2010 EDITION Eating GUIDE Over 400 Best Restaurants, Cafs & Bars in Cyprus Contents About this guide 5 A brief introduction to this publication Whose food 6 An introduction to Eating Out in Cyprus Feeling Vine 12 A guide to the many wineries open for wine tasting along the islandÕs six major wine routes La vida local 18 An introduction to the most popular Archontiko Cypriot local food products Traditional Treats 24 Authenticity is key for the restaurants participating in the Vakhis project Lefkosia 26 Lemesos 44 Larnaka 58 Pafos 68 Sushi La Ammochostos 78 A-Z Index 86 The best restaurants on the island Glossary 90 Get to know the basics of Cypriot cuisine before itÕs time to order Columbia Steak House TIME OUT CYPRUS | EATING GUIDE 2010 3 Published by Photography Michalis Kyprianou, Olesia Con- Time Out Cyprus stantinou, Chrystalla Kyriakou. Dias Building 5, Egaleo Str., Strovolos, Advertising Lefkosia P.O. Box 23477, Group Advertising Director: 1683 Lefkosia Maria Kyriakou Editorial: Advertising Manager Press Media Tel +357 22580670 Haris Pastellis Fax +357 22580675 Advertising Executive Spyros Theocli e-mail: [email protected] Advertising: Administration Tel +357 22580375 Publisher Ö Andy Hadjicostis Fax +357 22580674 General Manager Marilena Ierodiakonou e-mail: [email protected] Magazine Marketing Manager Evi Suri Group Art Director George Hadjiloizou Published under the authority of and in collabo- Finance Manager Antonis Antoniou ration with Time Out Group Ltd, London, UK. The name and logo of Time Out are used under Time Out Group license from Time Out Group Ltd, Universal Chairman Tony Elliott House, 251 Tottenham Court Road, London International Managing Director Cathy Runciman W1T 7AB, UK. Group Financial Director Richard Waterlow Group General Manager Nichola Coulthard Editorial Group Production Director Mark Lamond Editor Constandinos Sarkas Online Managing Director David Pepper Sub-editor Dia Evagorou Researchers/Writers for this edition © Dias Publishing House Ltd 2009. All rights Tracy Roth Rotsas, Bejay Brown, Jill Campbell reserved throughout the world. No part of this Mac Kay,, Anna Hassapi, Xenia Tsiamanta, Micha- publication may be reproduced, stored in a lis Michaelides, Eliza Pavlou, Nikos Andreou. retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, Design recording or otherwise, without the prior permis- Art Director Valentina Alexandrou sion of Dias Publishing House Ltd. Alati by the sea. See p83. 4 TIME OUT CYPRUS | EATING GUIDE 2010 About this Guide his guide aims to provide an Tinformed indication of the res- taurant scene in Cyprus with reviews of the best restaurants on the island. You will also find useful info and tips on how to get the best out of your dining out experience in Pagoda . See p27. Cyprus. Each review has been checked for accuracy, although change their menu at the start of each new details can change and you should season. The specific examples mentioned are intended to give an idea of the style and quality ring ahead if you want to be sure. of food available. Times stated for restaurants apply to service hours when you can order food. No payment of any kind has secured or influ- Those given for bars and cafés are opening hours. enced any review in this Guide. Also please keep in mind that many restaurants in Pafos and Ammochostos district are only open during the summer season (April-October). How to use this Guide Therefor we advise you to call beforehand to ensure that the restaurant is open. Restaurants by area Restaurants are divided into sections denot- Wheelchair access ing the type of food you can expect to find. Unfortunately, progress is slow in this area. Within each section, restaurants are listed in It would be wise to ring ahead to check if the order of area, then alphabetically. establishment can cater for you. Prices Children Prices listed in this guide are an average cost You should have no problem eating out with per main dish. Prices are listed in Euros. kids in most places, though they will be expected to be well behaved in some of the Credit cards more upscale establishments. The following abbreviations are used: AmEx: American Express; DC: Diners’ Club; MC: Service & tipping Mastercard; V: Visa. Most restaurants, bars Most waiters speak English so you should have and cafés do not accept travellers’ cheques. no problem in communicating. It’s customary to leave an additional tip of 10% of the total Telephones cost of the meal in a restaurant and the odd The dialling code for Cyprus is 00357. Then, change in a café. depending on which town you’re calling, you have to add 22 for Lefkosia, 25 for Lemesos, Dress 24 for Larnaka, 26 for Pafos and 23 for the Though ties are not generally required for Ammochostos District. restaurants, you should leave the Bermuda shorts and tracksuits behind. Think ‘smart Addresses casual’ and you’ll be fine. In Greek, all addresses are listed by putting the name of the street first and the number second. Reservations We have chosen to follow the same format in It’s always a good idea to book ahead, especially English in order to make it easier for you to at weekends. locate each restaurant when you are asking for directions or taking a taxi somewhere. Bar & caf customs In some places you pay after you’ve finished Menu details and opening hours your drink, even at the bar, whereas in others Dishes and wines cited were available at the you might be asked to settle up with the waiter time of writing, but some restaurants may as soon as he serves you. TIME OUT CYPRUS | EATING GUIDE 2010 5 Whosefood? An introduction to Eating Out in Cyprus Alati by the sea Think that eating out in Cyprus will be a simple case of souvlaki and hummus? Think again! A burgeoning restaurant scene means that there are many culinary adventures to be had on the island. Read on and...dig in! By Nikos Andreou f you are wondering why thousands of tour- the freshest catch of the day. Choose between ists keep coming back to Cyprus year after gourmet, glamorous hotel restaurants and Iyear, I would argue that one of the main simple kebab houses. A variety of dining expe- reasons is the excellent food. By saying that, I’m riences awaits. So welcome and “kali orexi”, not just referring to the Greek and Cypriot meze which means ‘bon appétit’ in Greek. dishes found in local tavernas. You will be amazed at the progress of the restaurant scene in Cyprus My big, fat, Greek (Cypriot) cuisine which covers cuisines from the length and breadth I am not quite sure if the local goddess, Aph- of the planet. So, grab a pair of chopsticks and rodite, used to be a model, but I am convinced enjoy excellent Japanese, Chinese and Thai cui- that her shapely figure owed more than a sine, while if you are a lover of Mediterranean, little debt to the Mediterranean diet. Cypriots, or Mexican, Arabic or Indian cuisine, you will since antiquity, have produced all products and definitely be impressed by the many value for ingredients they have needed for their daily money options available. diet. They raised goats and sheep hence the Many pubs and cafes will thrill you with their popularity of Cypriot cheese products like original dishes, while the fish-taverns on the “halloumi” and “anari”. The Mediterranean island, are open for lunch and dinner serving climate on the island, in combination with the 6 TIME OUT CYPRUS | EATING GUIDE 2010 Whose food? Meals on waves Are you looking for somewhere to enjoy original, creative cuisine and drinks by the sea? Luckily Cyprus boasts 782 Km of coast- line where youÕll find an abundance of al fresco and sea view dining. When in Protaras stop by Alati by the sea, in the Pernera area, where Mediterranean dishes, cool mochitos and exceptional deserts are served in lounge bar ambience. Ammos at Larnaca, one of the first all day seaside bar- restaurants on the island, is an all white haven serving fusion - Mediterranean cuisine. Just down the road, in Oroklini in the summer months, Galu offers excellent Mediterranean dishes in a relaxing romantic atmosphere. Breeze in Lemesos impresses with original, international cuisine and excellent wine choices. YouÕll find it on the top floor of one of the biggest open-air summer clubs on the island. Alati by the sea Pernera 37, Protaras soil variation between valleys and mountain- (23833740) Open Daily 10am-1am ous regions contributed significantly to the Credit AmEx, DC, MC,V production of a huge variety of agricultural Ammos Mackenzie Beach, Larnaka products. Tasty juicy watermelons, melons, (24828844) Open Daily 11am-2am dark red cherries and strawberries, but also Credit MC, V mouthwatering pomegranates, grapes and Breeze Georgiou A’ 90, Potamos Germa- bananas still grow in abundance. Immense olive sogias (25322755) Open Daily 10am- groves, produce pure virgin olive oil which, in 1am Credit AmEx, DC, MC, V combination with freshly cut herbs, will fra- Galu Mesopotamias 34, Oroklini grance foods, salads and all Cypriot traditional (24824100) Open Daily 10am-2am, dishes. A cuisine that you will get to know very Credit AmEx, DC, MC,V easily, just by visiting one of the hundreds taverns on the island - just ask for the “meze”! is the kleftiko, lamb sealed in an earthenware It’s a ‘tapas-like’ procession of dishes beginning container and slow cooked in a wood fire oven with freshly cut salad, mostly prepared with till it’s practically falling off the bone. The vegetables from the owner’s own orchards – as kleftiko at Mousikos taverna in Sotira Village is the case with tavernas like Skourouvinos in is a sheer delight.