The Real Greek UK Seed Oil Report Card
Based on our menu research, The Real Greek UK cooks with: The Real Greek publicly states it uses Cretan extra virgin olive oil (Latzimas, Rethymno) for its cooking and food preparation and puts a bottle on every table, and its own published macros back that up for the grill: the skewers, salads and dips that are dressed rather than fried have olive-oil-like saturated fat ratios, so grilled souvlaki, salads and yoghurt score low. The fryers are a different story - a high-volume UK chain does not deep-fry chips in extra virgin olive oil, so the deep-fried items (chips, fried kalamari, crispy gavros, courgette fritters, halloumi popcorn, halloumi fries) are scored on the UK default rapeseed/sunflower blend, and their portions are large (chips small 813kcal / 61g fat, large 1219kcal / 85g fat). Taramasalata is the single highest-PUFA thing on the menu: taramasalata is emulsified with sunflower or rapeseed oil rather than olive (olive oil turns it bitter), and their portion carries 70g of fat. Houmous is next because of the tahini (sesame is roughly 43% PUFA), then baklava because of the walnuts and pistachios. Across the 40 menu items we analyzed, it averages 6.1g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
Safest Orders at The Real Greek UK
Learn this once: a salad with grilled protein and the dressing left off is nearly always the lowest seed oil order anywhere. So the list below sticks to real meals, salads included, never just a water.
Cleanest full order: Chicken Skewer + Raspberry Sorbet, 2.0g total
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Raspberry Sorbet | 0.0g |
| Mythos Greek Lager | 0.0g |
| Greek Yoghurt with Honey | 1.0g |
| Chicken Skewer | 2.0g |
| Halloumi Skewer | 2.0g |
What to Avoid at The Real Greek UK
| Item | PUFA |
|---|---|
| Taramasalata | 28.0g |
| Chips | 14.0g |
| Fried Kalamari | 11.0g |
| Crispy Gavros | 11.0g |
| Houmous | 10.0g |
Frequently asked
Does The Real Greek UK use seed oils?
Based on our menu research, The Real Greek UK cooks with: The Real Greek publicly states it uses Cretan extra virgin olive oil (Latzimas, Rethymno) for its cooking and food preparation and puts a bottle on every table, and its own published macros back that up for the grill: the skewers, salads and dips that are dressed rather than fried have olive-oil-like saturated fat ratios, so grilled souvlaki, salads and yoghurt score low. The fryers are a different story - a high-volume UK chain does not deep-fry chips in extra virgin olive oil, so the deep-fried items (chips, fried kalamari, crispy gavros, courgette fritters, halloumi popcorn, halloumi fries) are scored on the UK default rapeseed/sunflower blend, and their portions are large (chips small 813kcal / 61g fat, large 1219kcal / 85g fat). Taramasalata is the single highest-PUFA thing on the menu: taramasalata is emulsified with sunflower or rapeseed oil rather than olive (olive oil turns it bitter), and their portion carries 70g of fat. Houmous is next because of the tahini (sesame is roughly 43% PUFA), then baklava because of the walnuts and pistachios. Across the 40 menu items we analyzed, it averages 6.1g estimated PUFA per item, earning a seed-oil grade of C (High Risk).
What oil does The Real Greek UK cook with?
Our research indicates: The Real Greek publicly states it uses Cretan extra virgin olive oil (Latzimas, Rethymno) for its cooking and food preparation and puts a bottle on every table, and its own published macros back that up for the grill: the skewers, salads and dips that are dressed rather than fried have olive-oil-like saturated fat ratios, so grilled souvlaki, salads and yoghurt score low. The fryers are a different story - a high-volume UK chain does not deep-fry chips in extra virgin olive oil, so the deep-fried items (chips, fried kalamari, crispy gavros, courgette fritters, halloumi popcorn, halloumi fries) are scored on the UK default rapeseed/sunflower blend, and their portions are large (chips small 813kcal / 61g fat, large 1219kcal / 85g fat). Taramasalata is the single highest-PUFA thing on the menu: taramasalata is emulsified with sunflower or rapeseed oil rather than olive (olive oil turns it bitter), and their portion carries 70g of fat. Houmous is next because of the tahini (sesame is roughly 43% PUFA), then baklava because of the walnuts and pistachios. Preparation can vary by location, so treat PUFA numbers as estimates.
Does The Real Greek UK use beef tallow?
No. Our research indicates The Real Greek UK cooks with The Real Greek publicly states it uses Cretan extra virgin olive oil (Latzimas, Rethymno) for its cooking and food preparation and puts a bottle on every table, and its own published macros back that up for the grill: the skewers, salads and dips that are dressed rather than fried have olive-oil-like saturated fat ratios, so grilled souvlaki, salads and yoghurt score low. The fryers are a different story - a high-volume UK chain does not deep-fry chips in extra virgin olive oil, so the deep-fried items (chips, fried kalamari, crispy gavros, courgette fritters, halloumi popcorn, halloumi fries) are scored on the UK default rapeseed/sunflower blend, and their portions are large (chips small 813kcal / 61g fat, large 1219kcal / 85g fat). Taramasalata is the single highest-PUFA thing on the menu: taramasalata is emulsified with sunflower or rapeseed oil rather than olive (olive oil turns it bitter), and their portion carries 70g of fat. Houmous is next because of the tahini (sesame is roughly 43% PUFA), then baklava because of the walnuts and pistachios, not beef tallow. For chains that fry in tallow or other real fats, see Tallow Watch.
Is The Real Greek UK seed oil free?
No. Our research indicates The Real Greek UK cooks with The Real Greek publicly states it uses Cretan extra virgin olive oil (Latzimas, Rethymno) for its cooking and food preparation and puts a bottle on every table, and its own published macros back that up for the grill: the skewers, salads and dips that are dressed rather than fried have olive-oil-like saturated fat ratios, so grilled souvlaki, salads and yoghurt score low. The fryers are a different story - a high-volume UK chain does not deep-fry chips in extra virgin olive oil, so the deep-fried items (chips, fried kalamari, crispy gavros, courgette fritters, halloumi popcorn, halloumi fries) are scored on the UK default rapeseed/sunflower blend, and their portions are large (chips small 813kcal / 61g fat, large 1219kcal / 85g fat). Taramasalata is the single highest-PUFA thing on the menu: taramasalata is emulsified with sunflower or rapeseed oil rather than olive (olive oil turns it bitter), and their portion carries 70g of fat. Houmous is next because of the tahini (sesame is roughly 43% PUFA), then baklava because of the walnuts and pistachios, which includes seed oils. See the lower-PUFA orders above for the cleanest picks.
What is the safest thing to order at The Real Greek UK?
Raspberry Sorbet is the lowest-PUFA item we analyzed at The Real Greek UK, at an estimated 0.0g PUFA. See the Safest Orders list on this page for more options.
What should I avoid at The Real Greek UK?
Taramasalata is the highest-PUFA item we analyzed at The Real Greek UK, at an estimated 28.0g PUFA. Fried items and creamy, mayo-based sauces are usually the heaviest.
What are seed oils?
Seed oils — canola, soybean, sunflower, corn, and similar vegetable oils — are extracted from seeds using high heat and chemical solvents. They are very high in polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs), which are unstable at cooking temperatures and can oxidize easily. Many health-conscious eaters choose to minimize seed oils and prefer foods cooked in beef tallow, butter, coconut oil, or olive oil instead. This page shows estimated PUFA grams per menu item to help you make more informed choices. These are estimates — actual values vary by preparation and location. Curious why people avoid them? Read the evidence.
Compare other chains
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See where The Real Greek UK lands on the full Seed Oil Index, or check which chains cook in real fats on Tallow Watch. Wondering about a specific dish instead? The Is It Seed Oil food guide answers it for 200+ everyday foods, and the distributor oils page covers what independent restaurants fry in.