The food and drink of Cyprus are inseparable from the country’s landscape, history and tradition of hospitality. Typified by an abundance of fresh local ingredients, a cheese that is unique to the island, and one of the world’s oldest wine traditions. And by small artisan producers, friendly restaurants, and long, sun-soaked meze lunches. It all adds up: Cypriot cuisine is an essential part of your holiday.
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An Emphasis On Local Ingredients
Cypriot food begins with the land. The island’s terrain and climate produce the vegetables, herbs and green olives that appear in almost every meal. The distinctive Cyprus potatoes are famed for their texture and flavour, and the citrus trees produce the lemon juice that is a staple of every meal. Sheep provide both meat and milk, and there is no shortage of fresh fish and seafood.
Much of the food production is on a small scale. Whether it is artisan bread, olive oil from hillside groves, carob syrup, or honey from local hives, what you eat will be locally sourced and very fresh.
Halloumi Cheese
A special mention must go to halloumi. Unique to the island of Cyprus, and manufactured here since the 16th century, this cheese is made from sheep’s milk (sometimes with the addition of goat’s milk) and seasoned with salt and mint leaves. It has a slightly squeaky texture and is prized for its high melting point, which allows it to be grilled or fried without losing its shape. Halloumi can be eaten fresh or matured and stored in brine.
Traditional Cypriot Food
Cypriot food shares roots with Greek cuisine, but has its own take on many familiar classics. Expect to find traditional dishes such as moussaka and dolmades, the latter often made with meat as well as rice and vine leaves. Most meals will include a Greek-style salad with feta cheese but the Cypriot version has added green leaves and capers.
Meat eaters will enjoy sheftalia (traditional Cypriot sausages of pork or lamb), kleftiko (slow-cooked lamb), and makaronia tou fournou (a local variant on lasagne, made with pork and halloumi). Fish may be baked whole, or cooked in spicy stews, and vegetarians can enjoy cheese pies and a whole range of stuffed vegetables.
Desserts often feature fruit, pastries, or loukoumades (small doughnuts soaked in syrup). Local specialities include soutzoukos (a long, jelly like sweet made from thickened grape juice and nuts) and glyka tou koutaliou (local fruits and vegetables steeped in syrup, also known as spoon sweets).
How To Eat In Cyprus
Food is important to the Cypriot way of life, and it should certainly be a large part of your holiday. Meals are leisurely, sociable and often shared: in a hotel you will probably find a lavish breakfast buffet, and restaurants will offer a shared meze platter at lunch and in the evening. There are no hard and fast rules about when you should take your main meal, but many people prefer to have it in the evening, when they can sit outside and enjoy a long and relaxed meal after the heat of the day has subsided.
You can enjoy meze style meals in traditional tavernas and local restaurants across the island. Generally speaking, the choice is between a fish or a meat meze: both feature bread, olives and dips, followed by salads, vegetables, and numerous rounds of cooked meats or fish. Many of the meze dishes are suitable for vegetarians, and some restaurants will offer dedicated vegetarian or even vegan mezes. The meal will end with some type of dessert, and possibly a cup of Cypriot coffee.
Note that meze meals are slow and very substantial, so should be restricted to either lunch or dinner time. At other times of the day a light meal is recommended, perhaps in one of the many coffee shops, bars or tavernas that can be found in every town and village.
Don’t Forget The Wine
Cyprus has an ancient wine tradition. Wine has been made here for more than 5,000 years, and the local Commanderia is said to be the oldest wine in the world. Local vineyards grow both indigenous grapes and international varieties, and many are open to visitors.
Wine routes across the island allow visitors to explore small family‑run vineyards, meet winemakers and sample the local wine. Many wineries also serve food, pairing Cypriot wine with local produce.
Read more: Enjoying Wine Tourism And Wine Tasting In Cyprus.
Learn More On A Gastronomy Tour
One of the best ways to experience the food and drink of Cyprus is by taking a food tour, connecting you directly with the people who grow, manufacture and cook the island’s food.
I took a “Traditions and Gastronomy” tour from Paphos with Alexia of Private Tours Cyprus. We met the indomitable Sophia, who rises at 2 am every morning to bake bread for the supermarkets, before making cheese and cooking lunch for groups of tourists! We drove past olive groves and orange trees to arrive at a mountainside vineyard where – naturally – we stopped for a tasting. And our final stop was at a lovely family run restaurant which manufactured much of its own produce, including olive oil, beer and carob syrup.
A real insight into the region and its culinary traditions!
