A Cypriot meze (or mezedes) is not a meal so much as a marathon — a parade of 15 to 30 small dishes brought out one after another, meant to be shared slowly around the table with wine and good company. It is the heart of Cypriot hospitality, and the single best way to taste the island in one sitting. Here is what to expect, what everything is, and how to order it like a local.
What is a Cypriot meze?
Meze is a shared feast that has anchored Cypriot social life for centuries. You do not order individual mains; you order “the meze,” and the kitchen decides, sending out dish after dish in waves — dips and salads first, then cheeses and cold cuts, then hot dishes and grills, and finally fruit and something sweet. It is generous, unhurried and designed for a long, sociable evening.
Meat meze or fish meze?
Most tavernas offer two versions (and sometimes a mixed one):
- Meat meze — built around grilled and slow-cooked pork, chicken and lamb: sheftalia, souvla, afelia, kleftiko and more.
- Fish meze — showcasing the day’s catch: grilled octopus, calamari, cuttlefish, prawns, sea bream and red mullet.
Pick one lane. Ordering a full meat and full fish meze for the same table is a rookie mistake — you will not finish it.
The order of a meze
A classic meze rolls out in roughly this sequence: olives, fresh bread and dips (tahini, taramosalata, tzatziki, skordalia) → village salad and grilled halloumi → cold cuts (lountza, loukanika) → hot starters (koupepia, keftedes) → the grills and stews → fresh fruit or a sweet to finish. Pace yourself: the best dishes often arrive last.
Dishes you will meet
- Elies tsakistes — cracked green olives with coriander, lemon and garlic.
- Tahini, taramosalata & tzatziki — sesame, fish-roe and cucumber-yoghurt dips for the bread.
- Halloumi — Cyprus’s famous grilling cheese, served hot and golden.
- Lountza & loukanika — smoked cured pork loin and wine-and-coriander sausages.
- Koupepia — vine leaves stuffed with rice and minced meat (Cypriot dolmades).
- Sheftalia — herby minced-meat rissoles wrapped in caul fat and grilled.
- Afelia — pork slow-cooked in red wine and crushed coriander seed.
- Kleftiko & stifado — lamb slow-baked to falling-apart, and a rich onion-and-cinnamon beef stew.
- Grilled octopus, calamari & cuttlefish — the stars of a fish meze.
- Watermelon & glyko — cold fruit and spoon sweets to close.
How to eat meze like a local
Go hungry, but pace yourself — portions are small but there are many. Order one meze per table (it is priced per person and feeds everyone). Drink local: a crisp Xynisteri white, a bold Maratheftiko red, or a shot of fiery zivania. And book ahead at weekends — the best village tavernas fill up.
Where to eat the best meze
Some of the finest meze is found in village tavernas away from the resorts — the Troodos foothills, the Paphos hinterland and the fishing harbours for fish meze. Browse our Cyprus restaurant guide for tried-and-tested spots, start the day the local way with a traditional Cypriot breakfast, and match your table with a bottle from our Cyprus wine & Commandaria guide.
Food & wine experiences
Prefer to be guided? Cyprus food tours, village tavern crawls and wine-and-meze tastings take the guesswork out of ordering.
Browse Cyprus food & wine experiences →
Cyprus meze FAQ
How many dishes are in a meze?
Usually 15 to 20, though some tavernas serve up to 30 across the evening. They arrive in waves, from dips to grills to fruit.
How long does a meze take?
Plan for two to three hours. Meze is meant to be slow and social — it is an evening out, not a quick dinner.
Is there a vegetarian meze?
Many tavernas will do a vegetarian meze on request — dips, salads, halloumi, vine leaves, grilled vegetables, beans and more. Ask when you book.
Should I order meat or fish meze?
Choose one. A single meat or fish meze is already a huge amount of food; ordering both for one table means most of it goes to waste.
How much does a meze cost?
It is priced per person and varies by taverna and region, but a full meze is generally excellent value for the sheer quantity and variety you get.