Restaurants & food of Cyprus

Relax and let yourself slip into the Cypriot pace of life. Why not take a seat by the sea, under a tree and sip a brandy or an ouzo. Just take a glance at its history and you'll see how many empires, invasions, foreign settlers and traders market its past. They have also brought their recipes and many of them have been introduced into Cypriot way of cooking, the main ones coming from Greece, Turkey, Armenia, Lebanon, Syria, Italy, France, and Britain. These foreign flavors have combined with the food produced on the island giving Cyprus its own traditional cuisine.
In rural areas even today the Cypriot families still produce almost everything they need, from cracked wheat to cheese and from home baked bread to smoked cured pork. Not so long ago the grain, oil and wine were stored in "Pitharia", which are enormous onion shaped terracotta pots.
The Cypriots cook with less oil than their Mediterranean neighbors and their diet is more healthy, if we ignore their love for syrup soaked pastries! Everything is cooked fresh, daily, and the quality of the dishes is excellent...
Restaurants from Cyprus will become certainly an important attraction of your holiday in Cyprus. If you're new to Cypriot food and curious to explore the cuisine from this island as much as possible, order a "mezedhes". You will be served with up to 30 different small dishes and in one meal you'll know basically what Cypriot food is about.
Wine production in Cyprus is a tradition of over 4000 years old. Nowadays many villagers and some monasteries produce their own wine; this types of wine are served in taverns outside of the tourist areas. The most famous wine in Cyprus is "Commendaria", a sweet dessert wine.

Cypriot dishes

In the main tourist resorts like Pafos, Limassol, Ayia Napa and Nicosia all types of restaurants are represented: Italian, Chinese, and international. Below are listed a few from the best dishes and specialties from Cyprus, which can be found almost in every restaurant.
Coffee
No Cypriot village is complete without a traditional coffee shop, named "kafenio". The coffee shop is the most important place in the village, the central point of communication, a place to meet friends, to play "Tavli" (the Greek version of Backgammon) or just pass time by drinking a Greek coffee, tea, fresh juice or a home-made fruit squash. Greek coffee is ordered "sketo", "metrio" or "glyko". The coffee is always served with a glass of cold water. Each "kafenio" has its own individual way of making coffee, so it's best to state the number of sugars you want whilst ordering!
Mezedhes
A Cypriot "mezedhes" is certainly one of the most famous delicacies from the island. Eating a "mezedhes" is one of the "musts" on any holidays in Cyprus and is a great way to understand the Cypriot mentality. Take your time and share a "mezedhes" with friends. Don't be surprised at how long it takes and how much food is offered! "Mezedhes" can include up to 20-30 dishes! This spectacle is a great way to enjoy a friendly company, have a few drinks and last but not least enjoy the many different tastes from Cyprus.
Fish
You should not miss the opportunity to eat Mediterranean fish in one of the many fish restaurants that you can find on the coast. There are lots of delicious fish dishes to discover, grilled or fried, salty or sour, spicy or plain. In many cases there will be no menu, the waiter will tell you about the catch of the day and how it will be prepared. In the mountain areas delicious freshwater fish can be also ordered.
Brandy Sour
One of the memories of a holiday in Cyprus will include the famous cocktail "Brandy Sour". As the name implies, a "Brandy Sour" is a successful mix of two local specialties, brandy and lemon squash. Add some drops of bitters, top up with soda water and ice cubes...and enjoy a pleasant summer cocktail!
Yemista
Yemista are stuffed vegetables all kinds, favorites in every Cypriot family. Especially in summertime you will appreciate the interesting taste of this Mediterranean specialty. You can order stuffed vegetables as starters or as main dishes and they can be hot or cold.
Souvla
Barbecues are very popular in Cyprus. "Souvla" can be translated with "skewer". Souvla are mainly pieces of lam or chicken, grilled on charcoal grill. The Cypriots love their Souvla and there can always be a reason to be invited for.
Shieftalies
Another tasty dish from the charcoal grill are the small sausages of minced meat called "Shiftalies". Maybe you will try to find out the secret of that special taste, if you try them for the first time.
Kleftiko
Nowadays "Kleftiko" is a typical dish for every celebration. Its a piece of lamb or goat wrapped in foil and baked in special ovens. The origin of this dish goes back to the Cypriot freedom fighters from the 19 century, which lived in the mountains. They baked the meat closed in special earthenware pottery, that they had buried under the ground.
Mousakas
The famous "Mousakas" can be found on every menu. It's a typical summer meal and can be eaten warm or cold. Mousakas is prepared with potatoes or courgettes and aubergines, and covered with a tasteful cream. There are some restaurants that also serve vegetarian Mousakas, though it's not made with the traditional sauce of minced meat.
Cypriot Wine
Wine from Cyprus has been produced with thousands years ago and since the time of the Crusades it has been exported to Europe. "Commandaria" has won reputation as a fine dessert wine since the 12 century! Each restaurant from Cyprus will offer you a rich wine listing. Today wine is one of the most important exports of Cyprus!