North Cyprus food

If you’re going on holiday, you surely want to experience as much of the culture as possible. Whilst the amazing beaches and historical sights may stand out as highlights, local cuisine can be a huge part of a countries identity. This is particularly true for the North Cypriots, whose hospitality manifests in their flavoursome cooking and generous portions. There’s nothing like a good bonding session over how delicious a meal is after all, when everyone takes their first mouthful and then pauses before going “mmm” in unison. I’m hoping reading through the following list might get some similar reaction.

Small Meze Dishes

To help you get a feel for what food in the North Cyprus area is like, I’ve put together a short list of some of the most popular (and delicious!) foods on offer.

Let’s start with the classic Meze dishes. These consist of a variety of hot and cold starters that can be served as a main course also. They generally consist of a choice in meat, fish, salad and vegetable dishes, though the most common are the following: Grilled halloumi cheese, olives, Cacik (seasoned yoghurt) and Sigara Borek (feta cheese wrapped in filo pastry and deep fried). The great thing about a meze is that it’s a sociable food and perfect if you’re eating out with others.

Kleftico lamb

Next up is Kleftico lamb. For all the carnivores out there this will undoubtedly be a pinnacle in your meat eating days. Slowly cooked in a clay oven it is so tender by the time it’s served that it just falls off the bone, bathed in the flavour of its own rich juices. Staying on the topic of meat, another Cypriot specialty is the rather un-glamorous sounding Shish Kebab. This is of course the traditional skewers of lamb or chicken that are marinated and then cooked over charcoal – a hearty treat.

Stuffed vine leaves

Not forgetting vegetarians, there is the c also known as stuffed vine leaves. These are filled with rice, onions, tomatoes, and have an addictive saltiness that gives them an intense kick.

Those with a sweet tooth will be happy to know that a popular dessert is the Lokma, otherwise described as a doughnut covered in honey. What more is there to say?

Turkish delight dessert (rahat lokum) different colors

You can finish off your meal, or stop at anytime for a break to grab some Turkish coffee too, which is a popular beverage for those living in North Cyprus. What makes Turkish coffee unique from normal coffee? Well, the coffee beans are grounded into a fine powder and then cooked with sugar to form a thick cream on top. It’s a much sweeter affair, though when ordering there are usually three options: Sah-de (unsweetened), Ortah (moderately sweet) and Shekerli (very sweet).

So there you have it, a few examples of some good old North Cyprus specialties. This of course isn’t extensive, and you’ll find that there are many more colourful dishes to be tried. A tip would be to explore the area of Kyrenia for some of the best and most visited eateries, with a variety of cuisine available and in particular a good deal of fresh fish restaurants around the harbour.