What is Cypriot meze and how do you order it? Halloumi, bulgur köftesi, molehiya, şeftali kebab and the cold dishes, plus tips on pacing a long meze dinner.
What is meze, and why does it matter in Cyprus?
Cypriot meze is less a single dish than a way of eating. Small plates arrive at the table in stages: first the cold dishes, then the hot ones, and finally grilled meat or fish. The point is to eat slowly, talk and share. In Kyrenia a meze dinner can easily last a few hours, and that is entirely the idea. In this guide you'll find the classic plates you are likely to meet, tips for ordering, and how to pace the evening.
Cold meze: opening the table
Meze usually begins with bread, olives and a few cold plates. The ones you'll see most often:
- Tahini (tahin): Sesame paste loosened with lemon, garlic and water into a creamy dip for bread.
- Talattouri (cacık): A cooling mix of yoghurt, cucumber, garlic and dried mint.
- Hummus: A purée of chickpeas, tahini, lemon and olive oil.
- Beetroot salad: Boiled beetroot with garlic, vinegar or yoghurt.
- Black-eyed bean salad: A light plate of black-eyed beans with olive oil, lemon and greens.
- Olives and village bread: Often cracked green olives flavoured with coriander or lemon, served with fresh bread.
Hot meze: from halloumi to molehiya
After the cold plates come the hot ones, and this is where many of Cyprus's best-known flavours appear.
Halloumi (hellim)
Halloumi is a semi-hard cheese made from goat's and sheep's milk (today often with cow's milk added) and kept in brine, frequently with mint. It doesn't melt when heated: on the grill or in a pan the outside browns while the inside stays soft, which makes it a staple of the hot course.
Bulgur köftesi
Long, torpedo-shaped croquettes made by filling a thin bulgur wheat shell with spiced minced meat and onion, then frying them. Crisp outside, juicy inside, and best eaten hot with a squeeze of lemon.
Molehiya
Molehiya is made from the dried leaves of jute mallow. It is usually stewed with chicken or lamb, tomato and onion; its slightly silky texture and distinctive flavour make it a dish closely associated with Cyprus.
Şeftali kebab and more
Despite the name (şeftali means peach in Turkish), şeftali kebab has nothing to do with fruit: minced meat mixed with onion and parsley is wrapped in a thin layer of caul fat and cooked over charcoal. You may also come across kolokas (taro) stew, halloumi pastries, and seafood such as calamari and octopus among the hot dishes.
How to order and pace the table
In Cyprus meze is usually served in one of two ways: you choose individual plates, or the restaurant brings its own meze selection. With a selection, plates arrive in waves and there can be quite a lot of them.
- Start slowly: Don't try to finish everything in the first wave; some of the best dishes come later.
- Ask first: Find out roughly how many plates to expect and whether grilled meat or fish is included.
- Watch the bread: Tahini and talattouri are delicious, but it is easy to fill up on bread early.
- Share: Meze is eaten together, so pass the plates around the middle of the table.
What to drink with meze
The classic partner for meze is rakı, sipped slowly with iced water. Local beer, white wine or a brandy sour, a drink closely linked to Cyprus, are also popular choices. If you don't drink alcohol, ayran (a salted yoghurt drink), lemonade or sparkling water suit the table perfectly.
Meze by the sea in Kyrenia
Eating meze facing the sea takes the experience one step further. The Dome Hotel's Anchor Restaurant, surrounded by the sea on three sides, is one of the places in Kyrenia that serves meze; the team will tell you what is on the table that evening. Wherever you choose, sitting down close to sunset and letting the plates come slowly is the most Cypriot way to spend an evening.
Plan meze as a long meal rather than a quick dinner: allow at least two hours. Cold dishes come first, then hot, then grilled meat or fish. Mention any allergies or dietary needs (vegetarian, gluten-free and so on) when you order; many meze dishes are meat-free anyway.
On Kyrenia harbour since the 1930s. Best rate when you book direct.
