Greek allergy card

Nuts on a Greek card: peanut or pistachio?

The card lists tree nuts and peanuts as two separate allergens, each in Greek script beside the English. That separation matters in Greece: the short everyday word for pistachio is also used loosely for peanut, so a note that only said "nuts", or used that short word, could be read as the wrong nut. The card uses the full, unambiguous term for peanut. If you react to peanuts but not tree nuts, or the other way round, select each one separately when you build the card so the kitchen sees exactly which nut you mean.

Nuts turn up in places the dish name does not reveal. Baklava can use walnut, pistachio, almond, or a mixture; karydopita is walnut cake; and pine nuts go into some stuffed vegetables and rice dishes such as gemista. Pastry shops that handle several nut desserts may share trays and tongs, so ask what can be kept separate, not only what is in the recipe.

Why a written Greek card beats a transliteration

Greek uses its own alphabet, and most phrasebooks give you a Latin-letter transliteration to read aloud. That helps you pronounce a request, but a kitchen reads Greek script, and transliterations vary from one source to the next. A card that shows each allergen in Greek letters next to the English gives the person taking your order something concrete to read and pass to the cook. It is not a substitute for confirmation: show it before ordering, ask what is in the dish and how it is prepared, and do not order if staff cannot answer clearly. Our translation card guide explains how to use a card as part of that conversation.

Where is the Greek card the right one?

Greek is the national language of Greece and one of the two official languages of Cyprus, and the card builder uses the same Greek card for Greek-speaking Cyprus. In the Turkish-speaking north of Cyprus, choose the Turkish card instead. In busy tourist areas many menus are also printed in English, but an English menu tells you what a dish is called, not whether the kitchen can keep your allergen out of it.

What should you ask about in Greece?

Greece follows the EU's allergen rules, which require restaurants to give information on 14 major allergens (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011), but ingredient information is not a cross-contact guarantee. Sesame is the one to watch first: it coats koulouri, the ring-shaped bread sold at kiosks, and it is the base of tahini and halva. Dairy is foundational, from feta in salads and pies to yogurt in tzatziki. Egg finishes avgolemono, the egg-and-lemon sauce used in soups and chicken dishes, and taramosalata, a fish-roe dip, can arrive at the table as part of a mezze spread you did not order dish by dish. Recipes vary by taverna and island, so ask about the dish you are actually ordering. Our Greece food allergy guide covers each of these in detail, with emergency numbers.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Greek card cover a nut allergy?

Yes. Tree nuts and peanuts are two separate allergens on the card, each written in Greek script with the English beside it, so staff can see exactly which nut you mean. Select whichever you react to, or both. Nuts turn up in Greek desserts such as baklava and in savory dishes such as gemista, so show the card before ordering and ask staff to confirm the ingredients and preparation.

Can the card tell peanuts apart from pistachios?

Yes. In everyday Greek, the short word for pistachio is also used loosely for peanut, so a loosely worded note could be read as the wrong nut. The AllergyPass Greek card names peanut with its full, unambiguous term and lists tree nuts, which include pistachio, as a separate allergen. If you react to one but not the other, select only the one you need.

What do you get with the Greek allergy card?

A printable PDF with a cut-out card, plus an image sized for your phone, with every allergen you select written in Greek and English. Nuts and sesame hide in a lot of Greek cooking, from baklava and gemista to koulouri and tahini, and neither is obvious from a dish name. Cards with up to three allergens can also be added to Apple or Google Wallet. The same card works in Cyprus, where Greek is an official language.