Cypriot Cuisine
Eating & Drinking
Everywhere in Cyprus there are Tavernas, offering mostly traditional dishes, and restaurants of all varieties - Chinese, Greek, Italian, Mexican etc - are to be found in all the areas frequented by tourists.
Eating out is very good value and even more so if you seek out those places where families and groups of Cypriots gather - they will invariably be better than the more touristy restaurants as well as cheaper.
Fresh seafood and barbequed lamb will be on the menu everywhere and in the better hotels the food is well up to international standards.
There is a coffee shop, or Kafenio, in every street and village, serving very strong black coffee that is traditionally accompanied by a glass of cold water.
National Specialities
Cypriot food is not unlike Greek food and uses lemons, tomatoes, olives, cheese and fresh herbs in much the same way.
Haloumi is a national speciality, a creamy and delicious Mozzarella-like cheese made from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk and often served fried. Pita bread and Houmous is another popular snack.
A very popular style of food is Meze, where a selection of up to 20 different small and delicious dishes, as lovely to look at as they are to eat, are served. Meze are served everywhere, and this is the perfect casual food to linger over with friends.
Wine & Beer
The local drink is Commandaria a strong and very sweet wine which is a little like port. Definitely something of an acquired taste. Younger wine makers are experimenting with less traditional grapes and starting to produce excellent and more delicate wines.
Zivania is a spirit made from the grape residue left after winemaking and is often taken with meze. Go cautiously here - it has an average alcohol content of 45% and often much higher.
Not much beer is brewed in Cyprus, but the locally made Keo beer is popular and widely available.