I love talking travel with people who’ve fallen hard for a place, and Marcia Gagliardi, a San Francisco–based freelance food writer and restaurant columnist well-known for her groundbreaking 19-year-old tablehopper newsletter, is one of those people when it comes to Greece. In this week’s podcast episode, she shares her wild first trip to Greece (spoiler: it started with an earthquake and a street feast) and why she keeps going back.
Marcia has been to Greece five times, and she’s not done yet. Her stories are funny, full of feeling, and packed with helpful tips for anyone craving a slower, richer travel experience. If Greece is on your list—or if you're just into food, history, and beautiful storytelling—you’ll want to give this one a listen.
🎧 Click on the above link to listen to the interview or listen on “Mixtape Travels” on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Here are some highlights from our chat:
💥 An Earthquake, a Moussaka, and a Street Dinner
Marcia’s first-ever Greek meal was interrupted by a massive earthquake in Athens. But instead of panic, what followed was unexpected magic: waiters pulling tables into the street, salvaging food from the kitchen, and sharing wine with strangers. It’s a moment she says changed her outlook on travel—and life.
☀️Sifnos: The Secret Island You (Maybe) Shouldn’t Know About
After Athens, she escaped to the quiet island of Sifnos, where she met scooter-riding Frenchmen, stumbled on the best taverna, and soaked up the kind of peace you only find in places with two boats a week. Sifnos stayed with her—and yes, she’s seriously considering retiring there.
Marcia also discusses later visits to the islands of Naxos, Corfu, and Thessaloniki, describing Corfu’s Venetian influence and Thessaloniki’s underrated vibrancy, architecture, and food scene.
Pro tip from Marcia: If an island has an airport, it’s probably not the place to go if you're looking to truly unwind.
🍽️ The Food of Greece, According to Marcia
Marcia’s stories about Greece are full of sun-soaked beaches and ferry mishaps—but food is at the heart of almost every moment. Here are some of her most memorable takeaways:
🧀 Feta Fanaticism
Marcia joined a feta-focused media trip where she learned about the artistry behind this iconic cheese and visited co-ops, small dairies, and artisan producers. You read all about it here!
She’s deeply committed to the real deal: “If it’s made with cow’s milk, it is NOT feta. Don’t even look at it.”
Feta, to her, is a fridge staple and a source of joy—she calls it “the thing I’m always cooking with.”
🍞 Rustic Comforts & Grandma Food
Greece isn’t just about seaside dining—it’s about comfort food, often made early in the day and served in generous, no-fuss portions later.
Her favorites include:
Stuffed tomatoes with rice
Baked casseroles portioned out in wedges
Bright-orange eggs from chickens fed marigolds, served with a chunk of bread and feta
Late-night honey balls (“loukoumades“) from a bakery in Sifnos that “still live rent-free” in her memory
🌾 Ancient Grains: Meet Trahana
Trahana is an ancient Greek grain preserved by mixing with yogurt and drying it—then later rehydrated into a tangy porridge.
Marcia loved shopping for grains like this at home goods shops near Athens’ Central Market and found the preservation traditions fascinating.
“It’s like salumi or canned tomatoes in Italy—practical but totally delicious.”
🥗 Cretan Food Is a Whole Thing
She raves about the food of Crete, especially dakos—a barley rusk salad rehydrated with tomatoes, olive oil, feta, and oregano.
“You eat it chilled, on the beach, and think—okay, I could live here.”
🥐 Thessaloniki: Bakery Heaven
The baked goods in Thessaloniki left her speechless:
Bougatsa (custard-filled phyllo)
Custard-stuffed triangle cones
Spanakopita unlike anywhere else
She said the region’s baking scene was “kind of mind-blowing” and totally unique to northern Greece.
She highly recommends Smaragda’s food tours and cooking classes in Thessaloniki.
🥝 Greek Kiwis and Cherries
Did you know Greece is also known for their kiwis and cherries? This was news to me! To learn more, check out Marcia’s post on kiwis and cherries in Greece.
☕ Coffee, the Greek Way
Marcia fell hard for the country’s intense coffee culture:
Greek coffee: unfiltered and muddy if you don’t let it settle (“It’ll put hair on your chest.”)
Frappe: A surprisingly delicious beach drink made from Nescafé, sugar, and ice
Freddo Espresso: Her favorite—iced espresso with a touch of milk foam, available everywhere
🍷 Wine Bars & Local Spirits
In Athens, she recommends hitting wine bars like Materia Prima and Heteroclito.
Greece’s natural wine scene impressed her, even as someone who’s usually skeptical.
Favorite spirits:
Mastiha – A liqueur made from ancient tree resin (and the world’s original chewing gum!)
Tsipouro – A grappa-like spirit best enjoyed with salty bites at a seaside tsipouradiko
❤️ Greek Pride and Generosity
One of Marcia’s biggest takeaways? The pride Greeks take in their local foods—and how open they are when you show interest.
“If you show the slightest bit of curiosity, the door flies open. They want to show you how it's made, how it's eaten, where it comes from.”
Her tip: Learn a few key phrases, ask questions, and be curious. It’s the fastest way to make friends—and to get invited behind the counter for a taste of something special!
🏛 Athens Isn’t Just for History Buffs (But Also, It’s Great for History Buffs)
Marcia’s love for Athens has only grown over the years. She talks about her favorite food markets, wine bars, music-filled tavernas, and lesser-known temples. Her best advice? Visit in spring or fall to avoid the brutal summer heat, go on a food tour with Culinary Backstreets, and always hire a guide at the Acropolis if you can (book with Get Your Guide).
Want to read Marcia’s detailed guide to Athens? (Trust me, the answer is yes!) She includes the names and links to many of the places we talked about! Become a paid subscriber of tablehopper. You will be able to access her fabulous Athens recommendations, plus all the latest SF Bay Area restaurant and bar news, events, culture tips, travel guides, and more. Marcia is offering a special 25% discount for an annual subscription to tablehopper for Gomes Guide readers (Thank you, Marcia! 🙏). To take advantage of this special offer, click here.
Meet Marcia
Marcia Gagliardi is a San Francisco–based culinary personality and restaurant columnist, well-known for her groundbreaking, 19-year-old tablehopper newsletter, an established insider resource for the latest SF Bay Area restaurant and bar news, events, international travel stories, and more. Her column (and Instagram feed: @tablehopper) are avidly read by a loyal following of both food-obsessed consumers and the food and beverage industry. Marcia is a published author, freelance writer (she has been writing about the Bay Area food scene since 2003), event producer and host, emcee, content creator, and has appeared on numerous television and radio shows (including her own pandemic podcast, On the Fly). Marcia is a proud San Franciscan, 30 years and counting.
🇬🇷 Why You Should Travel to Greece
Why Greece? Because it's not just about the ancient ruins or the turquoise water (though, yes, they're amazing!). As Marcia shares, it's the kindness of strangers who pull tables into the street after an earthquake and share their wine with you. It's the taste of authentic feta that makes all other cheese pale in comparison. It's the tiny island taverna you find by accident, the beach you hike to escape the crowds, and the shopkeeper who invites you back in the morning to teach you how he makes breakfast. As Marcia describes, Greece has a way of slowing you down and pulling you in—with its food, its history, its chaos, and its calm.
If you're looking to reset, reconnect, or simply eat exceptionally well, this is your place. As Marcia says, "It's where the soul gets quenched."
Thank you Marcia for sharing your love and awesome recommendations for Greece!
If you enjoyed this interview, please leave a quick ❤️ or share your thoughts in the comments below. And if you have fellow travel-loving friends who would enjoy subscribing to The Gomes Guide, please forward this to them. 🙏
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