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:

• 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...

• Billy Boy's Restaurant (Chicago Ridge)

This popular southside eatery is famous for their BBQ Ribs, black angus burgers, chicken sandwiches, pulled pork and more. Signature Greek dishes include Athenian Chicken, Freshly Sliced Gyros, Saganaki bites and Hellas Brand Baklava Cheesecake. Visit their adjacent packaged goods store for brand name wine, beer and liquor (gaming also available).
6400 W 95th Street, Chicago Ridge IL 60415 • (708) 599-8406
Visit the Billy Boy's website...

• Rose Garden Cafe (Elk Grove Village)

Enduring 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...