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#must-tryfood
On the island of Cyprus, there's magic called "meze." This isn't just a meal. It's a whole ritual and the island's main gastronomic tradition — a feast that can last for hours, bringing family and friends together around the table.
What is meze?🍖
It's not one dish, but an endless procession of small plates brought out one after another. In a good restaurant, there can be 20 or even more. Meze is either meat-based or seafood-based mixing them is considered bad form. You eat slowly, taking pauses between courses otherwise, you simply won't make it to the end.
How it unfolds:
It all begins with light appetisers: olives, pickles, fresh bread with olive oil and oregano. Several dipping sauces are placed on the table —tahini (sesame paste), hummus (chickpea), and talattouri (yogurt with cucumber and mint).
Then come the hot starters: grilled halloumi, local loukanika sausages braised in red wine, or liver in sauce.
After that, the main dishes arrive — meat cooked over charcoal, on a spit, or grilled, served with fried potatoes, rice, or bulgur, and a vegetable stew.
This gastronomic marathon ends with seasonal fruit, sweets, and traditional Cypriot coffee. Some places serve small honey doughnuts (loukoumades) or baklava for dessert.
✨Why is meze a whole culture?
The history of meze goes back to the Byzantine tradition of "breaking bread." This is a time when food isn't the main event. The main thing is to be at the table, to talk, sing, joke, and share every plate with those around you. During the meal, live music often plays, and in some taverns, guests might even dance between courses.
📌What you should know before going for meze:
· It's an endurance test: it starts light, then gets heartier.
· Meat and seafood meze are ordered separately.
· In taverns, you pay a fixed price per person and trust the chef — there's no menu.
· The further you go from the tourist beaches, the tastier and more varied the meze, because that's where the locals eat.
You'll find authentic meze in villages and small towns. These taverns are valued for their home-style cooking, atmosphere, and long-standing family traditions. Sometimes, guests are even welcomed with a glass of local zivania (a strong grape distillate) at the door.
#summervacay #meze #travel2026 #musttryfood