The Peloponnese peninsula has been consistently recommended as one of Greece’s most popular destinations due to its incomparable natural beauty, its significant history (just to mention a few sites such as Ancient Olympia, the theater of Epidaurus, Mycenae, etc.) and the countless activities it generously offers, such as hiking, canoeing, sea kayaking and much more. Now it’s calling you to visit if you are a foodie, as it has been voted second in the world ranking of the 100 best culinary regions for 2024 by the Taste Atlas travel guide! This comes as no surprise to us, as the Greek products of the Peloponnese, such as the Messinian olive oil, are recognized as the best products in international competitions every year! Let us present you the best dishes made from the best quality products:
Messinia, Kalamata & Kardamyli towns
We start with the beautiful region of Messinia, which promises a rich variety of unique dishes made from exceptional products and share with you the “golden” secret of its success: the famous olive oil. 95% of Messinia’s production is PDO-protected extra virgin olive oil, known for its delicious taste! In general, the land of Messinia is very fertile and has also a developed livestock industry. All year round you will find valuable ingredients such as figs, eggplants, prickly pears, chestnuts and artichokes in Messinia’s market – along with fir honey, spoon sweets and fragrant herbs from the mountains. The most popular dishes in Messinia:
- Strapatsada: Also known as kagianas, this dish consists of fresh tomatoes, scrambled eggs and local spices cooked in olive oil. This simple but tasty dish can be enjoyed for breakfast or brunch in many restaurants in Kalamata.
- Gourounopoula: This festive dish consists of a whole piglet, or a large piece of pork marinated with local herbs and spices and roasted on a spit over an open fire.
- Tsouchti: Thick spaghetti pan-fried with myzithra cheese and topped with a fried egg.
- Kavourmas: This slow-cooked, preserved meat dish is typically made from pork and cooked with herbs, spices and olive oil until tender. Served as part of a meze platter, in sandwiches or as a topping for pasta or rice dishes, kavourmas is a true testament to Kalamata’s culinary diversity.
- Piperopita: A savory pie made with peppers, tomatoes, feta cheese and herbs, wrapped in a flaky phyllo pastry. Piperopita is a delicious light meal or snack
- Pasteli: This energy-rich sweet made with honey and sesame seeds is a popular offering at local markets and bakeries. It’s a healthy and nutritious snack to fuel your exploration of Kalamata.
- Lalangia: Twisted, deep-fried dough rings that are traditionally eaten at festivals.
Laconia, Gytheio & Areopoli towns
The valleys of Laconia are blessed with a rich production of goods, which make their presence felt on the international market with PDO products. The endless olive groves provide the extra virgin olive oil of Sparta and the fruit trees provide the largest quantity of citrus fruits in Greece (including mandarins, lemons, grapefruits and, of course, oranges). Tomatoes are produced in such quantities that they are processed into passata. Meanwhile, the hills around Mount Taygetos provide herbs (oregano, thyme, etc.), mountain tea, chestnuts and walnuts, which are fed to the farm animals so that their meat has the best flavor! Laconia is particularly famous for its dairy products, such as feta cheese and especially the PDO-protected sfela cheese (spicier and saltier than feta) and the creamy mizithra. The most popular dishes in Laconia:
- ”Pasto” meat or ”Synglino”: Salted and olive wood-smoked pork and orange-scented sausages, originally from Laconia.
- Loupina: round yellow pulses, similar to fava, are eaten in salads or pickled in brine.
- Almond sweets (amygdalota): cookies with sugar and almonds that have been famous for more than two centuries.
- Kouzouni: A wedding dish from Mani, with homemade filo pastry and a filling of quail, onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices
- Tsaitia: Irresistible little fried pies with herbs and local cheese.
- Diples: spirals of thinly rolled dough, deep-fried and sprinkled with honey and chopped nuts
- Galatopita: Delicious milk pie that is also served at weddings
Arcadia, Dimitsana, Stemnitsa & Vytina villages
Arcadia is a mythical destination just 2 hours from Athens, famous for its picturesque villages below Mount Menalon, but also for its authentic cuisine with its rustic mountain dishes! Due to the local agricultural development, some products from the Arcadian regions are internationally renowned, such as the PDO apples from near Tripoli, known as Delicious Pilafa, and the PDO feta and pasta from Vytina. But many other excellent products such as the famous sour cherries from Makri, the golden potatoes from the Tegea plain, the”Tsakoniki” eggplants from Leonidio and the chestnuts from Skyridas are also exported from Arcadia. The most popular dishes from Arcadia:
- Lamb or goat: cooked in the typical Arcadian way with rice, yogurt or baked artichokes.
- Lagoto: Traditional recipe, popular throughout the region, with pork, olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, crushed walnuts and breadcrumbs.
- Bazina: Sweet trahanas with butter and myzithra cheese and fried tsigarista wild vegetables with red sauce.
- Moustalevria: Sweet cream made from grape must.
Achaia, Kalavryta & Planitero villages
Unknown to most of the world, Achaia is the largest region of the Peloponnese with many towns and villages – so get ready for a culinary adventure in Achaia! In search of the hidden treasures of Achaia, we will introduce you to the famous local products of its countryside, like the handmade pasta (especially hylopites), the production of excellent meat, the extra-virgin olive oil and the fresh fish (e.g. trout) from the rushing rivers. We cannot fail to inform you about the amazing dairy products of Achaia such as yogurt and cheese (formaela, anthotyro, graviera, kefalotyri), but the queen of cheeses ”Feta” comes from the town of Kalavryta, the PDO Feta, which matures for 2-3 months in beechwood barrels. The most popular dishes in Achaia:
- Lamb or goat cooked in a gastra (a covered pot)
- Riganato: Braised meat with oregano, rabbit stew or beef
- Beef youvetsi (with orzo): local beef with potatoes or vegetables
- Anchovies, sardines, sea bream, etc. in the fishing villages
- Trout: trout from the village of Planitero is sourced from nearby fish farms and served grilled with vegetables and almonds.
- Hilopites or hylopites: traditional Greek pasta and it’s usually served with cheese or rooster and tomato sauce
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