Cyprus Cuisine
Cyprus cuisine is a Mediterranean table shaped by Greek and Middle Eastern cooking and built around the shared meze.
Meze, charcoal and the clay oven
From slow-baked kleftiko and fresh-grilled fish to charcoal souvla and a long meze spread, Cyprus cuisine reflects the island's Mediterranean heritage and Greek-Cypriot character.
Popular Cyprus Dishes
Afelia
Pork marinated and braised in red wine with crushed coriander seed, a pairing at the heart of Cypriot cooking. Served with bulgur and yoghurt.
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Commandaria
An amber sweet dessert wine from villages near Limassol, made from sun-dried Xynisteri and Mavro grapes. Described as the world's oldest named wine still in production.
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Flaounes
A cheese-filled Easter pastry, the dough wrapped around a sheep and goat cheese filling, often raisins, and topped with sesame. Baked for Orthodox Easter.
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Halloumi
Cyprus's semi-hard, springy cheese that grills and fries without melting. A protected designation of origin product, eaten fresh, fried or on the barbecue.
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Kleftiko
Lamb or goat sealed in an oven and slow-baked for hours until it falls off the bone. A Cypriot signature, traditionally cooked in a clay oven with potatoes.
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Koupepia
Vine leaves rolled around rice, minced pork and herbs, simmered in a tomato sauce. The Cypriot dolmades, served warm or at room temperature on meze.
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Explore by Category
Dairy & Cured
Cyprus halloumi and the cured pork loin lountza, the island's best-known dairy and charcuterie products.
Grills
Charcoal-cooked meat, from slow-turned souvla to caul-wrapped sheftalia, the centre of a Cypriot family table.
Mains
Slow-baked and braised dishes such as kleftiko, afelia, stifado and tava, built on wine, herbs and patience.
Meze
The Cypriot way of eating: a long run of small shared plates, from dips and vegetables to stuffed vine leaves and pastries.
Sweets & Drinks
Honey-soaked loukoumades and the historic sweet wine Commandaria, the sweet end of a Cypriot meal.
Every dish we cover is in the dishes library, with what goes into it and where it is served.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is souvla, kleftiko or meze the national dish of Cyprus?
Cyprus is best known for the meze, a long table of small plates rather than a single dish. The most iconic items are souvla, large chunks of pork or lamb slow-roasted over charcoal, and kleftiko, lamb marinated with garlic, lemon and herbs and baked slowly so it falls off the bone. Grilled halloumi, the island's squeaky brined cheese, appears on almost every table.
Is Cyprus food spicy?
Cyprus food is savoury rather than fiery, built on olive oil, fresh herbs, garlic, lemon and warm spices like cumin, coriander and cinnamon. Dishes such as afelia (pork in red wine and crushed coriander) are aromatic rather than hot. For extra sharpness, ask for lemon or pickled vegetables on the side.
What do people drink in Cyprus: Commandaria, zivania or KEO?
For something soft, try a frappé (iced instant coffee) or fresh-pressed orange juice from the island's citrus groves. For something stronger, Cyprus is known for Commandaria, a sweet amber dessert wine made here since antiquity, and zivania, a clear spirit distilled from grapes. The everyday local lager is KEO, brewed in Limassol.
Can vegetarians and vegans eat well from a Cypriot meze?
Vegetarians, yes. Traditional Cyprus cuisine features plenty of meat and fish, but a meat-free meze can fill a table: grilled halloumi, louvi (black-eyed beans), tahini, hummus, fava, olives, and fresh village salad. Koupepia (stuffed vine leaves) are usually made with minced meat, so ask for a version without it. For vegans it takes more care, so say what you do not eat when you order.