Navigating Dairy-Free in Greece

[nm1999]

I’m traveling to Greece this summer with a family member who needs to be completely dairy-free—no cow’s milk, cheese, or yogurt. They’re unsure if they can tolerate sheep or goat dairy, so to be safe, they plan to avoid it entirely.

I know Greek cuisine has plenty of naturally dairy-free options, but I’d love advice from anyone who has navigated this before. Are tavernas familiar with dairy allergies? How easy is it to request dishes without feta or butter? Are there any traditional Greek dishes we should watch out for that might have hidden dairy?

 

[k_tsoukalas]

Greek cuisine has plenty of naturally dairy-free options, and most tavernas are quite accommodating, especially in tourist areas. However, dairy allergies aren’t always as commonly understood as gluten or nut allergies, so it’s a good idea to be clear when ordering.

Most traditional dishes like grilled meats (souvlaki, lamb chops, bifteki), seafood, fava, dolmades, fasolada, and Greek salads (without feta) are naturally dairy-free. Ladera dishes (vegetables cooked in olive oil, like briam and fasolakia) are also safe.

Watch out for hidden dairy in moussaka (often has béchamel), pastitsio, tzatziki, and certain dips like tirokafteri. Some tavernas cook rice or potatoes with butter, so ask for them to be made with olive oil instead.

When ordering, you can say "Horis gala kai tyri, parakalo" (χωρίς γάλα και τυρί, παρακαλώ) to request no milk or cheese.