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Greek food is known throughout the world as some of the most delicious, fresh and often healthy cuisines on the planet. Even more so in Zakynthos, with our fertile soil and great weather conditions there is an abundance of fresh produce throughout our island all year round and this has led to the creation of many fantastic dishes which are often very simple.
Bring the kids!!
Food, wine and good company as they say here, so don’t be put off about bringing the whole family along, yes that includes children of all ages.
In Zakynthos, there is basically nowhere children are not accepted, even at weddings! Greeks are family orientated and when you are invited for a meal that does include your children; they will often go to great lengths to cater for them as well.
What’s in season.
Eating out and about or even if you are invited to a family home cooked meal, many will be seasonal dishes. Taking advantage of whatever is fresh at the time is the key, even Zakynthos’ modern supermarkets bring in a lot of fresh local products. Whilst, we also have the “farmers market”, located just a wee bit opposite Saint Dionysios church, towards the traffic lights. There you will find the best local products on sale and often biological as one can get.
However, some dishes are also community or religious based and are usually only made on certain days or during certain festivals, for example our very own “fitoures” and “pastelli”.
One thing is for certain Zakynthians focus on freshness and organic growth it is near impossible to get a bad meal in Zakynthos and there is a huge variety of food and drink that caters to everyone including vegetarians, vegans and people with food allergies. Drinking water on the other hand is a completely different story….we just do not drink from the taps. It is ok to have a shower, brush your teeth and perhaps cook and wash your clothes but to drink it?….nooooo it’s way to salty! Hence the bottled water, it’s sold everywhere and at a very low cost.
Food Allergies.
Travelling with a food allergy? Being prepared is important to prevent an allergic reaction or anaphylactic shock during your trip.
It is really very easy to eat gluten free in Greece with a minimum amount of fuss.
To top it all off, many of the restaurants also come complete with a beautiful outdoor dining area with very satisfying views! 
One thing worth noting is always ASK before you order, tell the waiters about your allergies and they will even make suggestions for your order. If there is any special needs the chef, nine times out of ten will certainly go out of his way to help you feel comfortable and have that perfect meal you desire.
What is safe to eat in Zakynthos gluten free?
Fresh and roasted vegetables are always the best bet. Eggplants and Courgettes, however, just be careful of that Moussaka you wished to have, the topping is made from wheat flour. Greek salads, who can not resist! Topped with feta cheese and dripping with extra virgin olive oil. Even when not on the menu, most restaurants will have a simple dish of steamed vegetables served with lemon. There is also Briam, a beautiful all-veggie dish with zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, cooked often with tomato sauce and oregano. No flour is used in the recipe traditionally. Garlic and onions, coated with olive oil, are added for extra flavour. It’s very tasty!
Grilled chicken and meat are also great but just be aware or marinades, not that Zakynthians marinade their meats but with the choice of different restaurants these days there are greater options on what you can eat.
What to avoid if you want gluten free.
Eating out around Zakynthos there are plenty of dishes to choose from, for those who do have allergies. The dishes to avoid however are, anything that ends in the word Keftedes.. Meat Balls (Keftedes), tomatokeftedes,klokithokeftedes, Tirokroketes even Saganaki Cheese and fried egg plant, all these are dipped in flour and fried.
Moussaka as I mentioned above but also Pastitsio and Papoutsakia, these dishes are topped with Bechamel sauce, while Pastitsio also has pennes or spaghetti. Any dips like Taramasalata, maintonosalata (Parsely dip) and sometimes the Zakynthian dish skordalia, as some Zakynthians will make this dish with bread rather than potato, so always ask if you are having these as side dishes. Other dishes to avoid are Pitas (pies) spinach, cheese and wild greens pies, they all will have been made with dough. Even some stews like giouvetsi or soups would not be suitable as these will have orzo pasta as one of the ingredients. As for cakes, well these are definitely a huge no; even for those who are allergic to nuts as most Greek cakes including the Zakynthian Frigania may have some type of nuts in them. However, we have so many fresh fruit to choose from; especially our watermelon and rock melons are top favourites. Fresh Greek yoghurt makes an excellent choice and a little honey or fruit of your choice makes it even more tasty.
So, to sum up, Zakynthos does cater for everyone when it comes to going out and about, whether it’s trying to decide if the children are accepted or how to get a good meal and not upset your allergies. For those who have never been to Zakynthos and are thinking about it, there’s no need to worry, our island has made sure that everyone is catered for. If you do not want to go out and have planned to cook in your apartment or at your Airbnb home, our large supermarkets cater for even the most demanding requests as well. All you need to do is tell our locals whenever necessary and they will be able to give you the best choices available.
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Photos:- Public Domain Social Media, Restaurants around Zakynthos.
