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Tips for Choosing a Fish to Greek Greek-Style

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GreekGirlCooks

GreekGirlCooks

Active member
Where I live, the fish available are pretty different than what I’ve seen in Greece. I absolutely love grilling fish, especially the Greek way—simple, fresh, and flavorful. I remember how often grilled fish in Greece came out perfectly cooked, finished with that delicious ladolemono (olive oil and lemon sauce). It’s such a clean and satisfying dish.

The challenge is figuring out which types of fish available outside of Greece will hold up well to this method of preparation. In Greece, fish like lavraki (sea bass), tsipoura (sea bream), and barbouni (red mullet) seem common, but I don’t see those where I am (Chicago Area at the moment).

I’d love to hear suggestions for fish that taste great grilled whole and can soak up that classic ladolemono flavor. Thanks in advance!
 
Yes, Greek-style grilled fish is hard to beat! In the Chicago area, you’ve got some great alternatives that hold up beautifully on the grill and work well with ladolemono. Whole branzino (European sea bass) is actually becoming more widely available and is a great match—ask at specialty markets or Mediterranean grocers. If not, rainbow trout is another solid option—mild, flaky, and easy to grill whole.

Snapper (especially red snapper) also grills well and takes on that olive oil and lemon flavor beautifully. If you’re going for fillets, halibut and cod are sturdy choices, though not quite the same experience as a whole grilled fish.

Key tips: score the skin, salt it well, and don’t skimp on good olive oil and fresh lemon juice. Add a sprinkle of oregano and you’re golden. Serve with horta or a simple salad and it’s like being back in a Greek seaside taverna. Enjoy!
 
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