Meze, moussaka and melintzanosalata: eating out in Paphos.

When visiting a new country I like to try the local cuisine. From bright green pea soup in Amsterdam to lots and lots of meat in Colombia, I’ll try anything once. And my latest trip – a week in Cyprus – was no exception. After all, a holiday on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus wouldn’t be complete without trying some of the traditional Cypriot dishes and delicacies.

Staying at the Kissos Hotel in Paphos on a bed and breakfast board, I ventured out in the evenings for dinner at different restaurants and “tavernas” in the area. As a solo traveller, I ate alone for the first few nights – but then my friend Emma flew out to Cyprus to meet me, which made meal times a little more fun and social. So, here’s a run down of where to eat in Paphos, and what we chose off the menus.

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San Marino.

On my first night, I felt a bit peckish after a short stroll along the beach, so headed back to the main strip of bars and restaurants, where I found the San Marino Taverna. Welcomed in by the super friendly manager (who seemed surprised I was travelling alone), I was shown to a table by the window and given the extensive menu.

I wasn’t overly hungry but liked the sound of the meze. As the meze was a set menu for two people, I just ordered a couple of starters instead: a plate of dips with toasted pitta bread, and some feta cheese. I love dips, so wasn’t disappointed with the selection, which included a favourite of mine, tzatziki. And the creamy feta was served drizzled with olive all and sprinkled with oregano.

The food at San Marino was delicious, and filling. But I was still persuaded by the waiter into having a dessert: a slice of traditional Cypriot baklava, served warm with vanilla ice cream. I don’t usually have a sweet tooth, but I would have demolished another slice.

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I really, really liked my meal at San Marino, so it seemed only fitting to go there on Emma and my last night together, so we could enjoy the two person meze platter.

Meze, which literally means “small dishes”, is a Mediterranean style of eating with lots of different courses, though each course is small, as a sort of taster dish. We went for a plate of grilled halloumi and the fish meze platter, which included:

  • Pitta and dips (tzatziki, hummus, taramasalata and tahini)
  • Greek salad
  • Potato salad
  • Marinated black olives
  • Calamari
  • Whitebait
  • Grilled octopus
  • Grilled sea bream
  • Prawns
  • Swordfish
  • Sardines
  • Rice
  • Steamed vegetables
  • Fries

The waiters laughed as our eyes got wider with every plate they brought out, and we quickly ran out of room on the table. There was way too much food for us, but Emma and I gave it a good go. Of course we had to leave room for dessert though – I’d bigged up the baklava to Emma during the day, and she wasn’t disappointed.

I would definitely recommend San Marino to anyone staying in Paphos – the staff, the menu and the ambiance of the restaurant were all brilliant.

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Karlina Restaurant.

On my second night I wandered down the road towards the Tombs of the Kings, where I found the Karlina Restaurant. It was very busy for a Thursday night, but the waiter managed to find a table in the the corner for me. Having not eaten all day, after perusing the menu, I opted for the special deal of three courses for 16€.

First up was a Greek salad served with a crostini and some toasted black olives. Drizzled with balsamic dressing and olive oil, it was seriously good. But not as good as the main course: a huge pot of moussaka. If you’ve never tried it, moussaka is a traditional Cypriot/Greek layered dish of aubergine, minced lamb and tomatoes. It was served with another salad and a jacket potato. Then, as if all that food wasn’t enough, out came a massive creme caramel pudding (which I completely forgot to take a photo of before I devoured it).

The food in the Karlina Restaurant was really tasty, and like San Marino, the staff in were friendly. Had I been here for a second week I wouldn’t have hesitated to eat here again.

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Laterna Taverna.

My third day was spent exploring the Tombs of the Kings and then relaxing at the beautiful Coral Bay. After getting the bus back from the beach, I hopped off in the middle of Paphos and found myself suddenly hungry. So, tempted by the menu outside, I grabbed a table at Laterna Taverna.

I ordered a tuna salad, koupepia and some tzatziki and pitta bread (all pictured at the top of this post). Koupepia, sometimes known as “dolmades”, are the famous Cypriot stuffed vine leaves. They can be made with meat served warm, or as a vegetarian dish served cold. Mine were warm and covered in a rich tomato sauce – they were amazing. I easily could have polished off another plate.

Captain’s Bistro.

On my fourth day I visited the Paphos Archeological Park. After four hours in the blazing sunshine, I was grateful when I found a cool, breezy restaurant with a fantastic view of Paphos harbour.

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The menu at Captain’s Bistro had a lot of fish and seafood. But not wanting anything too heavy, I chose a seafood salad (plus the obligatory pitta and dips). The salad was alright, but they drowned it in Marie Rose sauce. Had I known I would have asked for the sauce on the side, but never mind. The prawns and mussels on the salad were very fresh, which made up for the sauciness.

The restaurant was a lot more expensive than the other places I’d eaten in, but I guess that’s because you’re paying for the view. Would I eat here again? Probably not, but there were plenty of cocktails on the menu, so it might be a good place to start a night out with friends.

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Zeus Dias.

When Emma joined me in Paphos, we decided to try the Trip Advisor award-winning restaurant Dias Zeus for dinner. Just look how beautiful the establishment is:

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We didn’t need to look at the menu for long – we went straight in for the traditional meat meze platter, much to the bemusement of the waiting staff, who were so friendly and jovial. One waiter in particular kept us giggling all night; with his limited English, he insisted that every little dish he brought out to us was “good with lemon”. We went through a lot of lemons during this meal.

The dishes included in the meze were:

  • Pitta and dips (tzatziki, hummus, taramasalata and tahini)
  • Greek salad
  • Melintzanosalata (known as “eggplant salad”)
  • Tyrokafteri (a spicy feta cheese dip)
  • Chicken souvlaki (seasoned chicken kebabs)
  • Pork souvlaki (seasoned pork kebabs)
  • Lamb cutlets
  • A selection of spicy Cypriot sausages
  • Keftedes (traditional Greek meatballs in tomato sauce)
  • Halloumi
  • Fries

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Again, our eyes were much bigger than our tummies, and we didn’t manage it all. The food was delicious (though the wine wasn’t really to our taste), and I’d really recommend going to this restaurant when staying in Paphos.

 
*****
 

Have you been to Paphos and eaten in any of these restaurants or tavernas? What did you think of the Cypriot food? Let me know if you have any other restaurant suggestions in the comments below.

138 thoughts on “Meze, moussaka and melintzanosalata: eating out in Paphos.”

  2. Oh wow it sounds like you had an amazing time what a beautiful looking place and your so adventurous with food A I have to admit I’m awful for trying new things and most often stick to what I know.

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  3. Okay I don’t think I can go to Cyprus – baklava is a serious weakness of mine and I would come home unrecognisable, having morphed through over-eating into a slice of baklava – but if I do I will for sure be visiting some of these places because they sound delicious! And what’s with the steampunk boat? Did you find out who owned it?

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    1. Hahahaha! This comment makes me seriously LOL. The baklava was amazing, served hot with melting vanilla ice cream on the top, mmmm my mouth is watering just remembering it 😛 No idea who owned the boat I’m afraid, it was just parked up in the harbour! But if you get over to Cyprus soon, head to Paphos harbour and see if it’s still there – maybe someone lives on it, how cool would that be!? x

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  6. Wow. everything looks so delish. Yes, exploring the food scene is the best part of any travel. I was thinking about doing solo travel some time soon, but felt a bit daunted. Your adventure kind of inspired me to be more brave about it.

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  7. Sometimes after we get back from vacation, all we talk about is the incredible food we had! I know that would be the case if we followed in your footsteps. The baklava?! To die for ..

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    1. You’re just like me Tanya, I love the Greek/Turkish/Cypriot cuisine – I love all the dips and pastries and olives and fresh salads. Mmmmm my mouth is watering now! x

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  19. I used to go to Paphos every summer when I was a kid but I haven’t been back in years which is a shame as I love Greek food. Having a meze is always a great way of discovering new foods x

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  21. I loved the food when I went to Cyprus, ashamedly one of the best things we had was Philadelphia stuffed crust pizza at pizza hut. We’d gone in as we’d been given a voucher for a free meal!! but I also love all the fresh salads. Haloumi and olives. All the food you had looks good

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  23. I loved every bit of this post. I love eating like this. To check out new flavors and new dishes. I always empty my stomach and open my mind because it’s necessary to be open minded when trying new things.

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    1. That’s a great attitude to have Krista! And I like eating this way too 🙂 It gives you a taster of everything, so you don’t have to buy big plates of something just to find you don’t like it x

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  25. Oh my gosh, isn’t proper baklava amazing? My friends mum made us traditional baklava onces and I swear I’ve never had better anywhere else!

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  26. I’ve never been to Cyprus before. I’ve been to a lot of the other Greek islands and love the food though. I could quite happily eat everything in the gorgeous photos here! My favourites are the souvlaki and dolmades.

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  28. I love trying out local delicacies on my holidays!
    I went to Cyprus once when I was younger and I’d love to go back again 🙂

    Dani x

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  29. Ahh all that delicious food, so mouthwatering. In Serbia (where I live) almost all of these dishes are being prepared as well, i really love them!

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  30. Hubs and I have been planning a vacation and cyprus is definitely on the list! I love the food! I could live my entire life with hummus and pita bread and grilled halloumi haha!

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  31. You should have heard my tummy grumble at the sight of those grilled seafood. Oh my, what a gastronomic experience for you! I have not ventured into Cyprus yet, but I hope I could!

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  42. Meze kinda sounds to me like Spanish tapas. I love trying out new foods, yet I haven’t tried Cyprian food. I will make note of which places to visit if I ever go to Paphos. The Dias Zeus looks like the first place I’d head to!

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    1. Meze is completely like Spanish tapas, which I also love ❤ Dias Zeus was a great restaurant, and the waiter had us giggling all night which was great – though I preferred the food at San Marino I think. Try them all though, you won't be disappointed x

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  45. Food is one of the main reasons I travel haha! I love experiencing new foods. I haven’t been to cyprus yet but have been keen to try their food. Your pictures look stunning

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  46. Yum, all the food looks so delicious! I love Greek food so I am very familiar with many of the dishes you were served. I have not been to Cyprus yet so would be curious to taste some of their local specialties and see how it differs from Greek food.

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    1. Yes – I agree, I’d like to try the difference between Greek and Cypriot. I’m not sure there is much variation though, maybe only in the herbs and spices used, and sometimes the dishes have different names 🙂 thanks for your comment Matilda! x

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    1. Looks like you ate your way across Paphos! I have yet to visit Cyprus but loved Mediterranean food in Greece and coastal Turkey and see a lot of similarities.

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  52. I Love Mediterranean style of food, especially things like fish and tatziki. I have never been to Paphos before but I am hoping to make it to that side of the world one day in the near future. I like to travel to eat! Seems like you do too! Cheers!

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  53. Everything looks so good! We haven’t been to Cyprus but we vacationed in the Greek islands a few months ago. The food was some of the best we’ve ever had. This makes me want to go back!

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  56. I have to say that in terms of aesthetics Zeus Dias is the most visually stunning menu and it is easy to see why it is award winning! But in terms of menu for me as a vegetarian I have to say that the San Marino menu appeals to me most. Oh and I do like Baklava its delicious x

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  61. Just reading this post and looking at the pictures makes me hungry. 😊 I love dips and mazes. It’s a great way to have a shared meal and not overeat. I’m Bulgarian and we do have similar food to the Greeks so I can imagine how delicious everything tastes.

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  63. I too love trying out local cuisines whenever I travel and that’s one of the main reason i loved this post. The Cypriot food looks delicious and I particularly loved the ‘Meze’ concept and the fish dishes. It would suit me well because I eat less but love to try out a lot of items from a menu.

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  64. I love Mediterranean cuisine so much, I lived in Greece for half a year (3 months in Crete and another3 in Halkidiki) and I was obsessed with how delicious the food is. Also, in the summer the restaurants were open until 11-12 pm which was just perfect.

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  65. My husband and I are foodies through and through and Paphus seems like our kind of place. If we’re ever lucky enough to visit, you can bet will be having Cypriot baklava, served warm with vanilla ice cream at the San Marino Tavern (for him) and Greek salad served with a crostini and some toasted black olives (for her). x

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  66. Just seeing your photographs, made my mouth water. Such amazing food! I am a big foodie and I too love to explore local cuisines while visiting new places. Seems you checked out many restaurants.

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    1. Well when you’re not all-inclusive, you tend to venture out a lot more and sample a lot of different foods in different restaurants. The only downside is the price, however in Cyprus it wasn’t too bad x

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  68. I am a huge fan of mezze style eating and actually do this at home a lot myself – especially when entertaining as its so easy for everyone to tuck into over a couple of bottles of wine! I’m also loving the sound of baklava – I think I would have had to make room for it myself too!
    C x

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  72. Totally love the concept of the Meze dishes as they are great in portion size and you get a chance to try so many different dishes. Such great review and photos too.

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