Greek Salad in Side: What to Expect at Hawaii Restaurant

Yes, you can order a Greek salad in Side at Hawaii Restaurant & Bar in the old town. A classic Greek salad is usually chunky tomato, cucumber, onion, peppers, olives and white cheese with olive oil. Hawaii lists it among six salads; ask your server how the kitchen builds its version. Open daily 10:00–02:00.

What a classic Greek salad usually is

In Greece the dish is called horiatiki, the "village salad", and its whole point is simplicity. A classic version is usually built from thick wedges of ripe tomato, slices of cucumber, rings of red onion, strips of green pepper and a handful of olives, finished with a slab or crumble of brined white cheese, a pour of olive oil and a pinch of dried oregano. There is traditionally no lettuce in the strictest version, and the dressing is rarely more than oil, sometimes with a splash of vinegar.

Because the recipe is so short, a Greek salad lives or dies on the quality of a few ingredients and on how generously they are cut. Big pieces, a cold plate and good oil make it feel like a meal rather than a garnish. Many people also like to finish the plate by dipping bread into the leftover oil, tomato juice and cheese crumbs at the bottom of the bowl, which is half the pleasure.

Greek salad and Turkish shepherd's salad

Across the water in Türkiye, the everyday cousin is çoban salatası, the shepherd's salad. It usually shares the same backbone of tomato, cucumber, onion and pepper, but is chopped much finer, often brightened with parsley and lemon, and normally comes without cheese. On the Turkish coast you will see both styles, and many kitchens land somewhere in between.

That is why the honest answer to "how does Hawaii make its Greek salad?" is simply: ask. The live menu lists the dish without a description, so your server is the best person to tell you exactly what goes on the plate tonight, and whether anything can be left out or added.

How to order it at Hawaii

• As a starter for the table. A shared Greek salad sits well next to garlic bread or the starters and meze, before grilled mains.
• As a light lunch. On a hot afternoon a salad and a cold drink is often all anyone wants. Hawaii is open from 10:00, so lunch is easy.
• Alongside a grill dish. Meat and chicken at Hawaii are cooked over wood fire and charcoal, and a fresh, crunchy salad is the classic counterweight to smoky grilled food.
• With dietary questions. If you avoid cheese, onion or anything else, say so when you order and ask how the kitchen can adapt the plate.

The other salads on Hawaii's menu

The Greek salad is one of six salads on the menu. The others are:

• Season's salad
• Chicken salad
• Tuna fish salad
• Shrimps salad
• Goat cheese salad with walnut and honey

For a side-by-side look at all six, read the salads in Side guide. If you like seafood, the shrimps salad pairs naturally with the shrimp starters covered in our garlic shrimps and shrimp cocktail page.

What to drink with a Greek salad

A salad built on tomato, onion and salty cheese likes something cold and sharp. A crisp white wine, a cold beer or a fresh juice all work, and the bar also serves cocktails and alcohol-free drinks. If you are eating lunch in the heat, plenty of water is the sensible companion too.

Is the Greek salad suitable for vegetarians?

A classic Greek salad contains no meat or fish, which is why it is a common choice for vegetarian travellers. Cheeses can vary, though, so strict vegetarians who avoid animal rennet, and anyone eating vegan, should check the details with the server before ordering. Hawaii does not make vegan certification claims, so asking is always the right move.

Planning your visit

Hawaii Restaurant & Bar has been serving in Side old town since 2000 and is open daily from 10:00 to 02:00. There is free round-trip hotel pickup from selected hotels and a paid two-way transfer from farther areas, plus takeaway and delivery nearby. Check the live menu for current prices, message WhatsApp +90 533 930 12 83 with questions, or book a table online.