Limassol has the best restaurants in Cyprus – and it’s not particularly close. A combination of an affluent international population, serious competition between restaurants, proximity to the wine region, and a Cypriot food culture that takes the table genuinely seriously has produced a city where eating well is easy and eating badly requires actual effort.
This guide skips the tourist traps and marina markups. These are the restaurants, tavernas, and food experiences that locals and long-term residents actually return to – from proper Cypriot meze to village tavernas in the hills, craft breweries, and wine estates with food worth the drive.
First – what you need to know about eating in Limassol
Meze is the only way to start
If you’ve never had a proper Cypriot meze, Limassol is where you do it. This isn’t tapas. It’s not a starter selection. It’s 15–20 dishes arriving over two to three hours – dips, salads, grilled halloumi, fried calamari, village sausages, pork souvla, lamb kleftiko, fresh fish, seasonal vegetables, bread – followed by fruit and dessert. You order “meze” and the kitchen decides. Budget at least two hours and don’t eat lunch.
The village tavernas are worth the drive
Some of the best food in the Limassol area isn’t in the city – it’s 30–45 minutes up the hill in the wine villages. Lofou, Omodos, Platres, and Koilani all have tavernas that have been serving the same dishes for decades. Simpler menus, better ingredients, lower prices, and an atmosphere that no marina restaurant can replicate.
Book ahead on weekends
The best restaurants fill up fast, particularly on Friday and Saturday evenings. Call or message on WhatsApp to book – most Limassol restaurants respond quickly and many prefer it to online booking systems. Don’t assume you can walk in to a popular taverna on a Saturday night without a reservation.
Traditional Cypriot tavernas
These are the places that serve Cyprus as it’s meant to be eaten – meze, grilled meats, fresh fish, village wine, and an evening that goes longer than you planned.
- MEZE Taverna Restaurant – Limassol. The name says everything. Traditional Cypriot meze in a relaxed setting. A reliable choice for first-timers wanting to understand what Cypriot food actually is.
- Rizitiko Cyprus Tavern – Limassol. Traditional Cypriot cooking with a focus on village recipes and seasonal ingredients. Popular with locals for a reason.
- Kipriakon – Limassol. Classic Cypriot taverna with a long-standing reputation among residents. The kind of place where regulars have their own table.
- Mostra Meze Tavern – Limassol. Meze-focused taverna with a warm atmosphere and generous portions. Good for groups.
- Kofini Tavern – Limassol. Traditional taverna, popular with the local Cypriot community rather than the tourist circuit.
- Dionysus Mansion – Limassol. One of Limassol’s most atmospheric dining settings. Cypriot food in a beautifully restored mansion house.
- Karatello Tavern – Limassol. Village-style Cypriot cooking in the city. Simple, honest, consistently good.
- Mageirio Tavernaki – Limassol. Casual, authentic, daily specials. A mageirio is a Greek/Cypriot institution – a home-cooking style restaurant where the menu changes with whatever’s fresh that day.
- Taverna Skourouvinnos – Limassol. Traditional taverna with a strong local following. Good for long, leisurely evenings.
- KISSOS TAVERNA – Limassol. Classic meze and grilled dishes in a relaxed setting.
- Mandra Tavern – Limassol. Rustic atmosphere, generous portions, and a menu that covers the full range of Cypriot cooking.
- Acropolis Tavern – Limassol. Long-established taverna with a reputation for consistency and value.
- Mezedogonia Tavern – Limassol. Meze specialist with a relaxed, neighbourhood feel.
- O Dikos Mas Mezes – Limassol. “Our own meze” – a local favourite for traditional Cypriot food without the tourist premium.
- Symposio Tavern – Limassol. Traditional Cypriot cooking with a convivial atmosphere. Popular for group dinners.
- Fotis Tavern – Limassol. No-frills, honest Cypriot food. The kind of taverna where the food is the point, not the Instagram moment.
- Mixos Tavern – Limassol. Casual neighbourhood taverna with daily specials and genuine local character.
Grill restaurants
Cyprus takes its grilled meat seriously. Souvlaki, sheftalia (Cypriot sausage), lamb chops, village sausage – all over charcoal, all served simply with bread, salad, and village wine or a cold Keo. These are the places that do it properly.
- THYMARI Grill & Salad – Limassol. Fresh, well-sourced grilled dishes with a modern approach to Cypriot classics. Popular lunch spot.
- A33 Bar & Grill – Limassol. Bar and grill with a social atmosphere. Good for evenings that combine food and drinks.
- Kings Restaurant – Limassol. Grill-focused menu with a strong local following.
Turkish-Cypriot and mixed cuisine
Limassol has a small but excellent selection of restaurants drawing on the island’s Turkish-Cypriot culinary tradition – meyhane-style dining, meze with a different character, and dishes that reflect Cyprus’s complex cultural history.
- Efkar Meyhanesi – Limassol. Meyhane-style dining – the Turkish-Cypriot equivalent of a taverna, with meze, music, and a convivial atmosphere. A genuinely different dining experience from the standard Cypriot taverna.
- The Meyhane – Limassol. Contemporary take on meyhane culture. Good for those who want to explore the full breadth of Cypriot cuisine beyond the Greek-Cypriot tradition.
- Odofragma – Limassol. An unusual concept in Limassol – food served along the buffer zone line, reflecting the divided nature of the city’s heritage.
Music tavernas
The live music taverna is a Cypriot institution – an evening of food, wine, and live traditional or contemporary music that tends to go considerably later than you intended. These are the Limassol options worth knowing.
- Nefeli Music Tavern – Limassol. Traditional Cypriot food with live music. A proper music taverna evening – expect it to go on.
- Mousikos Restaurant – Limassol. Music restaurant with a lively atmosphere. Popular for celebrations and group evenings.
Craft beer and breweries
Cyprus’s craft beer scene has grown significantly over the past decade, and Limassol is at the centre of it. These two operations are worth going out of your way for.
- Bes Lofou Microbrewery – Lofou village, Limassol hills. Rated a perfect 5.0/5 by 114 visitors. One of Cyprus’s best-kept secrets – a working microbrewery in a beautifully restored village house in Lofou, 40 minutes from Limassol. Combine with a walk around the village. Worth every minute of the drive.
- Octo Microbrewery Octopus Beer – Limassol area. Craft brewpub with an excellent beer selection and a 4.8/5 rating. Outdoor seating, relaxed atmosphere, serious beer.
Winery restaurants – food and wine together
Some of the most memorable meals in the Limassol area happen not in the city itself but at the wine estates 30–45 minutes up the hill. These are the ones where food and wine are genuinely integrated into the experience.
- Christoudia Winery – Limassol foothills. Intimate family winery with a proper restaurant on-site. Tastings, food, and a terrace with views across the valley. One of the most complete winery dining experiences on the island.
- Lionspirit Winery & Distillery – Limassol. Winery, distillery, and café combined. An unusual combination that works well – wine and spirits alongside food in a relaxed setting.
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What to order – a Limassol food cheat sheet
| Dish | What it is | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Meze | 15–20 dish feast. Order it everywhere. | Any traditional taverna |
| Halloumi | Grilled, never fried. The real thing bears no resemblance to what you buy in supermarkets at home. | Every taverna |
| Souvlaki | Pork or chicken on a skewer. Simple, perfect. | Grill restaurants and tavernas |
| Sheftalia | Cypriot sausage – pork and herbs wrapped in caul fat. Grilled over charcoal. | Traditional tavernas |
| Kleftiko | Slow-cooked lamb, sealed in a clay pot. Takes hours. Worth it. | Traditional tavernas – order ahead |
| Commandaria | The world’s oldest named wine. Sweet, amber, extraordinary. Order a glass after dinner. | Any restaurant with a decent wine list |
| Loukoumades | Honey-drenched dough balls. Order them at least once. | Bakeries and dessert spots |
Explore more of Limassol
- All Gastronomy & Estates listings →
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Restaurant listings are based on our directory. Always check current opening hours and book ahead for weekend visits. New listings are added regularly – browse the full directory for the latest additions.