Cyprus cuisine: 10 things to love

❚ This page contains some affiliate links and we may receive a small commission for purchases made, but this comes at no extra cost to you and does not influence our editorial choices.

People on Aphrodite's Beach beach, Kouklia, Cyprus

Jump to:

10 things we love about the cuisine of Cyprus
Where to eat and drink in Cyprus
Where to stay in Cyprus

10 things we love about the cuisine of Cyprus

Meze

The origin of meze dates back to when guests would appear unannounced and be welcomed with open arms. Cypriot culture is structured around warm hospitality so households had preserved items such as olives, halloumi and dried meat ready to serve, giving hosts time to prepare larger dishes, such as meat. Meze is a ritual that takes time – it’s not something to be rushed. Stories are shared and exchanged, and the meze typically features a variety of hot and cold dishes, including bread and salad. Rather than being about specific dishes, meze is about offering guests what you’re best at making and have available in the house. Meze is different in every place although the sequence is the same – starting with smaller dishes, then moving to larger ones.

Great Lent and Easter

During the period called Great Lent, Orthodox Christians in Cyprus observe 40 days of fasting and abstain from meat, eggs, dairy and alcohol. For some, olive oil is even prohibited, as it’s stored in animal skins. Green Monday marks the beginning of fasting before Easter (as well as the beginning of spring) during which people eat outdoors in the fields. Easter is a bigger celebration than Christmas for many people in Cyprus, when a whole lamb on a spit is typically served, a tradition that comes from Greece.

Flaouna

This rich cheese-filled pastry is typically made on Good Friday and served on Easter Sunday to break the period of fasting. It’s eaten in place of bread, and stuffed with spices and flaouna cheese (made from sheep’s or goat’s milk) from Paphos. Some families include raisins inside and sesame seeds on top to make sweeter versions.

Cypriot coffee

Served in a demitasse cup, locals drink the liquid on the top of the coffee and don’t stir it, so the undissolved grounds remain at the bottom, like Turkish coffee. Metrio is Cypriot coffee with a little sugar (usually around a teaspoon), while sketo means without sugar. Glyki is the sweetest option, although this is less popular – nowadays, most opt for sketo.

Halloumi

Forming an important part of meze (traditionally due to its ability to last), halloumi has a long history in Cyprus. Originally it was made with goat’s or sheep’s milk but it can now also be made from cow’s milk to meet demand – similar to meze, it’s more about the process rather than exact ingredients. The whey by-product from halloumi can also be used to make the Cypriot ricotta cheese, anari.

Commandería

This fortified dessert wine is one of the oldest named wines in the world, and used for Holy Communion. It has a protected designation of origin, meaning it can only be made in Cyprus’s Troodos Mountain region. When the crusaders (commanders) came to Cyprus in the 12th century they needed a wine that would keep well, which explains both its name and sweetness. Native white xynisteri and red mavro grapes are dried out in the sun before crushing, then aged in oak barrels for at least two years.

Spoon sweets

These traditional fruit or vegetable syrup preserves are so called because they are served on a spoon. Households keep preserved jars ready to serve on spoons (with a glass of water for removing some of the syrup) if guests aren’t staying long enough for meze. Walnuts and cherries are the most popular, as are watermelon skins and savoury ingredients such as carrots and olives.

Carob

This is a very important plant for Cyprus as it’s fairly resistant to disease and drought. The pods are one of the island’s greatest exports, used to make products like glue and film. Carob syrup is used to make pastelli, a type of sweet; drunk as a caffeine-free alternative to coffee; and served with anari, the fresh Cypriot ricotta. Soutzoukos, a sweet made from walnuts or almonds that’s threaded onto a string, can also be made with carob, although it’s traditionally made with grape juice.

Arkatena bread

Bread plays an important role in Cypriot meze, although the type varies from region to region. In 1922, when Greeks were expelled from Izmir on the west coast of Turkey, some relocated to Omodos (near the Troodos Mountains in the centre of the island) and began making arkatena bread, which is eaten during celebrations. It has a circular shape and is made with chickpea liquid, which helps create light, soft bread.

Souvla and souvlaki

Traditionally Cypriot families kept their own pig and preserved various cuts, including souvlaki – made from the neck and served in pita. On special occasions like Easter bigger chunks of meat (often lamb) known as souvla are cooked on a rotating skewer over charcoal. Tsiknopempti – ‘the smell of smoked or barbecued meat’ – is the last Thursday before Lent, when people eat meat before the fasting period.

4 places to eat and drink in Cyprus

Katoi, Omodos

Housed in one of the oldest buildings in the picturesque village of Omodos, executive chef Panayiotis Panayiotou makes the most of the local ingredients that the mountainous Limassol district offers. The bustling spot is the perfect place to sample classic Cypriot meze with a modern twist, like moussaka in individual claypot dishes, chickpea keftedes, commandería wine glazed pork belly and anari ricotta-style cheese layered with filo pastry. Pair with picks from the surrounding wineries, including Tsiakkas. omodosevents.com

Tsiakkas Winery

In the remote high-altitude Pitsilia region this locally acclaimed winery is perched above cascading vines on steep mountain slopes. After taking a guided tour you can taste wines made from regional grape varieties (including xynisteri, mavro, vamvakada and yiannoudi) alongside tasting platters of Cypriot cheese, cured meats, olives and golden tahini. tsiakkaswinery.com

D084A636-CD4B-4FF0-BE0A-C8D6676BD781 (1) copy

Petros Nicolaou, Larnaca

In the small village of Choirokoitia, Petros Nicolaou has renovated a traditional 1850s stone house into a home for his halloumimaking workshops and basket-weaving museum. Watch him make traditional halloumi and transform reeds into colourful baskets which cover the walls of the bright, beautiful property. Enjoy a traditional Cypriot breakfast (with fresh halloumi at the centre) in the inner courtyard oasis. Special events can also be booked in advance online. This forms part of the Cypriot Heartland of Legends trails, which invite tourists to learn about authentic Cypriot stories and traditions.

Sunmoon Hospitality, Larnaca

Charismatic owner Panayiotis Savva hosts a variety of cocktail, beer and spirit tastings, plus a workshop in this historical building dating back to 1880. An authentic brandy sour cocktail workshop – Cyprus’s unofficial national cocktail – guides you through every step of the cocktail-making process, including the ingredients and history behind its creation, alongside your own cocktail to sip on. Keep an eye out for the hollowed-out gourd used to age wine and spirits. sunmooncy.com

Where to stay in Cyprus

Amathus Residences, Cyprus

Amathus Beach Hotel is a truly luxurious place to rest your head right on the Limassol waterfront. In addition to the beachfront hotel, one-, two- and three-bedroom serviced residences are available to book for longer stays, with access to the hotel’s vast facilities such as top-tier restaurants (The Grill Room and Limanaki Restaurant, plus Italian, Cantonese and Japanese-Peruvian fusion spots), a spa, tennis court, fitness centre, indoor-outdoor pool and more. Some apartments have private pools on balconies overlooking the beach, and all have impeccably stylish décor with floor-to-ceiling windows, muted tones and a marble bathroom kitted out with Molton Brown products. The breakfast buffet, served from the Kalypso Restaurant, includes live cooking stations and Cypriot specialties such as tahinopittes (sweet tahini pastries), grilled halloumi and local honey, best enjoyed on the terrace overlooking the crystalline waters on a warm day.

From £1,742 based on a two-night stay for two adults. Check rates and availability at amathusresidences.com or booking.com

Casale Panayiotis, Cyprus

Nestled in the heart of the Troodos Mountains the climate is noticeably cooler at Casale Panayiotis than down by the Cyprus coast. An agrotourism project saved Kalopanayiotis village from extinction nearly 13 years ago, restoring the historical buildings to their former glory in the form of 29 beautiful rooms and stone cottage suites. The award-winning spa complete with hydrotherapy pool, sauna, herbal steam room and private outdoor whirlpool harks back to the village’s ancient spa origins. Restaurants celebrate local ingredients, including seasonal fruit and veg from the on-site orchards. Byzantino Restaurant spotlights traditional Cypriot dishes, while Pantheon offers casual dining among magnificent mountain views. Grill restaurant Loutraki serves pan-seared, locally sourced trout, premium fillet steak and chicken breast ballotine. Local cultural, culinary and sporting activities are available to be booked for those seeking adventure and new experiences.

From £286 based on a two-night stay for two adults in a comfort studio. Check rates and availability at booking.com, hilton.com or casalepanayiotis.com