Greek-American cuisine facts for kids

A yummy gyro with meat, onions, tomato, fries, and tzatziki sauce, all wrapped in pita bread!

Greek-American cuisine is a special type of food that mixes traditional Greek cuisine with American tastes. It was created by Greek Americans, who are people of Greek heritage living in the United States. When Greeks moved to America, they brought their amazing recipes with them.

Over time, these recipes changed a bit as they were influenced by American culture. Different Greek families came from various parts of Greece, each with their own food traditions. They settled in different parts of America, and their cooking blended with local ingredients and styles. This led to new and exciting dishes that became popular across the country. You can find lots of Greek-American food in places with many Greek communities, like Astoria, Queens in New York and Tarpon Springs, Florida.

Greek-American Restaurants: Tavernas and Estiatorios

In many big cities across the U.S., you'll find restaurants called tavernas and estiatorios. These places serve delicious Greek-American food. A typical menu at a taverna usually has many tasty options.

What's on the Menu?

• Bread: Often, you'll get regular loaf bread, but sometimes it's flat bread. Pita is often used to make sandwiches like the gyro.
• Salads: A popular choice is the Greek salad, which is full of fresh vegetables and feta cheese.
• Appetizers and Dips:
  • Tzatziki: A cool and creamy dip made with yogurt, garlic, and cucumber.
  • Melitzanosalata: A tasty dip made from eggplant.
  • Tirokafteri: A spicy dip made from whipped feta cheese, hot peppers, and olive oil.
  • Spanakopita: A savory pastry filled with spinach and feta cheese.
  • Dolmades: Small rolls made from tender grape leaves wrapped around a mix of rice, fresh herbs like mint and parsley, and sometimes pine nuts. Some regions even add minced meat. They are often served with a creamy, lemony sauce.
• Soups: Like fasolada, which is a hearty bean soup.
• Pasta Dishes:
  • Spaghetti napolitano.
  • Pastitsio: A baked dish with layers of thick pasta, minced meat, and a creamy béchamel sauce on top.
• Main Dishes:
  • Gyro sandwich: Often served in pita bread or on a plate.
  • Fish and Seafood: You might find baked fresh fish, fried salted cod with skordalia (a garlic sauce), fried squid, or even small baby octopus.
  • Baked Dishes (Magirefta): These include many seasonal vegetable dishes. A famous one is moussaka, which has layers of eggplant or zucchini, minced meat, and béchamel sauce.
  • Grilled Dishes: Such as souvlaki, which are small pieces of meat grilled on a skewer.
• Drinks:
  • Wine: Including Greek wines like retsina and mavrodafni.
  • Beer.
  • Spirits: Such as ouzo, tsipouro, and Metaxa brandy.
• Dessert: Often fresh fruit.

Where to Find Greek-American Food

Many restaurants in Greektown, Chicago serve Greek-American food.

Greek-American cuisine is very popular in certain parts of the United States. Some of the most famous places for it include:

• Astoria, Queens in New York City.
• Greektown, Chicago.
• Greektown Historic District in Detroit.
• Tarpon Springs, Florida.
• Greektown, Baltimore.

Greek-American food also spread to the western U.S. when immigrants moved there for jobs in mining, smelting, and railroads. In Salt Lake City, for example, Greek-American dishes are even found on the menus of some fast-food restaurants like Crown Burgers.