How to order your souvlaki: A guide with infographic

In our previous article, Souvlaki: The ultimate guide, we covered everything you need to know about souvlaki — the most famous Greek street food. We explained the differences between regions, the types of meat, the sauces, and the extras. Now it’s time for the practical part: how to actually order your souvlaki like a Greek.

Ordering souvlaki might seem straightforward, but the sheer number of options can be overwhelming — especially when the person behind the counter is asking rapid-fire questions in Greek while a queue builds behind you. Follow the steps below and you’ll navigate any souvlaki shop in Greece with confidence. We’ve also created a detailed infographic at the end!

Step 1: Pick a Type of Souvlaki

The first question is how you want your souvlaki served. There are three main formats:

• Meat skewers (by item) — individual skewers served with a slice of bread. The simplest option and easy to share.

• Wrap (tylikto) — meat, sauce, and extras wrapped in a pitta. The most popular format. Portable and satisfying.

• Portion (merida) — the meat of your choice served on a plate with vegetables, tzatziki, and fries. Good for sharing or a sit-down meal.

Several restaurants also serve the “skepasti” — a Greek club sandwich made with pitta bread and gyros meat, topped with cheese and extras. Worth trying at least once!

Step 2: Pick Your Meat

The two most common options are pork and chicken, available both as skewers and gyros. But the menu is wider than that:

• Meat skewers (pork or chicken) — the classic choice

• Gyros (pork or chicken) — sliced from the vertical rotisserie

• Kebab — seasoned minced lamb, formed around a skewer

• Bifteki — a beef or mixed-meat patty, like a Greek-style burger

• Greek sausage — pork with herbs and spices

Vegetarian and vegan options: Most souvlaki shops now offer alternatives: halloumi cheese (vegetarian), falafel (vegan), and vegetable skewers. You can also order a wrap with just the extras (tomatoes, onions, fries) and sauce.

Step 3: Pick Your Bread

The bread choice matters more than you might think. The most common options:

• Greek pitta — the default, a round flatbread. Often comes in two sizes (regular and large). Pro tip: ask for a “dipitto” or “dikano” — a wrap with two pittas for extra satisfaction.

• Cypriot pitta — a pocket-style flatbread that opens in the middle, like an envelope for the stuffing.

• Arabic pitta — a thin wrap similar to a tortilla. Not in all restaurants.

• White bread (Northern Greece) — in Thessaloniki and the north, white bread sandwiches are common.

• Souvlouri or koulouri (Northern Greece) — a sesame bread similar to the famous koulouri of Thessaloniki.

Step 4: Pick Your Sauce

The sauce is critical — without it, the wrap feels dry. Here are the main options, from most common to regional specialities:

• Tzatziki — the default sauce: yoghurt with garlic and cucumber. Goes with everything.

• Mayo-based sauce — usually paired with chicken. Lighter than tzatziki.

• Yoghurt (Crete) — in Crete, plain yoghurt is traditionally used instead of tzatziki.

• Tyrosalata — a feta cheese spread. Creamy and tangy.

• Tyrokafteri / kopanisti — the spicy version of tyrosalata, with hot pepper. For those who like heat.

• Red sauce (Corfu) — a tomato-based sauce unique to Corfu’s souvlaki tradition.

• Northern specials — Russian salad (with peas and carrots), Budapest salad (with ham), coleslaw, and melitzanosalata (aubergine spread).

Step 5: Pick Your Extras

The final touch. The standard extras are:

• Tomatoes — sliced, always fresh

• Onions — raw, sliced or chopped

• Fries — yes, inside the wrap! A relatively modern addition that has become essential

• Roman lettuce — usually for chicken wraps only

• Parsley — in some restaurants, adds freshness

If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you can order a wrap with just the extras and sauce — it’s surprisingly satisfying.

Step 6: Enjoy! — “Kali Orexi!”

Your souvlaki is ready. The Greek phrase for “bon appétit” is “Kali orexi!” (literally: “good appetite”). You’ll hear it from the staff, from other customers, and from anyone walking past while you eat. A souvlaki wrap costs between 2.50 and 4 euros depending on the location and the type of meat — making it one of the best food values in Europe.

Regional Ordering Tips

• In Athens and Southern Greece — “souvlaki” refers to the whole category. The meat skewer is called “kalamaki.”

• In Thessaloniki and Northern Greece — “souvlaki” means the meat skewer specifically. Expect bread options to include white bread and koulouri.

• In Crete — yoghurt instead of tzatziki is common. Portions are often generous.

• In Corfu — the unique red (tomato) sauce gives Corfiot souvlaki a distinctive character.

Don’t worry about getting the terminology wrong — every souvlaki shop is used to tourists, and pointing at the menu or at what other customers are eating always works!

Previous article: Souvlaki: The ultimate guide of the king of Greek street food

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