Editor-in-chief of Xryses Syntages and TV cook, reveals her favourite spots for food, coffee and drinks in Cyprus.
-Where do you usually enjoy your morning coffee?
-At gohealthyetc, opposite the European University Cyprus in Nicosia. The beautiful space, the freshly-roasted coffee and the jokes by my colleagues fill my batteries for the rest of the day.
-Which is your favourite city yard?
-At Beba. A great place, especially at night. One of the most beautiful yards in the capital.
-Where can you find the best souvlaki?
-At the Magazaki Tou Yiannou, the best chicken souvlaki. Fresh, juicy and well cooked.
-Where do you find authentic meze dishes?
-In all the tavernas of our beautiful villages. Authentic flavours with the best ingredients. The passionate owners make goodies from grandma’s recipe book and serve the best Cypriot cuisine.
-Favourite shop in your neighbourhood?
-The grocery store in my village Analiontas. The cases with the fresh vegetables make me crazy. The local producers bring their best stuff there every morning.
-Could you reveal a well-hidden city gem?
-A walk in the old city with its delightful spots and coffee shops. Each alley hides its own gastronomical surprise and a precious secret.
-A restaurant that holds a special place in your heart? A recommended dish?
-Pantopoleion Kali Orexi. All the menu! One of the most incredible dishes is the graviera cheese in filo pastry and their imaginative salads. For dessert I always order the rich and foamy orange cream.
-Which is your favourite kind of cuisine and where you can enjoy it in Cyprus?
-Cypriot cuisine and of course ofto kleftiko. The best place to have it is Ayios Amvrosios restaurant in Kofinou. Every Sunday my mum saves the best piece for me.
-The best place to hang out with friends?
-Babylon in Nicosia. You will taste a beer from their huge variety and you will accompany it with their unique nachos.
-Where could you find the best cocktails?
-Fortunately, in the past years, the list is growing. To pick some I would say Lola Bar, Seven Monkeys, The Bar, To Potopoleio, and of course the awarded Lost + Found Drinkery.
-Where do you usually find delightful sweets?
-At Colours Cafe in Four Seasons in Limassol. Fantastic sweets with a view of their wonderful pool. Don’t forget to taste a scoop of their incredible ice cream and their fantastic cocktails with ice cream.
-Which place do you remember fondly?
-Lefkara and my grandmother’s house. Enjoying her great-smelling food, in the big, blooming interior yard, with grandpa lying on the bed under the pomegranate tree. Also, the afternoon walk with grandpa in the village’s alleys and him buying me goodies from the coffee shop. How I miss them both…
Info: Go Healthy etc, Diogenous 1, Engomi. Beba, Pindarou 2, Nicosia. To Magazaki tou Yiannou, Grigori Afxentiou 15, Engomi. Pantopoleio Kali Orexi, Metochiou 38, Engomi. Ayios Amvrosios, Kofinou. Babylon, Iasonos 6, Nicosia. Lola Bar, Stasandrou 15 Nicosia. Seven Monkeys, Evagorou 7A Nicosia. To Potopoleio, John Kennedy Avenue 46E, Nicosia. Lost + Found Drinkery Lord Byron Avenue 38, Nicosia. Colors Café, Four Seasons hotel, Amathountos 67-69, Ayios Tychonas, Limassol.
