Food is a very important part of any trip and Cyprus has some absolutely incredible eats. On my recent trip to Paphos, I ate so much and tried out some incredible restaurants in the city and the surrounding district.
| Press trip |
From halloumi cheese to meze meals, I think Cypriot food is some of the best in the world. Plus, there’s no shortage of restaurants with fantastic atmospheres and stunning settings, so you should definitely sample a few on your trip to Paphos.
Read on for some of the best places to eat in Paphos.
1. Konia Taverna
To experience something really Cypriot, head to Konia Taverna on a Saturday night when they have traditional Cypriot dancing and meze. The atmosphere here was brilliant with everyone indulging in late dinners, a few drinks and some dancing.
Part of the traditions involve throwing napkins on the people dancing which I hadn’t seen before. I just Googled it and apparently it’s cheaper to throw napkins than smash plates!
The food here was amazing and there was so much of it – the dishes just kept coming. We started with dips, bread, and salad and then moved on to a range of meat dishes.
2. Baths of Aphrodite Restaurant
The Baths of Aphrodite Restaurant has a spectacular setting on the coast with fabulous views over the Mediterranean Sea. The restaurant is close to the Baths of Aphrodite, a natural grotto where legend has it that Aphrodite would come to bathe, at the beginning of the Aphrodite Nature Trail.
Here we had a seafood meze. Like the other mezes, the food just kept coming! There was salad, dips, bread, chips, and some incredible seafood like calamari, prawns, octopus, and lots of different fish.
3. Nola’s
Right in the heart of the city, Nola’s is an elegant restaurant with an extensive cocktail menu. Inside, it’s really cool with floor to ceiling windows on the top floor and a large feature bar on the ground floor.
The food was incredible here, each dish was full of flavour. My favourites dishes here were the halloumi in honey, the artichoke salad and the pork patty with a tomato based sauce and pitta bread.
The service here was a little slow but when you’re on island time it doesn’t matter too much.
4. Antigo Meze Dopolio
Antigo Meze Dopolio is a restaurant which combines the traditional with the modern. The food here is meze again and it was a really good one.
Starters were salads, breads, and dips and then meat, vegetarian and seafood dishes followed. Some of the meat was cooked and seasoned so well, it just melted in your mouth.
They have a stage which is set for live music, although there wasn’t any on while we were there, so I imagine it can get pretty lively at the weekend.
5. Minthis Resort Golf Club
My absolute favourite meal of my trip to Paphos was at the Minthis Resort Golf Club. This places is quite pricey but it’s perfect if you are looking for somewhere to have a special meal and it’s one of the best places to eat in Paphos.
The resort itself is super luxurious with an amazing infinity pool and a gorgeous spa. The restaurant is open and airy with views over the surrounding landscapes.
The food here was meze again with a bit of a twist. In addition to the usual salads, dips, and bread, some of the dishes included an incredible mushroom risotto and orzo with short rib beef.
My favourite dish was the grilled octopus – I ate so much of it!
6. Ta Mpania
Ta Mpania has got the most beautiful setting near the municipal baths. Get a table on the edge and you’ll be overlooking the beautiful Mediterranean sea and hearing the waves lap up against the side of the building.
I had a really yummy pork kebab here which was served with pitta, chips, and salad. We also shared a selection of starters and I absolutely loved the prawns in garlic sauce – the sauce was incredible.
FAQs
What is the famous food in Cyprus?
Cyprus is well known for its meze – small dishes that are shared between family and friends. Meze includes meat dishes, salads, grilled halloumi, dips, and pita bread and there’s usually loads of it!
Is Paphos expensive to eat out?
The price of food in restaurants in Paphos is very reasonable. It is usually slightly cheaper than eating out in the UK.
What to eat in Cyprus?
There are a few things that you absolutely must try when you visit Cyprus. These include:
- Halloumi
- Fresh seafood
- Meze
- Feta salad
- Traditional Cypriot dips
