One of the first things I heard when researching Santorini was that there really isn’t any good street food. However, after spending five days there, I have to disagree. Santorini has some great street food. And by street food, I mean gyros: juicy meat wrapped in fluffy pita bread and tucked in with tomatoes, onions, fries, and tzatziki. While I haven’t tried gyros in every part of Greece, the ones on Santorini were miles ahead of anything I’ve had in the United States. Most places offer chicken and pork gyro or souvlaki. Surprisingly, the chicken outshined the pork in every spot we tried. 

The biggest piece of advice I can give you is to get gyros in Fira. Here are the spots I tried, ranked in order of what was most delicious!

1. Lucky’s

Lucky’s in Fira hands down had the juiciest chicken gyro and the best pita. The best spot for gyros, in my opinion.

2. Let’s Eat

This is a spot in Imerovigli and one of the only places open on a Monday. Let’s Eat has a friendly staff, lots of seating, and the best tzatziki. This is a bit more expensive than some of the other spots.

3. Nick the Grill

Located in Fira, Nick the Grill is unique as it offers chicken, pork, and lamb. The lamb was weak compared to the chicken and pork, but I still recommend trying it out for yourself!

4. Jimmy’s Souvlaki 

Another one in Imerovigli, Jimmy’s is a small spot with a big menu. The gyros are big and while it doesn’t quite compete with our other favorites, it is open on Sundays. 

5. Pitogyros

This is a well-known spot in Oia, and you may be surprised to find this ranked last in the list. There will probably be a line upon opening, but if I’m being honest, the pita was dry, the fries weren’t crispy, and the tzatziki was a bit lacking. 

While exploring the street food scene on an island more well-known for tourist-catered restaurants was quite fun, I would have been happy eating at Lucky’s every single day. Gyros are delicious and a great way to get full for less than five euros. 

Things to know about ordering gyros:

• Souvlaki vs gyro: souvlaki is cubed and marinated meat grilled on a stick, and gyro is meat on a rotisserie that’s shaved off. Both can be ordered with pita or as a platter.
• Your cashier may ask if you want your pita “with everything” which typically includes tomatoes, onions, french fries, and tzatziki (sometimes lettuce). Some places offer a pink sauce instead of tzatziki, so just check the menu. Fillings sometimes differ depending on what meat you order.
• Most gyros cost around 4.50 euros, with the highest price being around 7 euros. 
• “Gyro” is actually pronounced “yee-roh.”
• Cities in Greece define gyros differently from each other, so what you call souvlaki or pita could be different on Santorini. Typically you just order gyro or souvlaki in pita on the island. 
• I found gyros to be very filling, so this can definitely constitute a meal.

Feel free to comment your thoughts or suggestions, and have fun snacking on Santorini!