Make sure of a decent meal by following our food guide
YOU’RE in Paphos for your holidays, far off your usual beaten track and one of the highlights of a good holiday is always a decent meal, but where do you go? In among the tourist tat, there are plenty of places to grab a meal to write home about. Here’s a selection
Limanaki Restaurant
Only a fifteen-minute drive from Paphos is Limanaki Restaurant in Pissouri, where the owner Sam has brought new life to what was once a taverna and before that a carob store. Being Lebanese married to a Cypriot he honours both cultures’ culinary history, which has resulted in a growing number of clients who regularly make the sojourn from Limassol and Paphos just to taste what is a range of exceedingly good food with great mix and match flavour combinations. Limanaki is open for both lunch and dinner. The former offers wonderful Lebanese wraps as well as delicious salads, a prawn curry to die for, decidedly different dips and special chicken and meat dishes. Highly recommended and child friendly.
Where: Take the turning off to Pissouri Beach and it’s next to the municipal car park
Contact: Tel: 25 221288 or 99 348270. Bookings essential for dinner. Closed Mondays
Konia Tavern
For meze lovers there’s plenty to choose from starting with the a deliciously encouraging platter brimming with rocket, coriander and spring onions. There is a great atmosphere, good wine from Kathikas and lashings of hot pitta bread that just keeps coming along with the better than average ‘typical’ meze dishes.
Where: in Konia village en route to Armou village
Contact: Tel 99 622705, 99 864807, 26 934608. Evenings only
The Myrra Tavern
One of my favourite places as it hasn’t changed either its menu or its quirky interior d?cor for what looks like centuries. Andreas and his wife Antigone are deliciously old-fashioned, believing the old adage that if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. Classic mezze dishes are well cooked and great value for money. Baked feta drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with oregano and topped with tomato is a surprise and very welcome addition to this range of good wholesome food in a very welcoming garden atmosphere.
Where: 37 Neapoleos Street, Paphos
Contact: Tel 26 936009. Open seven days a week, evenings only
Mediterranean at The Elysium
An open-air restaurant set close to the beach; here you will experience what good grilling is all about. Traditional food served with flavour, style and lashings of variety from taboulli and dips, to the very best quality fish. As for the children, no patronising ‘kids menu’ here as the chef will knock up sensational home-made burgers as well as serving parents lobster tails and super grilled prawns. A huge treat and a definate culinary delight.
Where: The Elysium Hotel. Off the Tombs of the Kings Road
Contact: Tel: 26 844444. Open lunches and evenings
Zaffron
A genuine touch of class. This lovely, well-designed restaurant, bar and meeting place offers superb service and the type of food guaranteed to tickle the taste buds with a mix of Indian flavours, and Mediterranean ingredients. In the end, it is down to these good quality ingredients, cooked with love and care and served by folk who genuinely wish you to enjoy your dining experience. Open for some really super and very reasonably priced lunch dishes from fluffy omelettes to brilliant home-made pate and a great seafood salad.
Where: Off the Tombs of the Kings Road near the Venus Beach Hotel
Contact: Tel: 26 933026
La Fresco
This take-away come delicatessen is in a class of its own with Angela the owner having honed her culinary skills to offer customers food she “would also serve to my family” and, believe me, her family are exceedingly well fed! Simply delicious cheese and meat platters can be ordered – her imported cheeses are excellent. She makes a panacotta that is sensational as are her homemade individual quiches along with her special dips.
So if you fancy taking home the goodies for your dinner guests or for a picnic, then order up a dish of her real Italian lasagne, cannelloni, a cheese/ham platter or what about a breast of chicken stuffed with goats cheese in a Pernod sauce? Say no more.
Where: in Peyia opposite the Jail pub
Contact: Tel: 26 623123
La Vigna
La Vigna in Coral Bay is another ‘must go to’ restaurant. Here you will be guaranteed Italian food that even Pavarotti would relish. And in celebration of the generous portions served, he would no doubt go on to treat fellow customers to an aria or two after tasting the chef’s well-packed Calzone or his delicious Tortellini Gratinate.
Where: First restaurant on left of Coral Bay tourist strip
Contact: Tel: 26 813755
Viklari (The Last Castle)
If you are making a trip out to Lara bay and the Akamas for a spot of bucket and spade, then there’s no better place than this to relax and enjoy good, wholesome food at lunchtime. Stunning views, good grilled meat, served with generous salad and proper baked potatoes. It’s a great place to take the children being both safe and welcoming.
Where: On the way to Lara Beach, follow sign post to Last Castle
Contact: Tel: 99 489000 or 26 991088. Lunchtimes only. Booking essential on Sundays
The Mandra Tavern
One of Paphos’ old, established and quality tourist restaurants. Praised for its value for money fish mezze, it is also a place where steaks are cooked properly. Here you will enjoy Kleftiko that literally falls off the bone. An extra plus is the home-made stuffed vine leaves, while their meat meze is one of the best in town.
Where: Kato Paphos, opposite the Dionysius hotel
Contact: Tel: 26 934129
Old Town Restaurant
If on a trip to Polis, try and organise dinner at the Old Town Restaurant. Its charming garden setting and excellent Mediterranean menu is a delight.
Where: At the top of Polis opposite the Berlin Caberet
Contact: Tel: 26 322758 or 99 632781. Dinner only
Moustakallis
A good meze house owned by the local butcher, so the chicken and meat are of the highest quality. They also grill fresh local fish and the place has a great atmosphere with very attentive staff, and good value for money.
Where: Behind central Polis church, down from Alpha Bank
Contact: Tel: 26 322883
Delhi Palace
Good quality Indian food. Speciality is the Mangalorean Chicken and the always deeply delicious Rashmi Prawns, which are the size of babies’ fists and have first been marinated in yoghurt and coriander, then cooked in the clay oven. They also offer a take away service.
Where: Opposite the Annabelle Hotel at 28 Poseidonos Avenue
Contact: Tel: 26 938932. Open every evening
Keralam South Indian Restaurant
A different region of India, but one that always offers ‘decidedly different’ dishes. Imaginative flavour combinations that are kind on the digestion. Tasty marinades, mild if you want it, or hot if you fancy it! The beef masala is excellent, as are their south Indian version of keftedes.
Where: Past the turn off to the Coral Beach Hotel, a few metres up the road on the left.
Contact: Tel: 26 622877
