Greek Easter at Georges: A Celebration Like No Other!
Greek Orthodox Easter is more than just a holiday—it’s an experience! Spanning from Palm Sunday to Holy Saturday, it’s a time for traditions, celebrations, and (most importantly) incredible food. While many customs are shared across Greece, each region has its own unique spin on Easter festivities.
For example, in Tsakonia, the night sky is filled with hundreds of glowing paper lanterns drifting like tiny hot-air balloons. Over on Corfu, locals and visitors take part in the famous “Botides” tradition, smashing clay pots in the streets (because what’s Easter without a little chaos?). Tourists and locals alike collect shards of the smashed pots in hope for good luck. In Amorgos, the Good Friday Epitaphios procession turns the streets into a floral masterpiece, with vibrant petals scattered along the way. And in Arnea, Halkidiki, there’s even a giant scale in the village square—where anyone suspected of sneaking a bite of forbidden food during Lent might just get weighed for fun!
But here at Georges, we believe the best traditions are the ones we keep at home.
Kokkina Avga: The Famous Red Eggs
What’s Greek Easter without red eggs? These bold beauties symbolize renewal and tradition, and if you grew up in a Greek household, you probably have memories of dyeing them with family. Back in the day, people used onion skins, beetroot, and even coffee to get that perfect deep red color. Nowadays, we take the easy route— food dye.
Every family has its own way of decorating their eggs. Some prefer them plain, while others get creative with imprints from leaves and flowers. Then, of course, there’s the “quick and easy” route—stickers. No judgment here!
Now, on to the best part…
Tsougrisma: The Ultimate Egg Battle
Tsougrisma (literally meaning “clinking together”) is a Greek Easter must. The goal? Crack your opponent’s egg without breaking your own.
Step one: Pick your egg. Everyone has their own strategy—do you go for the biggest? The heaviest? Trust an old family champion to pick for you?
Step two: Let the battle begin! Players tap the ends of their eggs together—point to point. If your egg cracks, you’re out. If you survive, you keep going until only one egg is left unscathed.
The winner? They get a whole year of good luck (and unlimited bragging rights).
Tsoureki: The Sweet Bread That Steals the Show
Easter without Tsoureki? Unthinkable! This sweet, fluffy, braided bread is a fan favorite. It’s a little like Jewish challah but with a Greek twist—two magical ingredients:
- Mastiha (a resin from a tree that only grows on Chios Island—fancy, right?)
- Mahlepi (a sweet, almond-like spice made from cherry seeds)
While you can now find Tsoureki year-round (with fancy extras like nuts and chocolate), the true Easter version comes with one key feature—red eggs baked right into the loaf.
The Easter Feast: Feast Mode Activated
After 40 days of Lent (where Orthodox Greeks give up meat, dairy, and certain fish), Easter Sunday is all about making up for lost time. Enter: the Easter feast.
The star of the show? Roasted lamb. But that’s just the beginning! Many Greek families also serve Magiritsa, a traditional soup made with lamb and a rich egg-lemon sauce, eaten right after the Midnight Service.
At Georges, we keep the Easter spirit alive all year with some of our favorite Greek dishes—Spanakopita, crispy fried squid, and handmade Sheftalia sausages. Because let’s be real, Greek food is too good to only enjoy once a year.
A Word from Leo..
We sat down with Leo, the founder of the original Georges in Double Bay (back in 1966!), to talk about his most cherished Easter memories.
His answer?
Platters of calamari and octopus, fried fish, and rich scallops. A cold glass of ouzo on the rocks. And being surrounded by family and loved ones.
That’s what Easter is all about. And that’s what we bring to every dish at Georges.
Join us this Easter and experience it for yourself.
See you then,