What to eat in Cyprus
A first-timer’s guide to the island’s dishes — the grills, the cheese, the sweets and the drinks worth crossing a village for.
Cypriot food is Greek and Middle-Eastern and entirely its own — and yes, the mains lean heavily carnivorous. But there’s more for vegans and vegetarians than you’d think, especially across the meze, the dips and the sweets. Use the filter to see what suits you.
Start with meze
Not a dish but a ritual: order meze and a parade of 15–30 small plates keeps coming until you wave the white flag. There is plenty here for everyone — vegans included.
Meze
The Cypriot feast — dips, grilled halloumi, olives, salads, then wave after wave of meat or fish. Ask and the kitchen will happily do a vegetarian or vegan spread.
The grills & mains
Sunday-lunch food and taverna staples — this is where Cyprus is unapologetically carnivorous.
Souvla
Big chunks of pork or lamb turned slowly over charcoal until smoky outside and juicy within. The Sunday centrepiece of every Cypriot garden.
Sheftalia
Minced pork and herbs wrapped in caul fat and grilled — the juiciest thing off any Cypriot barbecue.
Kleftiko
Lamb sealed in a wood oven and cooked for hours until it falls off the bone.
Stifado
A rich, slow beef stew sweetened with a whole pile of little onions, red wine, cinnamon and bay.
Afelia
Pork slow-cooked in red wine and cracked coriander seed until dark and tender.
Koupepia
Vine leaves rolled around spiced pork, rice and herbs — the Cypriot dolma (a meat-free version exists too).
Cheese, of course
Cyprus runs on cheese — squeaky, salty and grilled at every meal.
Halloumi
The island’s famous cheese: firm, salty and it squeaks. Grilled or fried till golden. Now protected as uniquely Cypriot.
Anari
The soft, mild whey cheese made alongside halloumi — fresh with honey and fruit, or dried and grated over pasta.
Street food & snacks
What locals grab on the go, and the little plates that open a meze.
Koupes
Torpedo-shaped bulgur croquettes with a spiced minced-meat centre. Best with a squeeze of lemon.
Souvlaki pita
Grilled meat or sheftalia packed into a pita with salad, tahini and pickles — the island’s everyday street food.
Tahini & hummus
Tahini, hummus and warm pita — the plant-based dips that open every meze and every good picnic.
Something sweet
Sticky, honeyed and often centuries old.
Loukoumades
Golden dough puffs deep-fried and drowned in syrup and cinnamon. Order them hot.
Daktyla
“Ladies’ fingers” — crisp pastry rolled around almonds and syrup.
Glyko tou koutaliou
“Spoon sweets”: whole fruits or walnuts preserved in syrup, served with coffee. The taste of a village welcome.
Loukoumia
Cyprus delight, dusted in icing sugar — the ones from Geroskipou near Paphos are the most famous.
And to drink
From the world’s oldest named wine to the coffee you sip for an hour.
Commandaria
A sweet amber dessert wine made here since antiquity — often called the oldest named wine still in production.
Zivania
The fiery grape spirit of the mountain villages. A tiny glass warms a winter afternoon.
Cyprus coffee
Thick, unfiltered and served in a tiny cup with a glass of water — sketos, metrios or glykys. Sip slowly.
Hungry yet?
See exactly where the locals go for all of this — our personal picks across the island.