Cypriot Meze — A 25–30 Dish Tradition. A Feast, Etiquette, and Where to Order

Imagine a table that starts to be laden and doesn't stop for an hour. Dish after dish — hummus, tzatziki, talattouri, fresh vegetables, olives, fried halloumi, keftedes (meatballs), lountza (smoked tenderloin), loukaniko (sausage), grilled octopus, fresh fish, souvla, and finally dessert and Cypriot coffee. This is meze — one of the most beautiful culinary traditions of the Mediterranean.

In Cyprus, meze (or mezedhes in the plural) is not tapas, not an appetizer, not an amuse-bouche. It's a full meal with its own philosophy: you don't choose one dish — you get everything, sequentially, at the pace set by the kitchen. Your job is simply to eat, talk, and enjoy.

The History of Meze — From Persian Courts to Cypriot Taverns

The word meze comes from the Persian maza — taste, snack. The tradition of serving many small dishes before or instead of the main meal is common throughout the Middle East, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, and Greece. But Cypriot meze has its own character — it stems from an island at the crossroads of civilizations.

In Ottoman Cyprus, meze was an integral companion to zivania (local vodka) or wine. Men would sit in a cafe (kafeneion), order a bottle, and — automatically — receive a continuous stream of small dishes. Not for free — the meze was included in the price of the alcohol.

This custom has survived in a modified form. Today, in Cypriot taverns, ordering "meze for two" is a ritual with its own rules.

How Many Dishes in Meze? The Structure of a Feast

An authentic Cypriot meze consists of 3–4 rounds of dishes, totaling 25–30 items:

Round 1: Cold Appetizers (Kria Orektika)

Brought out at the very beginning, all at once:

• Hummus (tahini with chickpeas)
• Tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber, garlic)
• Talattouri (Cypriot tzatziki with sheep's yogurt, mint — milder)
• Taramosalata (paste made from cod roe)
• Melitzanosalata (paste made from eggplant)
• Marinated Cypriot olives
• Fresh vegetables: tomato, cucumber, radish, onion
• Pita bread, warmed

Round 2: Hot Appetizers and Fried

• Grilled or fried Halloumi
• Loukaniko (Cypriot sausage with coriander and red wine)
• Lountza (smoked pork tenderloin — a Cypriot specialty)
• Keftedes (small meatballs made with beef and herbs)
• Sheftalia (sausage wrapped in caul fat)
• Zambia (fried shrimp)
• Kolokasi (taro — a Cypriot root, sliced and fried)

Round 3: Main Courses

• Souvlaki with pork or chicken
• Grilled lamb chops (paidakia)
• Roasted chicken (kotopoulo)
• Stifado (beef stew with onions and cinnamon)
• Moussaka — Cypriot version (without potatoes, with pasta)
• Grilled octopus (in fish meze)
• Calamari (squid)
• Fresh seasonal fish (in fish meze)

Round 4: Desserts and Finish

• Loukoumades (small donuts with honey and cinnamon)
• Fresh seasonal fruit
• Cypriot coffee (kafes ellinikos)
• Small glass of zivania or Commandaria

Fish Meze vs Meat Meze — The Key Difference

This is the choice you must make when ordering:

Meat Meze (meze kreaton)

Focused on meat — pork, lamb, chicken, beef. The cold appetizers are the same, but the main round is grilled and roasted meats. More filling, heavier, typical of taverns in the mountains and inland.

Prices: approx. 20–28 EUR/person

Fish Meze (psaromeze / seafood meze)

Appetizers similar, but the main round is fish and seafood — grilled octopus, mussels, squid, shrimp, fresh fish (lavraki/branzino, tsipoura),

Prices: approx. 25–35 EUR/person

Mixed Meze

A combination of both meat and fish.

Prices: approx. 25–35 EUR/person

Nikozja

Erotokritos in the old Nicosia — behind the Venetian walls. Excellent meat meze with local sausage from Trojodytissa.

Laona Restaurant in Athalassa — a suburban tavern, a favorite of the Cypriot government and parliament. Meze is ordered a day in advance for groups; walk-in is also possible.

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Meze for Groups — How to Plan?

Meze is a format created for groups. Practical tips:

• Minimum 2 people — single-person meze is not ordered in taverns; it simply doesn't make logistical or culinary sense
• 4–6 people — the optimal group; the tavern brings a full range of dishes, the table is rich
• 10+ people — call a day in advance and inform the group; the tavern often makes a "special meze" with extra dishes
• Allergies — tell the waiter when ordering; dishes with fish, gluten, or dairy can be omitted

The meze "per head" price usually includes all dishes, but does not include drinks (water, wine, beer separately). Check this when ordering.

Meze as a Philosophy — Don't Rush

In a world where "fast food" has become the norm, Cypriot meze is a conscious contrast. Two, three, sometimes four hours at the table. Conversation, laughter, sharing. A new dish every 15–20 minutes — literally a reason to stay at the table.

Cypriots have a saying: "Meze den teleionei — agapioun to" — meze doesn't end, because they love it. A tradition that has survived Persian, Ottoman, and English influences is alive and well.

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Summary

Ordering meze is not just choosing a dish — it's deciding how to spend an evening. Choose meze when you have time and company. When you want to talk, laugh, and eat. When you want to understand Cyprus not through a guidebook, but through taste.

Fish meze by the port in Latchi, meat meze in a tavern in Troodos, mixed meze by the old town market in Nicosia — each place, each region gives it its own character. But the philosophy is the same everywhere: sit, eat, be.

Last-minute tip: when the waiter asks if you want meze — you always say "yes." You only regret it when you didn't order.

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