Our Top 10 Favorite Greek Desserts & Pastries

At our favorite Greek owned restaurants in the Chicago area, Grecian desserts are certainly a sweet way to put the finishing touch on a great meal.

And while there is no shortage of diverse food choices in the Greek culture, nothing tempts the palate quite like popular Greek desserts including baklava and loukoumades.

These desserts and various pastries go perfect with Greek coffee (or frappe) and are a huge draw at restaurants and Greek fests alike.

While Loukoumades and Baklava often steal the spotlight, we also found eight other sweet treats that round out the list of our favorite Greek desserts.

Following is a brief description of our top 10 favorite Greek pastries and treats:

• Baklava -- A dessert made of layers of phyllo pastry, filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey.

• Loukoumades -- A pastry made of deep fried dough coated in honey and cinnamon.

• Kourambiedes -- Greek butter cookies coated in powdered sugar that can be made with or without nuts.

• Galaktobouriko -- A seminola-based custard flavored with lemon, orange or rose and baked in phyllo that is coated in a clear sweet syrup.

• Melomakarona -- Egg-shaped cookies made with flour, olive oil, honey, sugar, orange zet, cognac, cinnamon and walnuts.

• Koulouria -- A traditional Greek Easter cookie that is butter-based with a hint of vanilla and egg glaze on top.

• Diples -- Thin sheet-like dough rolled into long thin strips, fried and folded in hot oil and then dipped in a honey-based syrup and sprinkled with chopped nuts.

• Kataifi -- A pastry made with nuts on the inside, wrapped in shredded wheat and soaked in sugar or honey syrup.

• Flogeres -- Chopped walnuts and almonds layered between rolled phyllo dough sheets, baked and then soaked in a sweet honey syrup.

• Karidopita -- Walnut cake flavored with cinnamon, then bathed in sweet syrup.

• Homemade Rice Pudding -- This popular desert is available at many popular restaurants throughout Chicagoland.

Enjoy Grecian desserts at these favorite Greek restaurants in Chicagoland:

• Artopolis Bakery & Cafe (Chicago)

This cozy and stylish cafe is known for their relaxed ambiance and delicious Mediterranean specialties including kabobs, salads, ouzo Saganaki, wood fired pizza, baked goods and delicious Greek pastries. Try the baklava, Greek yogurt mousse, various cookies, berry cheesecake and their famous Loukoumades. Greek coffee, wine and iced frappe also available.
306 S Halsted Street, Chicago IL 60661 • (312) 559-9000
Visit the Artopolis website...

• KEFI Greek Cuisine (Palos Heights)

After enjoying authentic Greek dishes like dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), pastichio (Greek lasagna), grilled octopus, fresh seafood and more, finish your Kefi experience with sweet treats like baklava, rice pudding and Greek yogurt. Daily specials and homemade Avgolemeno (egg lemon) soup.
12200 S Harlem Ave, Palos Heights IL 60463 • (708) 361-9610
Visit the Kefi website...

• Rose Garden Cafe (Elk Grove Village)

Established diner serves pancakes, omelets, sandwiches, appetizers, steaks, bbq ribs and more. Greek-style dishes include broiled Athenian chicken, skirt steak, shish-ka-bob, gyros and pork chops. Bakery display features a nice assortment of cakes, pies, rice pudding and baklava!
800 E. Higgins Road, Elk Grove Village IL 60007 • (847) 952-1881
Visit the Rose Garden Cafe website...