The Ancient Roots of Greek Souvlaki, the World’s First Fast Food

Have you ever wondered what the origin of the Greek Souvlaki is?

Surprisingly enough, archaeological findings and writings clearly show that today’s souvlaki comes from the ancient Greeks.

The origins of souvlaki as slices of meat grilled on a spit date back to ancient Greece and it was even mentioned in the works of Aristophanes, Xenophon and Aristotle. A dish of bread stuffed with meat which resembles the way pita souvlaki is served today with pita bread was also attested to by Athenaeus in his “Deipnosophistae.”

The skewered meat recipe existed as a favorite in ancient Greece during Archaic times. Moreover, excavations held in Akrotiri on Santorini have unearthed stone barbecue holders for skewers which were used before the 17th century BC.

Even later on, during the Byzantine era, references describe street vendors selling souvlaki wrapped in pita in Constantinople.

According to Athenaeus, the skewered pieces of meat and other goods were sold in thermopolia, cart-like stands which amazingly featured hot coals, which operated in markets. These carts were like today’s cantinas or street vendors, essentially selling the fast food of the time, including chestnuts, doughs, salted coldcuts and so on.

As for the creamy sauce that accompanied the sliced meats, it was a mix of donkey and mare’s milk which was later replaced by soft goat cheese, which in turn was replaced by low-cost yoghurt which is used in the souvlaki pita, known to all as tzatziki sauce.

So the next time that you indulge in a succulent pita souvlaki, think about ancient Greeks enjoying the exact same food thousands of years ago and rejoice!