Dish guides
What is souvlaki?
Σουβλάκι · Souvláki
Souvlaki is small cubes of meat, usually pork in Greece, marinated with olive oil, lemon and oregano and grilled on a skewer. You can eat it straight off the stick, as a plate (merída) with fries, salad and pita, or wrapped in a warm pita with tomato, onion and tzatziki. In Athens the skewer itself is often called kalamáki.
- At a glance
- Souvlaki
- Greek grilled meat skewer, usually pork, served on its own, as a plate or in pita.
- Pronunciation
- Say it like soo-VLAH-kee · IPA /suˈvlaci/
- Also written as
- σουβλάκια, kalamaki (καλαμάκι), pork souvlaki (σουβλάκι χοιρινό), chicken souvlaki (σουβλάκι κοτόπουλο), souvlaki pita, souvlaki merida
What’s in it
Core ingredients
- pork (or chicken) cut into cubes
- olive oil
- lemon juice
- dried oregano
- salt and pepper
Often added
- pita bread
- tzatziki
- tomato and red onion
- fried potatoes
- yellow mustard sauce (often with mayonnaise) with chicken
- lamb or beef (less common)
Allergens
| Allergen | How likely |
|---|---|
| Gluten | Often contains |
| Dairy | Often contains |
| Mustard | Sometimes contains |
| Eggs | Sometimes contains |
| Peanuts | Rarely contains |
| Tree nuts | Rarely contains |
| Shellfish | Rarely contains |
| Fish | Rarely contains |
| Soy | Rarely contains |
| Sesame | Rarely contains |
| Diet | Suitable? |
|---|---|
| Vegetarian | No |
| Vegan | No |
| Pescatarian | No |
| Halal | Depends — Pork is the default in Greece. Chicken or lamb souvlaki contains no pork, but the meat is rarely halal-certified and may share the grill with pork. |
| Kosher | No |
| Gluten-free | Depends — The grilled meat on its own usually has no gluten; order it as a plate without pita and check the marinade. |
Allergen and calorie details are AI estimates based on the menu and typical recipes. They can be incomplete — if you have a serious allergy, always check with the staff.
What souvlaki is
The word comes from soúvla, a skewer, and souvlaki simply means "little skewer". Cubes of pork shoulder or neck are the classic choice in Greece, with chicken a close second. The meat is marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper, then threaded onto wooden or metal skewers and grilled over charcoal. A good souvlaki is charred at the edges, juicy inside and finished with a squeeze of lemon.
Lamb and beef versions exist but are less common. Outside Greece, menus often use "souvlaki" for any grilled meat skewer, and sometimes for a gyros wrap.
Three ways it's served
- On the stick (kalamáki in Athens): a single skewer, often with a slice of bread, eaten standing up at a grill shop.
- As a plate (merída): two or three skewers with fried potatoes, tomato, onion, tzatziki and pita triangles. This is what most tavernas serve.
- In pita (souvláki píta): the meat comes off the skewer into a folded, grilled pita with tomato, onion and tzatziki, and often a few fries tucked inside.
With chicken, some places swap the tzatziki for a yellow mustard sauce that is often mixed with mayonnaise, so ask if you avoid mustard or egg.
Names change between cities
In Athens and much of southern Greece, the skewer is called kalamáki ("little reed"), and "souvlaki" is used more loosely for pita wraps, including gyros. In Thessaloniki and northern Greece, souvlaki means the skewer itself. If you're unsure what will arrive, point at the menu or ask whether it comes on the skewer or in pita. For more menu words, see the Greece menu guide.
Typical price
Median price 12.5 EUR
Typical range 6–21 EUR.
Median of 24 menus, 2025-05 – 2026-04. Basis: English- and Greek-language menus priced in euros, scanned with MenuGuide; pita wraps and full plates.
How to order it
| Phrase | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ένα σουβλάκι χοιρινό σε πίτα, παρακαλώ. | Éna souvláki choirinó se píta, parakaló. | One pork souvlaki in pita, please. |
| Μία μερίδα σουβλάκι κοτόπουλο, παρακαλώ. | Mía merída souvláki kotópoulo, parakaló. | A chicken souvlaki plate, please. |
| Χωρίς τζατζίκι, παρακαλώ. | Chorís tzatzíki, parakaló. | Without tzatziki, please. |
Not to be confused with
- Gyros — Meat sliced from a vertical rotisserie, not cubes grilled on a skewer.
- Kebab (κεμπάπ) — In Greece, minced meat shaped around a skewer and grilled, rather than whole cubes.
- Bifteki (μπιφτέκι) — A grilled minced-meat patty, sometimes stuffed with feta.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between souvlaki and gyros?
Souvlaki is cubes of meat grilled on a skewer; gyros is thin slices shaved from a large, vertical rotating spit. Both are usually pork in Greece, both come as a plate or in pita with tomato, onion and tzatziki, and both are sold at the same grill shops. In Athens, people may say "souvlaki" for any pita wrap, so check which meat you're getting.
What is kalamaki?
Kalamaki is the Athenian name for a souvlaki skewer: small cubes of grilled meat on a stick. The word means "little reed". In Athens, "souvlaki" often refers to the whole pita wrap instead, while in Thessaloniki and northern Greece souvlaki means the skewer. Ordering "ένα καλαμάκι χοιρινό" gets you one pork skewer.
Is souvlaki gluten free?
The grilled meat on its own usually doesn't contain gluten, since the marinade is typically olive oil, lemon and herbs. The pita does contain wheat, and a plate normally comes with pita or bread. Order a plate without pita and check whether the meat is marinated with anything else, such as mustard or ready-made seasoning.
How do you pronounce souvlaki?
Say soo-VLAH-kee, with the stress on the second syllable: in IPA, [suˈvlaci]. The plural, for several skewers, is souvlákia (soo-VLAH-kya). On menus you'll also see choirinó (pork, hee-ree-NOH) and kotópoulo (chicken, koh-TOH-poo-loh) after the word. Greek vowels stay short and clear, even in unstressed syllables.
