Just because you are on a budget, doesn’t mean you can’t go to good quality places. Greece has some of the tastiest food I have sampled. In this post we are exploring 5 budget food venues that will knock your socks off.
These cheap eats are all in the location of Parikia Paros, which is right next to the ferry port.
THE BEST GYROS IN PAROS
Over my month of travelling I tasted A LOT of Gyros and Paros hands down had the best one. With Mykonos as a close second. For those of you that don’t know, a Gyros is a Greek dish of sliced pork or chicken with chips/fries, onions, tomatoes and Tzatziki wrapped in a flatbread pita. The price from this delicacy is between €2 – €7. Pepe’s is my first recommendation on this budget food tour. Their pork pita Gyros costs €2.60. I suggest ordering it as a takeout and sitting on the beach or on the harbour front to watch the water.
Even though the food is cheap, you do not miss out on quality.
Pepe’s has plenty to choose from on it’s menu, all at good prices:
- Greek Salad – €5.50 – Feta cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, olive oil, capers.
- Beef Burger – £6.50
- Meat Skewers – £1.50
- Pita Pies – €7.00 – Pork, tomatoes, fries, onions, tzatziki, gouda cheese. Or Chicken, tomatoes, fries, onions, gouda cheese, lettuce, sauce.
- Beer – 330ml €1.70 550ml €2.20
- Water – 500ml €0.50 1.5l €1.20
Something to keep in mind about Pepe’s is, there are not a lot of vegetarian options.
A TASTY MOUSSAKA
This dish was a new experience for me, another greek dish, the moussaka. It looks like lasagne with its layering. The ingredients are eggplant, potatoes, Minced meat and besamel cream (white sauce). Mine also came with crisps on the top which was an interesting twist. I met some girls in the hostel (Paros Backpackers) and we spent the day together exploring the smaller island of AntiParos. When we returned from the island we decided to all go for a nice meal. Although we were all backpackers we wanted somewhere nice and found this beautiful restaurant next to the waterfront.
My brain immediately saw ££ signs. As it was a prime location but when we sat down at Aeolis I was pleasantly surprised by the menu choices and the range of prices for each dish. Prices typically range from €8 – €21 (moussaka €8) with an extensive menu to choose from.
*Please note prices are roughly around this amount, the official website does not have an up to date price sheet.
They have vegetarian/vegan and gluten free options too:
- Stuffed Tomatoes – €8 – Rice, tomatoes, peppers, baked potatoes.
- Baked Potatoes – €5
- Eggplant Aeoli – €9 – Eggplant baked in clay stuffed with a variety of cheese, tomato sauce, sour cream.
- Cycladic Pizza – Tomato sauce, onion, feta cheese, olives, eggplant, fresh tomatoes and mixture of 3 cheeses.
Some meat options include:
- Grilled Swordfish filet – €12 – served with potatoes and rice.
- Bolognese pasta – €8
- Stuffed burger – €9 – ham, cheese, potatoes or rice.
GREEK TAPAS
Next on the budget food tour is a lovely little café/restaurant very close to the ferry port. This was the first menu that caught my eye when I started to explore Paros. In particular their pizza gyros (€7 chicken or pork, feta cheese, tomato sauce and fresh tomatoes) Although they had sold out when I went so I ventured onto the Greek tapas menu. What really draws me to Greek dining is the outside seating areas. This spot has lots of umbrellas to keep you shaded from the sun. It is a small place but has a really extensive menu. The Taverna Hellas pride themselves on creating traditional dishes in a modern way. Prices range from €4 – €23 with the more expensive dishes being mixed grills.
Taverna Hellas has plenty of dishes to choose from, as well as main meals they have a wide range of small plates to mix and match:
A couple Greek Tapas dishes are:
- Tabbouleh salad with pita – €5
- Zucchini balls and dip – €5.50
- Bruschetta with pesto and halloumi – €4
- Special French fries – €5 – bacon, cheese, co*cktail sauce.
- Shrimp kataifi saganaki – €6
- Pita taco – €7 – Over Baked tortilla, pork or chicken, garlic sauce, lettuce, coleslaw, tomato and fries.
GOOD VIBES CAFÉ FOOD
Coffeeshop had such a lovely vibe to it. With plenty of outdoor seating, you get a mixture of happy hour co*cktails and local coffee shop. This place was a great spot to people watch and have some good quality café food. The staff were friendly and approachable as well as being attentive. The Coffeeshop Paros is located very close to the ferry port parallel to Hellas. They have an extensive menu and plenty of outdoor seating. The café is open from 8am to midnight making it an all rounder. After your meal head up into the little streets, where you will find lots of little boutique shops and Frankish Castle.
Some options include:
- Chicken Tortilla; lettuce, bacon, parmesan and Caesar dressing €5.50.
- Savory Crepe; cheese, chicken, corn, mushrooms €7.00
- Poke Bowl; crispy chicken, sushi rice, corn, cucumber, avocado, radish €9
Veggie options:
- Sandwich with feta cheese PDO, olive oil, olives, cucumber and oregano €4.00
- Greek Salad €7.50
- Sweet Pancakes; praline, strawberries and granola €7.50
GELATO
Have you been on holiday if you haven’t made time for Ice cream/Gelato!? Mastiha Gelato is open from 12am to 11.30pm meaning that late night craving can be cured. They have tons of different flavours from limoncello to salted caramel. The shop is right next to the port making it easy to locate.
One of my favourite things to do whilst exploring a new place is eating the local cuisine. Gyros were definitely my go to meal because they were affordable but also delicious. And that is it on the budget food tour! Paros has so many great cafes and restaurants to choose from. If you have time, venture out to neighbouring villages like Léfkes and the town of Naoussa.
Happy Exploring!
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