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Discover Traditional Cypriot Dishes and Northern Cyprus Cuisine

Northern Cyprus is a true food lover’s paradise, where Mediterranean flavours meet Turkish and Middle Eastern influences to create an unforgettable culinary experience. Whether you’re a dedicated foodie or simply love discovering new tastes, the island offers an incredible variety of restaurants, cafés, and beachside taverns to explore.

 

From freshly caught seafood served with sea views to traditional meze platters bursting with local flavour, dining in Northern Cyprus is always a pleasure. The region’s cuisine reflects its rich cultural heritage — expect dishes made with olive oil, halloumi cheese, grilled meats, fresh herbs, and seasonal vegetables straight from the market.

 

Food lovers can discover fine dining restaurants in Kyrenia, family-run taverns in Famagusta, and authentic Cypriot eateries in Nicosia, each offering a unique taste of the island’s warm hospitality. There’s also a growing international food scene, with everything from Italian and Indian to Asian fusion and modern European menus available across the TRNC.

 

Pair your meal with local Cypriot wines, enjoy a strong Turkish coffee, or end your evening with a sweet helping of baklava or lokma. Whether you prefer elegant dining, rustic charm, or street food simplicity, Northern Cyprus offers something delicious for every appetite.

 

Explore our Foodie section to discover the best places to eat, local delicacies, restaurant reviews, and insider tips for enjoying the island’s thriving food scene.

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Octopus salad served with olive oil, lemon, and fresh herbs – a Mediterranean seafood dish.

Ahtapot Salatasi

Cypriot cocktail made with brandy, lemon juice, and soda, served over ice.

Brandy Sour

Cold yogurt and cucumber dip with garlic, dill, and mint, similar to tzatziki.

Cacik

Chinese dining in North Cyprus offering noodles, dumplings, and stir-fried dishes.

Chinese Restaurants

Tomatoes stuffed with rice, herbs, and spices, baked to perfection.

Domates Dolmasi

Sweet pastry layered with syrup and nuts, a regional Cypriot dessert.

Gatmer

Cypriot bread flavored with chunks of halloumi cheese and fresh mint.

Hellimli

Indian dining in North Cyprus featuring curries, naan, and tandoori dishes.

Indian Restaurants

Grilled meatballs seasoned with herbs and spices, served with salad or pita.

Köfte

Traditional Turkish taverns serving meze, seafood, and raki.

Meyhanes

Foraging for wild mushrooms in the Cypriot countryside.

Mushrooming

Cypriot cheese-filled pastry, similar to a small pie or scone.

Pilavuna

Dining options in Esentepe offering Mediterranean and local Cypriot cuisine.

Restaurants - Esentepe

Kyrenia dining scene with harbourside restaurants and traditional taverns.

Restaurants - Kyrenia

Cuttlefish cooked in ink sauce with rice, a coastal Cypriot delicacy.

Sipya

Traditional dried soup mix made from yogurt, tomato, and cracked wheat.

Tarhana

North Cyprus wineries producing local red, white, and rosé wines.

Wineries

Traditional Cypriot bread flavoured with olives or herbs.

Çakisdez

Skewered and grilled cubes of marinated meat, served with salad or bread.

Şiş Kebab

Traditional Turkish yogurt drink made with water and salt, served chilled.

Ayran

Bulgur wheat pilaf cooked with tomato, onion, and herbs, a staple side dish.

Bulgur Pilavi

Dried carob pods or syrup used as a natural sweetener in Cypriot cuisine.

Carob

Shredded chicken with creamy walnut sauce, a traditional Turkish appetizer.

Circassian chicken

White bean salad with onions, parsley, and olive oil, often served with kebabs.

Fasulye Piyaz

Halloumi cheese grilled to golden perfection, served with salad or bread.

Grilled Halloumi

Smooth chickpea dip with tahini, garlic, lemon, and olive oil.

Hummus

Semolina cookies dusted with sugar, soft and buttery in texture.

Irmik Kurabiyesi

Thin Turkish flatbread topped with minced meat, herbs, and spices.

Lahmacun

Assorted small dishes served as appetizers, typical of Cypriot dining.

Meze

Rice pilaf with chickpeas, often served with grilled meat.

Nohutlu Pilav

Bright cactus fruit with sweet, juicy flesh, native to Cyprus.

Prickly Pear

Restaurants in Famagusta serving Turkish, Cypriot, and international dishes.

Restaurants - Famagusta

Lefke restaurants serving authentic Cypriot village-style dishes.

Restaurants - Lefke

A bright outdoor buffet setting by the Mediterranean Sea: long tables laden with vibrant salads, grilled meats, seafood platters and desserts; chilled glasses of wine and cocktails on ice; guests helping themselves while gentle live music plays in the background. Palm trees sway in the breeze and the deep blue sea stretches out beyond the terrace — capturing the relaxed yet indulgent vibe of Sunday in Northern Cyprus.

Sunday Buffet

Savory pastry filled with shredded chicken and herbs.

Tavuklu Börek

Stuffed vine leaves filled with rice, pine nuts, and herbs, served cold.

Yalanci Dolma

Stuffed zucchini flowers with rice, herbs, and spices.

Çiçek Dolmasi

Sweet Turkish pudding made with grains, nuts, and dried fruits, also known as Noah’s Pudding.

Aşure

Traditional Cypriot sausage made from lamb intestines stuffed with rice and spices.

Bumbar

Preserved green walnuts in syrup, a traditional Cypriot sweet.

Ceviz Macun

Turkish coffee served in small cups with foam, often accompanied by Turkish delight.

Coffee Culture

Cypriot baked pasta layered with mince and béchamel sauce, similar to lasagna.

Firin Makarnasi

Slices of halloumi paired with fresh tomato and olive oil drizzle.

Halloumi & Tomato

Creamy soup inspired by hummus, made from blended chickpeas and spices.

Hummus Soup

Slow-cooked lamb marinated with garlic, herbs, and lemon, a Greek-Cypriot classic.

Kleftiko

Fried dough balls soaked in syrup or honey, a popular Cypriot street sweet.

Lokma

Stew made with jute leaves, garlic, and chicken or lamb, a Middle Eastern specialty.

Molohiya

Green and black Cypriot olives served with olive oil and herbs.

Olives

Traditional anise-flavoured Turkish spirit, usually served with meze.

Raki

Güzelyurt eateries known for local produce and traditional meals.

Restaurants - Güzelyurt

Capital city restaurants offering both traditional and modern cuisine.

Restaurants - Nicosia

Baked rice pudding topped with cinnamon, served chilled.

Sütlaç

Colourful cubes of jelly candy dusted with icing sugar, flavoured with rose or citrus.

Turkish Delight

Creamy yogurt soup with rice, mint, and butter.

Yayla Çorbasi

Shepherd’s salad with tomato, cucumber, onion, and olive oil.

Çoban Salatasi

Layered filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and honey or syrup, a classic Turkish dessert.

Baklava

Black-eyed bean salad with olive oil, lemon, and fresh vegetables.

Börülce Salatasi

A sunlit seaside terrace in Kyrenia with a white linen table set for breakfast — croissants, fruit, smoked salmon, and two glasses of Champagne glimmering in the morning light. The turquoise sea sparkles in the background beneath clear blue skies.

Champagne Breakfast

Coastal Cypriot dishes featuring fresh seafood and Mediterranean flavours.

Costa Cuisine

Guided culinary tours exploring traditional Cypriot food and local specialties.

Food Tours

Traditional Cypriot halloumi cheese made from goat and sheep milk.

Hellim

Stuffed aubergine with tomato, onion, and garlic, simmered in olive oil.

Imam Bayildi

Stewed colocasia root with lamb, tomato, and celery, a traditional Cypriot dish.

Kolokas

Turkish scrambled eggs cooked with tomatoes, peppers, and onions.

Menemen

Creamy milk pudding topped with cinnamon or rosewater.

Muhallebi

Grape molasses used as a sweetener in traditional Cypriot desserts.

Pekmez

Seabass cooked in raki sauce with herbs and lemon.

Raki Soslu Levrek

Coastal Iskele restaurants with fresh seafood and beach views.

Restaurants - Iskele

Moist semolina cake with syrup and orange zest.

Shammali

Tahini salad made with lemon juice, garlic, and parsley.

Tahin Salatasi

Bitter orange peel preserved in syrup, a Cypriot sweet delicacy.

Turunç Macunu

Cypriot lamb stew cooked with potatoes and tomatoes.

Zinavia

Grilled Cypriot sausage made from minced lamb wrapped in caul fat.

Şeftali Kebab

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