Hellenic Notes / 01 – Meze
Vasiliki Kantina & Gastronomia,
September 2025
In Greece, meze is not just a dish. It is a cultural gesture, a way of being at the table, a form of participation. It is not meant to satisfy hunger, but to accompany – a conversation, a glass of wine, a moment of conviviality.
The word meze comes from Turkish, and even earlier from the Persian mazze, which means “taste, pleasure.” In Greece, however, it has taken on a life of its own. From the banquets of antiquity to today’s ouzeri tables, meze has crossed centuries and regions while remaining true to itself: something to share.
Each region has its own ingredients, its own voice. In Epirus, smoked meats and cheeses are served; in Macedonia, richer dishes with sausages and chili peppers; on the islands, the sea dominates: marinated sardines, octopus, stuffed squid. But olive oil is always present – in every dish, on every bread, in every gesture. The silent ingredient that ties it all together.
A table of meze has no beginning and no end. Everything arrives together, intertwines, and is shared. There is not a dish for each person, but dishes for everyone. It is a small geography of Hellenic taste, made of bites, words, pauses, and closeness.
And even when nothing is ordered, something always arrives. An olive, a tomato, a little cheese.
Not to fill you, but to say: you are welcome!