What is souvlaki?
Souvlaki is Greece’s version of fast food, quick, satisfying, and made with fresh, simple ingredients. You’ll find it everywhere, from bustling Athens street corners to late-night spots in Thessaloniki. Traditionally, it’s made with small pieces of marinated meat grilled on skewers or carved gyro-style from a vertical rotisserie. The meat is then tucked into warm pita bread with juicy tomatoes, crisp onions, and a generous dollop of creamy tzatziki. It’s the go-to meal for Greeks on the move and a beloved taste of everyday life.
What kind of meat is used for souvlaki?
In Greece, the most common meat for souvlaki is pork, although chicken, beef, and lamb are also popular. For gyros, pork shoulder is often used because its marbling makes the meat juicier. For skewers, pork loin is traditional — a leaner cut that benefits from a long marinade. Ideally, marinate the meat for at least 12 hours so the flavors can fully develop.
Every souvlaki chef takes pride in making his own marinades, fresh tzatziki, and picking juicy tomatoes; nothing is pre-packaged. The cooking oil is always olive oil, and the fries are always hand-cut from real potatoes. That’s the essence of authentic Greek street food.
Berkeley in the early 70’s had some souvlaki spots. One was next to Tower Records.
The guys who ran it had beards, about a foot long, they blasted some sort of ethnic music over boom boxes and they had what I called “moose and squirrel “ accents.
Excellent food, they’d always give a sample away . Not sure it was pork , thought it was beef, anyways, it was fast hot cheap and delicious and messy.