Epirus Ήπειρος
Rugged, isolated, and dominated by the Pindus mountain range, Epirus possesses a frugal yet sophisticated pastoral food culture. It is Greece's undisputed heartland of savoury pies, traditionally baked thin over hearth fires using butter, lard, cornmeal, and foraged wild greens. The dairy culture is exceptional, turning rich sheep and goat milk into complex smoked and hard cheeses. Forest ingredients, including wild boar, chestnuts, mushrooms, and river fish, form the basis of slow earthenware bakes, seasoned simply with garlic, mountain herbs, and wine rather than foreign spices.
What grows here
Rugged limestone mountains sustain hardy dairy flocks of sheep and goats, with river valleys growing citrus, river trout, and corn.
Influences: vlach, albanian, ottoman, byzantine.
Best time to eat
Deep winter offers the warmest experience, when hearthside tavernas serve smoking pies and slow-cooked mountain stews.
Places to know
Ioannina, Metsovo, Zagorochoria, Preveza.
Signature dishes
Signature products
17 dishes from Epirus
- 003 Spinach and feta pieΣπανακόπιτα 1h35 €€
- 004 Cheese pieΤυρόπιτα 1h25 €€
- 005 Meat pieΚρεατόπιτα 1h55 €€€
- 006 Wild greens pieΧορτόπιτα 1h50 €
- 007 Courgette pieΚολοκυθόπιτα 1h40 €
- 009 Chicken pieΚοτόπιτα 1h45 €€
- 057 Kleftiko, slow-baked lambΚλέφτικο 3h25 €€€
- 060 Lamb on the spitΑρνί στη σούβλα 6h €€€
- 061 Grilled lamb chopsΠαϊδάκια 57' €€€
- 062 Pork kontosouvliΚοντοσούβλι 2h +soak €€
- 074 Chicken in tomato with hilopitesΚοτόπουλο με χυλοπίτες 1h20 €
- 077 Gardoumba, offal in the ovenΓαρδούμπα 2h15 €
- 078 KokoretsiΚοκορέτσι 3h30 €€
- 106 Trahanas soupΤραχανάς 25' €
- 125 Milk pieΓαλατόπιτα 1h10 €
- 128 Green walnut spoon sweetΚαρυδάκι γλυκό 1h40 +soak €€
- 140 Mountain teaΤσάι του βουνού 7' €