The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Cypriot Foods. If you manage to be in an Cypriot restaurant or you are visiting Cyprus, I recommend the following:
1. Stifado
This delicious traditional Cypriot meal is a stew of rabbit, pearl onion and tomatoes seasoned with rosemary, pepper, red wine vinegar, red wine, cinnamon, allspice and other spices, then cooked very slowly to a perfect glaze and usually enjoyed with a Cypriot salad and fresh Cypriot village bread.
2. Moussaka
This is a meat and aubergine pie topped with grilled cheese and parsley. The most commonly used meat is lamb. You can find the taste of béchamel sauce in the moussaka. The aubergines are sliced, sliced or sliced. The aubergines take a bit of a long process as they are put on absorbent paper with some salt to release their liquid and bitter taste. In addition, they are fried before being baked. The meat is fried with tomato, garlic, chopped onion, small carrots, parsley and wine: the end result is really exquisite.
3. Souvlaki
Also called “souvla”, these are pieces of meat, traditionally lamb, pork, chicken, or sometimes beef, served on top of pita bread with a pickled salad, hummus and tzatziki. During major celebrations in Cyprus, souvla, a Cypriot-style barbecue, is often served. Men are usually responsible for making the souvla. They enjoy the slow cooking process with a glass of beer and a good chat, while the women prepare other dishes in the kitchen.
4. Kleftiko
Kleftiko is a traditional lamb dish that is baked and cooked for a minimum of 24 hours in the clay oven while marinated in a mixture of lemon juice and cinnamon. You’ll often come across this dish if you’re crashing a Cypriot celebration such as a birthday, anniversary and it can even be one of the dishes at weddings.
5. Ekmek Kadayif
A popular dessert from Cyprus, which is similar to bread pudding, is ekmek kadayif. Alternatively, if honey satisfies your sweet tooth, a slice of kadeifi, baklava or galatopureko, all sweet pastries made with honey and nuts, will certainly do the trick.
6. Kebabs
Kebabs are mainly pieces of meat, such as lamb, pork, chicken and fish, which are cooked on skewers and seasoned with olive oil, oregano and lemon. Kebabs are usually served with tzatziki and pita bread.
7. Cypriot Coffee
The island’s traditional coffee is strong due to the fact that it is made from fresh, finely ground Brazilian coffee beans that are boiled to form a frothy cream known as “kaimaki” on top. Most locals drink it in small cups with dissolved sugar (called sweet “glikis”) or take it medium sweet (or “metrios”); while a brave few drink it “sketos” (or without sugar).
8. Meze
A traditional selection of hot and cold appetisers, meze is basically the equivalent of Cyprus tapas. An in-between dish might include Mediterranean specialities such as Tzatziki, a yoghurt sauce made with garlic, cucumber and olive oil; Tahini, which is a paste of crushed sesame seeds, olive oil, lemon and garlic; Taramosalata, a type of fish roe mixed with mashed potatoes, olive oil, lemon juice and onions; Hummus, a traditional mashed chickpea and tahini sauce; and Haloumi, which is grilled and prepared with soft goat’s cheese and spiced mild sheep’s cheese.
9. Koupepia
These Greek appetisers and delicacies are steamed grape leaves stuffed with minced meat (typically a mixture of lamb or pork) and white rice. It’s a simple dish, but it’s sure to make your taste buds fall in love.
10. Ouzo
Ouzo, the famous and traditional Greek and Cypriot drink, is created through the double distillation of selected dry wines mixed with anise seeds. You can also be offered Raki on the island, a local anise-flavoured alcoholic drink that is often confused with ouzo.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional European Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.