Greek Food for Groups: What to Order for 6, 10 or 20 People

Ordering for a group at a Greek restaurant is not complicated, but it is easy to get wrong in one specific way: people order individually, everyone gets a large plate, and half the food goes home in containers.

Greek food is built to be shared. Here is how to order for six, ten or twenty people so the table works properly.

The principle

Order most of the food for the middle of the table, and only a few things per person. The middle is where dips, starters, salads and shared grills go. Individual mains are the exception, not the default.

This is also why Greek suits a mixed group. Vegetarians, people avoiding pork, kids, and someone who is not very hungry all end up fed without anyone having to negotiate.

For six people

• Three dips with pita — tzatziki plus two others
• Three or four starters — spanakopita, haloumi, dolmades, calamari
• One Mix Grill for the middle
• One large Greek salad and one large cabbage salad
• Chips with feta

Add one or two individual plates if there is someone who really wants their own gyros.

For ten to twelve people

• All five dips, with plenty of pita
• Six or so starters, doubling whatever the table likes most
• One Olympus Plate, our largest shared platter
• Two large salads, plus a dakos
• Two serves of chips
• Paidakia for the table if it is an occasion

For twenty or more

At this size, stop building the order from the menu and call us instead. Twenty people is a different job: it is about timing the kitchen and getting the food out together, not just quantity. Call (02) 9891 4174 and we will work it out with you.

What we will ask: your numbers, how firm they are, your dietary needs, and whether anyone has to be somewhere afterwards.

How much is enough

The most common mistake is over-ordering mains and under-ordering starters. Dips and starters are what people actually remember, and they arrive while everyone is still settling in. The grill is the centrepiece, but it is not the whole meal.

If you are unsure, order slightly less than you think and add more later. We would rather cook a second round than watch food go back to the kitchen.

Dietary needs at a big table

Tell us at booking, not on the night. Vegetarians are well covered — there is a Vegetarian Plate, a mushroom moussaka, vegetarian pitas, all five dips and the salads. We keep gluten free pita. Our chicken and lamb are halal-sourced through our butcher, though we serve pork in the same kitchen, so we will not call ourselves a halal venue. Ask us and we will tell you exactly what we are doing.

Booking

316 Church St, Parramatta. Monday to Friday 12pm to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday 12pm to 11pm. For anything above six people, call (02) 9891 4174 rather than booking online.