Tzatziki
Photo: Vegan Feast Catering · CC BY 2.0

History

Tzatziki shares roots with the Turkish cacik and the Indian raita, all built around yogurt and cucumber. The Greek version with garlic and olive oil dominates from the post-war taverna era. Every Athens taverna serves a small bowl of tzatziki with bread before the meal arrives, and every souvlaki pita includes a generous spoonful. The dish requires only strained yogurt, fresh cucumber and good olive oil to work; it ruins fast with bad ingredients.

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Common allergens: Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 400Hands-on 15 minTotal 1 hr 15 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 400g Greek strained yogurt (full-fat)
  • 1 large cucumber
  • 2 cloves garlic, very finely minced
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 small bunch fresh dill, chopped
  • Sea salt

Method

  1. Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater. Toss with 1 tsp salt and set in a sieve for 30 minutes.
  2. Squeeze the grated cucumber hard to remove all water. Squeeze again. The volume should drop by two-thirds.
  3. Mix yogurt, garlic, olive oil and vinegar in a bowl.
  4. Fold in the squeezed cucumber and dill. Taste and adjust salt.
  5. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving. Drizzle olive oil over the top at the table.

Tip from the editors. The garlic should be finely minced not pressed; pressed garlic turns acrid and dominates the yogurt.

Where to eat tzatziki

Tzatziki in Athens

Bairaktaris ★ 3.9

€€ GreekMonastirakiUntil Daily until 02:00

Bairaktaris on Monastiraki Square in Athens runs until 02:00 every night, the long-running souvlaki counter that has fed the after-bar crowd since the late.

OrderA pork souvlaki pita with extra tzatziki and a glass of the house retsina.

TipThe pita window faces the square; the sit-down room behind is a separate bill and longer wait.

Directions

Klimataria ★ 4.3

€€ GreekPsyrriUntil Daily until 02:00

Klimataria on Theatre Square in Athens runs until past midnight every night, the Psyrri institution since 1927 where rebetiko plays live and the wine comes.

OrderGigandes plaki, slow-cooked lamb and a half-kilo of the house red from the barrel.

TipLive music runs most evenings from around 22:00; book a fortnight ahead for the weekend seatings.

Directions Book

Taverna Saita ★ 4.0

€€ GreekPlaka

Taverna Saita on Kydathineon in Plaka is the rare Athenian-locals tavern on the quiet end of the strip, opposite the Metamorphosis church courtyard.

Why locals goThe rare Plaka room cooking for Athenian locals on the quiet end of Kydathineon, opposite the Metamorphosis church courtyard, away from souvenir shops.

TipPavement tables face the quiet end of Kydathineon; book a fortnight ahead for weekend dinners.

Directions

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