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Everyday Life • Food & Drink

Souvlaki

Souvlaki is a Greek dish of small pieces of meat, sometimes with vegetables, grilled on a skewer.

Updated August 1, 20261 min readCited sources

Souvlaki is a Greek dish of small pieces of meat grilled on a skewer, often served as street food. It's a staple of Greek cuisine and widely available in Canada.

What it is

Souvlaki consists of bite-sized meat, typically pork, grilled on a skewer, sometimes with vegetables like peppers or onions. It's eaten hot, either straight from the skewer or wrapped in pita bread with toppings such as tomato, onion, sauces, and fried potatoes.

Key details

Pork is the most common meat in Greece and Cyprus, but chicken, lamb, and beef are also used. The name comes from the Greek word for a small skewer. It's distinct from gyros, which uses meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie and shaved off.

Why it matters

Souvlaki is a well-known Greek street food and fast-food dish, deeply tied to Greek culture. In Canada, it's widely available in Greek restaurants and takeout shops, especially in cities with large Greek communities.

In short

  • Grilled meat on a skewer, often pork
  • Served in pita or on a plate with toppings
  • Popular Greek street food in Canada
Canadian angle

Souvlaki is widely available in Canadian Greek restaurants and takeout shops, especially in cities with large Greek communities.

Quick questions

What meat is used in souvlaki?
Pork is most common in Greece and Cyprus, but chicken, lamb, and beef are also used.
Is souvlaki the same as gyros?
No. Souvlaki is grilled on skewers, while gyros is made from meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie and shaved off.
How is souvlaki usually served?
It is served hot, either on the skewer, in pita bread, or on a plate with sides such as tomato, onion, lemon, sauces, and fried potatoes.

Sources

  1. Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souvlaki
    Supports: Definition, common ingredients, serving styles, and typical meat used.
  2. Cambridge Dictionaryhttps://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/souvlaki
    Supports: Definition as a Greek food made of small pieces of meat grilled on skewers.
  3. Merriam-Websterhttps://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/souvlaki
    Supports: Dictionary definition and relation to shish kebab.
  4. Vocabulary.comhttps://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/souvlaki
    Supports: Etymology and typical meats and serving styles.
  5. This is Athenshttps://www.thisisathens.org/restaurants/cheap-eats/souvlaki-gyros-street-food
    Supports: Souvlaki as Greek street food and common serving style with pita, tomato, onion, and yoghurt.