Cyprus Cuisine

The Cypriot cuisine is very similar to the Greek cuisine, however it has been affected by its many conquerors over the years. The island’s modern gastronomic culture shows that is has been influenced by flavours of the Middle East, the Mediterranean and East Europe. The cuisine has also been affected by the British conquerors, who occupied Cyprus until 1960.

The traditional Cypriot cuisine is rich in nutrients, based on fresh and natural ingredients. Cypriot dishes are considered to be very healthy and are based on Mediterranean diet, usually cooked with olive oil. The main ingredients used in Cypriot cuisine are pork, lamb, chicken, fresh fish, fruit, vegetables, wild greens, yogurt, cheese and herbs.

Fruit and vegetables are always fresh and most of them are of Cypriot produce, cultivated in all the villages of the island. Cyprus has always been well known for its citrus fruit, oranges, mandarins, grapefruit, strawberries, apples, pears, watermelons, melons, grapes and fig trees.

Appetizers

Tzatziki (yogurt with garlic, cucumber, olive oil and a little pepper)

Tahini (Crushed sesame seeds with olive oil, lemon and garlic)

Taramosalata (Fish roe , pureed potatoes with olive oil, parsley, lemon juice and onion)

Hummus (chickpeas and tahini)

Tirokafteri (spicy cheese dip)

Cyprus Olives

cyprus food Appetizers

Food

Souvla (lamb, pork, chicken cooked on a skewer , garnished with oregano , salt and lemon)

Souvlaki (same as souvla but smaller pieces , placed in a pitta bread with salad and tzatziki)

Gyros (slices of pork , beef or chicken cooked slowly placed in a pitta bread with salad and tzatziki)

Kontosouvli (Large pieces of meat and fat passed on a skewer)

Kokoretsi ( traditional Greek dish made of animal giblets and cooked on a skewer)

Stifado (Beef or rabbit stew with wine, vinegar, onions and spices)

Pastitsio (Baked pasta dish with minced meat and bechamel sauce)

Mousaka (Baked lamb and eggplant covered with béchamel sauce)

Cyprus Ravioli (Ravioli filled with halloumi and mint)

Kleftiko (lamb cooked for around 2-4 hours in a clay oven with lemon juice, and cinnamon)

Fasolada (dry white beans, olive oil, and vegetables)

Koupepia (Vine leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice)

Sheftalia (minced pork, chopped onions, bread crumbs, chopped parsley, white pepper and salt)

Keftedes (fried meatballs , usually pork , beef , chicken )

Afelia (pork, red wine, mushrooms, potatoes and coriander seeds)

Yemista (stuffed vegetables such as: peppers, tomatoes, onions, courgettes, aubergines or stuffed courgette petals)

Trachanas Soup (is a type of soup with pasta made of flour and milk)

Avgolemoni Soup ( type of soup with egg lemon and chicken)

Koupes (Finger food sausage shaped made of bulgar wheat and filled with minced meat)

Kolokasi (A bulb that is very similar to potato or sweet potato)

Poulles ( Fried kolokasi)

Patates antinahtes (Small potatoes fried in the pot with lots of salt and coriander)

Resi (Wheat cooked with made , dish usually made for traditional cypriot weddings)

Easter Pourgouri with Goat (Easter dish made of cuscus with goat meat cooked in a clay pot)

Magiritsa Soup (Easter soup made with vegetables, dill, lamb giblets and rice)

cyprus cuisine souvla

cyprus cuisine souvlaki

Delicacies

Lountza (Smoked pork loin)

Tsamarella (Dried goat meat in coriander seeds and wine)

Chiromeri (pork meat marinated in wine and smoked in thyme )

Zalatina (Boiled pork pieces with spices)

Pastourmas ( Smoked and spiced beef)

Loukanika (Pork sausages soaked in red wine, seasoned with coriander and pepper)

Halloumi (soft cheese usually grilled, made from either goat or sheep milk and sometimes spiced with peppermint)

Anari cheese (Soft or hard white cheese)

Feta cheese (Soft white cheese in brine)

cyprus cuisine tsamarella

Sweets

Soutzoukos (sweet made out of grape juice and nuts on a string )

Loukoumi (known as Turkish delight)

Finiotika Loukoumia ( Turkish delights made in Fini village)

Palouzes (a type of jelly made out of grape juice)

Portos with Epsima (Epsima syrup with sesame seeds)

Kiofterka (small diamond shaped pieces of palouze which are placed in the sun to dry for many days)

Epsima ( brown liquid used on different sweets , made of grape juice)

Koulourakia with Epsima – Tertzelouthkia ( rolled up dough covered with epsima , carob syrup or honey)

Pastelli (A traditional Cypriot sweet made of carob syrup)

Glyka tou koutaliou (preserves of almond, date, apricot, cherry, quince or grapes)

Kourabiedes (small almond cakes coated in icing sugar)

Melomakarona ( honey cakes)

Finikota ( dried date cakes)

Loukoumades (very sweet, small, Cyprus style doughnuts with honey)

Daktyla (sweets the size of your fingers filled with almonds ,sugar cinammon)

Mahalepi (A lenten sweet in the form of a cream with a rose aroma)

Rizogalo (Rice pudding)

Samali (Samali is a sweet which is made out of semolina and yogurt)

Halvas (Sweet made with semolina , popular during the fasting period.

Pafitiki Pissa (Traditional type of chewing gum )

Pombes ( Sweet similar to loukoumades )

Baklava (Rich, syrupy and buttery sweet with many layers of crispy pastry filled with nuts)

Kataifi ( Sweet similar to baklava but with shredded wheat phyllo)

Easter biscuits - Koulourakia ( Orange biscuits made during Easter)

cyprus soutzouko

Pies

Pittα tis Satzis ( Fried dough filled with cinnamon and honey)

Tahini Pie (Tahinopita is a Cypriot sweet filled with tahini, cinnamon and sugar)

Kolokotes (Traditional pumpkin pies)

Halloumoti or Halloumopitta ( Traditional halloumi pie)

Spanakopita (Traditional spinach and feta pie)

Eliopita (Traditional olive pie)

Shamisi (Small fried sweet pie filled with various ingredients such as halva and semolina)

Fanouropitta (A traditional sweet pie and is made in honour of Agios Fanourios)

Anaropitta ( A sweet cheese pie filled with anari cheese)

Vasilopita (Traditional New Year’s Cake with one gold coin in it. The person that gets the slice with the coin is said to have good luck all year long.)

Galaktoboureko (is a traditional Greek custard pie dessert cooked in the oven)

Bourekia (A type of pie, made with a very thin layer of puff pastry, and are then filled with a variety of ingredients such as cheese or meat)

Pisies (Pisies are small pies which are fried and then covered with syrup)

Flaouna ( Easter pie with cheese filling)

Paskia ( Easter pie with meat and cheese filling)

cyprus soutzouko

Bread

Arkatena (famous type of pretzel produced in the village of Omodos originating from Smirne. The arkatena pretzels are made of ground chickpeas and smells which are then cooked in the oven until they are hard)

Gennopitta (A type of Christmas Bread)

Lagana (A type of bread made only on Green Monday)

Daktylies (A type of long shaped bread with aniseed)

Tsourekki (Traditional sweet bread made at Easter)

Afkotes ( Traditional dough cases with eggs - made at Easter)

Easter bread - Koulouri ( A type of bread made at Easter with aniseed)

Cyprus Pita (Cypriot pita bread)

cyprus soutzouko

Beverages

Commandaria Wine( sweet dessert wine made from grapes)

Zivania spirit (produced by distillation of grapes).

Soumada (Drink made from almonds)

Airani (Cold yogurt drink with salt and mint)

Pannada (Cool drink made from melon seeds)

Kiantzali (Cool drink made from carob honey)

Agros Rosewater

Cyprus wine (Wine produced from Black , Xynisteri ,Ofthalmos, Muscat grape varieties)

Cyprus beers (Due to the mild climate that produces rich wheat, which is used to brew high quality light beers)

Cyprus coffee ( Cyprus cofffee is hot and is served glykos -sweet , metrios- medium , or sketos -black no sugar) in a small cup , with a glass of water)

Frappe (An iced coffee drink. It is either glykos -sweet, metrios -medium or sketos- black no sugar in a tall glass. It can also be served with milk - me gala or without)

cyprus coffee