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THE GREEK HONEY OF FRAGIADIAKIS FAMILY IS PRODUCED IN THE MOUNTAINS OF THE ISLAND OF CRETE, IN A TRULY UNSPOILED ENVIRONMENT AWAY FROM THE URBAN POLLUTION.
THE HONEY PRODUCTS FROM FRAGIADAKIS FAMILY ARE PRODUCED IN A LOCAL ECOSYSTEM OF EXTREMELY DENSE, AROMATIC FLORA OF ENDEMIC, SELF-SOWN FLOWER PLANTS, TREES AND SHRUBBERY.

“ALFA” stands for the first letter of the Greek alphabet. It is also indicative of the premium quality of Greek honey that the island of Crete presents to the global market. White thyme, dittany of Crete, pine, sage and thyme are but a small fraction of the flora that offers Cretan bees exceptional raw materials to produce their honey, an all-natural product that excels due to its high nutritional value. “Fragiadakis Family” could not differ with its truly pure and authentic Cretan Thyme honey from Greece. Totally unprocessed, having not been subjected to any thermic handling, this honey comes from bees which live in a microclimate abundant with endemic herbs and flowers that give it a distinct, unique aroma and flavour.

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Simply add “SO2GO”, wine preservative neutraliser, to your wine prior to drinking, using the handy spray bottle. The 5ml spray bottle is for a glass of wine and will treat a minimum of 20 standard glasses, equal to four 750ml bottles. You simply put 2 sprays per glass and give the glass a swirl. You can now enjoy pure wine without high levels of preservatives, which may trouble people suffering with allergies and reactions to the preservatives in wine and other drinks containing Sulphites. “SO2GO” removes the Sulphite  preservatives harmlessly and effectively, ensuring preservative-free wine.

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Passion and tradition are the key words that summarize the philosophy of a company that has always acted in the utmost respect for the territory by offering customers a genuine product, created with natural raw materials without ever giving in to the use of aromatic or natural substances, which move away production from traditional recipes.

The production is, still today, entrusted to highly specialized personnel who prefers manual production techniques in order to ensure the high quality of the entire supply chain.

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What better way to quench the thirst and take care of your body at the same time? With high nutritional value and only natural sugars added, “ODE – Pomegranate 100% Organic Juice” is certainly food fit for champions and vegetarians, made entirely out of homegrown greek fruit. Throughout the process there is no use of any form of additives, such as sugar and colorants, neither any kind of preservative nor dilution of the product. Pomegranate arils are removed and juiced separately in order to avoid the “stiffness” due to the peel. Juicing and bottling processes are tested and certified as organic by COSMOCERT.

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What better way to quench the thirst and take care of your body at the same time? With high nutritional value and only natural sugars added, “ODE – Pomegranate 100% Organic Juice” is certainly food fit for champions and vegetarians, made entirely out of homegrown greek fruit. Throughout the process there is no use of any form of additives, such as sugar and colorants, neither any kind of preservative nor dilution of the product. Pomegranate arils are removed and juiced separately in order to avoid the “stiffness” due to the peel. Juicing and bottling processes are tested and certified as organic by COSMOCERT.

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Pasta has always been part and parcel of the Greek larder. It seems more likely that pasta may not have come from any one place but from several, including ancient Greece. Greeks for many millenia prepared a kind of primitive pasta in the form of a grilled batter they called laganum. The word may be the etymological root of what the Italians now call lasagna. Even the word for macaroni might have Greek origins, from the makaria, as in funerary dish. Wheat-based foods, usually sweetened, are highly symbolic of rebirth and regeneration and thus have always been associated with the foods served in honor of the dead.

To each his own (pasta)

Anyhow, Greeks are a nation of bread eaters and subsequently there is a vast diversity of regional pasta throughout the country. There are at least dozens, if not more, different traditional Greek pastas and certainly hundreds of ways to cook them.

Before the advent of refrigeration, pasta was a necessity in every household kitchen. For one, it was a way to preserve eggs, although not all Greek pasta contains eggs; it was also a way to ensure that there was always something, however simple, ready to cook and an easy solution to feeding a large, hungry family.

Chylopites, kofto macaronaki, kritharaki, trachanas… Greek words that may sound weird, but refer to types of Greek pasta used in everyday recipes around the country. Greek dough miracles. In the past, women used to make their own homemade pasta, usually during the summer months (after harvesting), when plenty of raw materials was available. They made the dough, worked it, cut or rubbed it by hand into small pieces and then laid it out in the sun to dry. Then, the pasta was put away in fabric pouches in their cellars to keep throughout the year.

Passing the torch

Nowadays, grandmothers’ tradition has passed on to small family businesses and women’s cooperatives that craft the fine high quality pasta as it used to be, using only the best and purest of ingredients. One of those bearers of tradition is “Thracian Pasta”, the brandname of a family company from Thrace, the northeastern-most part of Greece, established in 2004 in the Aigeiros area of Komotini. The company produces mainly chilopites, couscous and trachanas, which they export in Germany and Italy (oh, the irony!), while also having grasped a sizeable part of the domestic market.

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This fact is confirmed by Tornos News research, which deals with the presence of Greek restaurants around the world. As their online presence in popular online communities worldwide reveals, countless Greek restaurants have conquered all 5 continents.

These are businesses that are mostly operated by Greek businessmen or restaurant owners with Greek roots, but also foreigners who have traveled to Greece and have faith in its flavors – simple or rich, traditional or modern. It is essential that many Greek restaurants import raw materials from Greece, even if they are operating thousands of miles away. Indicatively, we surveyed 40 Greek restaurants, which have gained the hearts of locals and tourists around the world with their dishes and hospitality. Starting with Europe, 11 of the Greek restaurants that excel in the big cities, constantly gaining more and more Greek food lovers, residents and tourists are:

Meraki στο Sheffield, England, is successfully introducing “meraki”, namely to cook with love and share beautiful food with its guests. The restaurant holds the 8th place among 53 Mediterranean restaurants and the 46th place among 1,048 restaurants in the region. Prices range from 9 to 19 euros. The restaurant has been recently awarded the Certificate of Excellence for 2019.

Germany

Ach! Niko Ach! In Berlin, Ach! Niko Ach! currently holds the 667th place among the city’s 6,515 restaurants. Greek decorations, traditional Greek dishes with a modern touch and fair prices starting at 8 euros per serving, have captured the heart of the sleepless city center.

Italy

In Rome,  Ilios – Greek Restaurant, ranks first among 24 Greek restaurants and 329th among 9,829 of  the Eternal City’s restaurants, with prices ranging from 5 to 10 euros. Ilios is awarded with the Certificate of Excellence since 2016.

France

La Crete, 16th among 1,023 Mediterranean restaurants in Paris and 81st in the overall ranking, among the city’s 15,144 restaurants. The restaurant is constantly receiving positive reviews because of its high-quality, authentic Greek cuisine, the welcoming atmosphere, the service and the prices, which is why it is awarded with the Certificate of Excellence every year.

Luxembourg

Ambrosia in Luxembourg is 5th among the 82 Mediterranean  restaurants in the city of Luxembourg and 11th in the total of 683 restaurants. A fact that impresses its guests, is that the salad and the bread are free of charge. Ambrosia’s specialties are gyros, squid and shrimp, while several reviews mention that it is perfect for a romantic dinner. Ambrosia is awarded with the Certificate of Excellence since 2015.

Netherlands

Knossos the Greek restaurant ranked 11th among 110 seafood restaurants and 45th among The Hague’s 1,024 restaurants. The variety, the quantity, the 12 different Greek dips, and the special goat cheese salad are some of the dishes that have contributed to the restaurant’s success. Knossos has been awarded the Certificate of Excellence in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019.

Austria

Restaurant Mythos Fisch und Lamm  Vienna, Austria, is ranked 9th among 325 Mediterranean restaurants and 52nd among 3,632 restaurants in the city. The most popular dishes for Viennese and tourists are chicken gyros, tzatziki, and moussaka. The restaurant receives the Certificate of Excellence since 2015.

Hungary

Mazi restaurant in Budapest, near the Parliament,  ranked 3rd among Mediterranean restaurants and 11th among 2,597 restaurants in the city. Its prices range from 5 to 25 euros, with moussaka, Cretan daco and spoon sweets being the favorite dishes of locals and tourists. Mazi has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence for 2019.

Poland

Akropolis, Restauracja Tawerna Grecka in Wroclaw, Poland, 14th among 54 Mediterranean restaurants and 95th of the city’s 806 restaurants, serves homemade, nostalgic Greek cuisine. “Little Greece in Poland”  as it is called among the locals,  mainly attracts Polish, while its specialties are authentic Greek flavors with a contemporary appearance, pies, and baked feta cheese.

Romania

Restaurant Athanasios, 5th among 282 restaurants in Brasov, Romania. The restaurant serves Greek cuisine in a modern setting. Stuffed squid is one of its many specialties. The average price is 35 euros per serving. Athanasios receives the Certificate of Excellence since 2019.

Spain

Greek Taverna in the Canary Islands is 9th among San Augustin’s 59 restaurants. The tavern uses authentic Greek ingredients and it receives the Certificate of Excellence since 2015. Prices range from 5 to 24 euros, with moussaka and souvlaki being the most favorable dishes.

In the United States of America, the strong presence of Greeks resulted in a wide variety of Greek restaurants. Four of these restaurants are:

Santorini by Georgios in Florida. It ranks 1st among 79 seafood restaurants in Miami and 2nd in the overall ranking of 711 restaurants in the state. Tourist reviews mention that the food in Santorini by Georgios is better than the food in Greece. Its specialties are octopus and baklava. Prices range from 6 to 36 euros.

Platia in Texas, 1st among Mediterranean restaurants and 3rd in the overall ranking of Frisco restaurants. The restaurant’s specialty is gyros.

Kephi in Virginia, 1st among Mediterranean restaurants and 20th in 234 restaurants in Williamsburg. For 2019, Kephi received a Certificate of Excellence. The restaurant imports traditional products from Laconia. Some of its specialties are moussaka and vine leaves stuffed with, while is highly appreciated for its large portions and good prices.

My Big Fat Greek Restaurant in Florida, 1st among Mediterranean restaurants and 3rd in 57 restaurants of Dania Beach. Locals and tourists prefer meatballs, taramosalata (caviar salad), zucchini and fried Greek cheese. The average price is 25 euro per dish.

Mad Greek Restaurant, 2nd of 76 restaurants in Bristol, Tennessee. The restaurant is a delicious meeting point, during the truck races that are held in the area every spring. Its huge portions are very much appreciated.

In the rest of the world, the most preferable Greek restaurants are:

Brazil

Kouzina, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1,115th among 37,491 restaurants in this big city. The  Cycladic-styled restaurant that serves fresh, Greek food,   has conquered the hearts of Brazilians and visitors. Recently, the owners opened a second Kouzina in the city center.

Peru

Cosmo Beans Café in Lima, Peru, offers its delicious services in the last couple of years. The Greek owner emphasizes in coffee and Greek snacks, such as feta sandwich. Because of its great reviews, Cosmo Beans is considered to be the best of its kind in Lima.

Mexico

In Mexico, Milos Restaurant located in Playa del Carmen, ranks 256th among  1,101 restaurants and has received the Certificate of Excellence over the past 4 years. Its specialty is gyros.

Colombia

In Colombia, The Greek Connection restaurant is 25th among 1,303 restaurants in the Medellin region. The restaurant received the Certificate of Excellence for 2019.

Chile

In Chile, Hellenikos Kosmos, 45th among Vina del Mar’s 463 restaurants, serves retsina wine from northern Greece, ouzo from Mytilene, moussaka, souvlaki and many other Greek delicacies in a traditional Greek atmosphere. The restaurant has received the Certificate of Excellence for two consecutive years, in 2018 and 2019.

Uruguay

In Montevideo Uruguay, the Greek restaurant Santorini is 459th among the city’s 934 restaurants. It is considered to be a value for money restaurant that serves amazingly cooked chicken and other Greek traditional dishes.

China

In China, the Santorini brand name is used for many restaurants and grocery stores. Specifically, the Greek restaurant Santorini in Hong Kong is ranked 20th among the 123 restaurants that serve Mediterranean dishes while in the overall ranking, Santorini is 513th among 10,929 restaurants in the city. Prices range from 17 to 68 euros. The most popular Greek dishes are spinach pie, cheese pie, saganaki and “kleftiko”, lamb in the oven with potatoes and vegetables.

Japan

In Japan, The Apollo is 19th among Ginza’s 1,131 restaurants, while the “original” Apollo is located in Australia. The modern Greek dishes are cooked in a traditional wood oven. Grilled sardines and egg soup are at the top of the preference list, with prices ranging from 16 to 64 euros.

Thailand

Odysseus Greek organic restaurant in Thailand, 7th among 162 Kata beach restaurants in Phuket. Serving the famous Greek salad and the delicious moussaka, Odysseus is considered to be a great, value for money.

Singapore

In Singapore, Alati Divine Greek Cuisine restaurant, 34th among 555 seafood restaurants and 351st out of 9,146 restaurants, serves Greek seafood dishes. Lobster, octopus, souvlaki squid, taramosalata (kind of caviar salad) and Greek wines are at the top of the list, with prices ranging from 27 to 36 euros.

Vietnam

In Vietnam, the Mix restaurant in the Old Town of Hoi An serves authentic Greek cuisine and ranks 23rd among the city’s 882 restaurants. It is preferred for its moussaka and offers a free dessert, another Greek custom that impresses tourists and locals. The prices range from 2 to 21 euros. It is worth mentioning that in this Vietnamese city, there are a total of 4 Greek restaurants.

Philippines

In San Juan of the Philippines, Gefseis Greek Grill is the first of 69 restaurants to receive the Certificate of Excellence award each year, due to its very good reviews. According to visitors and locals, a few of the restaurant’s highlights are saganaki, souvlaki and large portions of Greek food enjoyed by the sea. The restaurant receives the Certificate of Excellence since 2015.

New Zealand

Costas Taverna Greek Restaurant and Ouzo Bar is 2nd in the ranking of Mediterranean restaurants and 22nd in Christchurch’s 826 restaurants in New Zealand. The friendly atmosphere, dishes such as “kleftiko” lamb, olives and homemade dishes, are some of the reasons why the restaurant is awarded the Certificate of Excellence since 2015. Prices range from 6 to 18 euros.

United Arab Emirates

At the Majestic City Retreat Hotel in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, Elia restaurant comes 3rd among the 40 Mediterranean restaurants in Dubai. It is popular mostly for its grilled squid, souvlaki and Greek feta while being ranked 123rd among Dubai’s 10,280 restaurants. Prices range from 18 to 27 euros. The restaurant is receiving the Certificate of Excellence from 2015 until today.

Zorbas the Greek, in the Caribbean’s Grand Bahama, 14th of Freeport’s 90 restaurants. The most famous dish is the gyros. The restaurant also owns a bakery that serves Greek pastries. Zorba’s Greek is receiving the Certificate of Excellence since 2016.

Puerto Rico

Το Fleria Greek Cafe in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is 8th among the 26 Mediterranean restaurants and 118th among the 824 restaurants in the area. It serves homemade sausage, dolmas and rose sweets on yogurt, which impresses the tourists.

Sri Lanka

Greek Grill, 7th among Negombo’s 191 restaurants in Sri Lanka. Greek owners will soon be introducing pastitsio into the menu as a more “exotic” Greek food. Prices range from 2 to 5 euros, while the restaurant has received a Certificate of Excellence for 2019.

Indonesia

Mykonos Greek restaurant in Indonesia. The restaurant is located in Seminyak and receives consistently good reviews of its squid and lamb.

Nostimo, also in Indonesia is the 17th of the 844 restaurants in Ubud. Prices range from 3 to 12 euros.

South Africa

Maria’s Greek Cafe & Restaurant is 15th among 74 restaurants serving international cuisine and 111th among Cape Town’s 843 restaurants. The Greek appetizers and squid are the most popular dishes. The restaurant receives the Certificate of Excellence since 2015.

Costa Rica

Santorini Greek Restaurant in Costa Rica, 6th among Playas del Coco’s 68 restaurants, serves octopus, mussels, fresh seafood, and meat varieties, from 6 to 27 euros per serving. Santorini received the Certificate of Excellence for 2019.

Israel

Greco Tel Aviv, 179th among 1,409 Tel Aviv restaurants in Israel. It fascinates mainly with the beautiful Greek music, the pure olive oil, feta, oregano, honey, and ouzo. There is a cat in the shop, named Geia mas (which means cheers in greek), that also gets a lot of attention.

Russia

Molon Lave in Russia ranks 35th among 624 seafood restaurants and 213rd among the city’s 10,495 restaurants. The restaurant has its own bakery, which is really important. Reviews mention that Molon Lave serves authentic Greek food. Desserts also include bougatsa, a sweet pie from Northern Greece that surprises visitors who are familiar with the Greek cuisine.

Source: Tornos News

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But even if someone wanted to narrow the scope of greek spirits production down to just ouzo, they would soon find out that nowadays there are hundreds of ouzo producers across the country, most of whom are starting to go back to traditional ways as attitudes and consumer trends change.

On the rise

The reason being that along with the Greek economic crisis, there’s also been a resurgence in popularity of domestic alcohols in recent years, a reversion from the 80s and 90s culture. Small Greek labels offering more traditional liquors are becoming trendier than the big companies.

Tsipouro, otherwise referred to as the “greek grappa” and produced since at least the 15th century with a variety of herbs and spices, was once considered the sort of thing old men enjoy in the village square and which younger men learn to appreciate too late in life. The clear greek spirit is now making a comeback among the younger generation.

Know-how since 1904

The globalization of food market has also paved the way for Greek spirits to reach consumers worldwide. It is therefore possible for every consumer to experience the tradition and love for distillation that products from producers such as “Vantana Distillery” have to offer.

The company was founded back in 1904 in the port-city of Patras in northern Peloponnese. Locals and later the entire country got to know the traditional distillery and tasted its drinks like ouzo, vermouth, rum, brandy, tsipouro, mavrodafni, the “sweet drinks”, especially the “Vantana Tentoura”, the famous drink of Patras.
But times change and wooden barrels gave their place to modern units of production-distillation-bottling. Maintaining the tradition of three generations in the process and the techniques of distillation, making strict choices of the most qualitative raw materials and keeping up with modern trends, the company has its eyes set on foreign markets.

And when you come across one of their products just remember: Greeks sip and savor their liquor, they don’t guzzle or shoot it. Try to follow their lead and you won’t regret it…

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There are, thus, literally hundreds of different types of pies. Some are rectangular, some coiled, some shaped like sticks, and some folded into small triangles. Some are salty, some are sweet. Every Greek region has some form of pie made from local cheese combined usually with local greens. Nevertheless, traditional “tyropita”, or cheese pie, is a staple of Greek cuisine, even if the type of cheese or the shape of dough and other ingredients may vary in recipes from place to place.

Nowadays, consumers across the world are able to taste the purest traditional Greek pie in the form of delicious packets of crispy phyllo pastry wrapped around a savory cheese filling. A handmade Greek traditional product of premium quality, fresh-frozen “Cheese Pie” under the brandname “Verga Pastry” is offering excellent taste in an easy to cook package, becoming the undisputed pita champion.

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