honey, herbs, wine and raki.