Greece
Loukaniko
Λουκάνικο
Greek pork sausage, spiced with orange zest, fennel, and herbs, grilled or fried. A meze and taverna classic, savory and aromatic, served with bread and mustard, a national sausage.
western-asia
Cyprus
Explore 73 foods connected to Cyprus, from everyday staples to rare local specialties.
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Cyprus Essentials
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Traditional foods from Cyprus.
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Greece
Loukoumades
Λουκουμάδες
Greek deep-fried dough balls, golden and crispy, soaked in honey syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon and sesame. A festival and street dessert, sweet and sticky, a national treat, ancient origin.
Paphos, Cyprus
Loukoumi Geroskipou
Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου
Cornflour and sugar gel set with rose, lemon or mastic and studded with nuts, made in the village of Geroskipou since the 1890s.
Cyprus
Lountza
Λούντζα
Pork tenderloin brined, marinated in red wine and coriander seed, then cold-smoked over aromatic wood.
Cyprus
Louvi me Lahana
Λουβί με λάχανα
Black-eyed peas boiled with chard or beet greens and dressed at the table with olive oil and lemon.
Cyprus
Magarına Bulli
Μακαρόνια με πουλλί
Bucatini boiled in chicken stock, topped with poached chicken, grated halloumi and dried mint.
Cyprus
Mahallepi
Μαχαλεπί
Cornflour and milk set into a very lightly set white pudding, served cold with rose syrup and mastic rather than mixed with it.
Cyprus
Makaronia Tou Fournou
Μακαρόνια του φούρνου
Baked pasta with minced meat, béchamel and halloumi — Cyprus's answer to pastitsio.
Cyprus
Mavro
Μαύρο
Mavro is a named Cypriot red wine made from the island's dark-skinned Mavro grape, served young or blended.
Cyprus
Moungra
Μούγκρα
Cauliflower pickled in a brine started with wine yeast, mustard seed and vinegar until it turns pungent and sour.
Greece
Moussaka
Μουσακάς
Greece's most iconic baked dish: layers of eggplant, spiced minced meat (lamb or beef), and tomato, topped with a thick béchamel, baked golden. A taverna centerpiece, rich and comforting.
Paphos, Cyprus
Pafitiko Loukaniko
Παφίτικο λουκάνικο
Coarse pork sausage from the Paphos district, marinated in dry red wine with coriander seed and smoked, then air-dried.
Cyprus
Palouzes
Παλουζές
Palouzes is a Cypriot grape-must pudding thickened with flour and scented with rosewater or cinnamon.
Cyprus
Patates Antinaxtes
Πατάτες αντιναχτές
Small Cypriot potatoes cracked with a knife rather than cut, fried in olive oil and shaken with red wine and coriander seed.
Cyprus
Patates Me Avga
Πατάτες με αυγά
Patates me avga is a Cypriot skillet dish of potatoes cooked with eggs, onion and herbs until just set.
Cyprus
Pickled Caper Shoots
Κάππαρη
Whole caper shoots with leaves and buds pickled in vinegar brine and served in bundles as a meze.
Israel
Pita Bread
Πίτα
Greek flatbread, soft and round, used for souvlaki and gyros wraps, or dipped in meze. A daily bread, baked in a pan or griddle, a national staple, slightly puffed and chewy.
Cyprus
Poulles
Πούλλες
Poulles are soaked fava beans split and fried until blistered, then salted and eaten as a Cypriot tavern snack.
Cyprus
Pourgouri
Πουργούρι
Coarse cracked wheat toasted in oil with vermicelli and onion, then steamed in stock until fluffy.
Cyprus
Resi
Ρέσι
Cracked wheat cooked slowly in lamb or goat broth until it turns creamy, traditionally made for village weddings.
Cyprus
Shamishi
Σιάμισι
Thin dough wrapped around semolina custard and deep-fried, then rolled in sugar and eaten hot from the pan.
Cyprus
Sheftalia
Σεφταλιά
Coarsely minced pork and lamb with onion and parsley wrapped in caul fat rather than a casing, then grilled over charcoal so the fat melts away.
Cyprus
Shoushoukos
Σουτζιούκος
Almonds threaded on a string and dipped repeatedly in thickened grape must until they build a firm, chewy coat.
Cyprus
Soumada
Σουμάδα
Almond syrup pressed from bitter and sweet almonds, diluted with cold water into a cloudy white drink.
Cyprus
Souvla
Σούβλα
Large chunks of pork, lamb or chicken threaded on a long skewer and turned slowly over charcoal for an hour or more.
Greece
Souvlaki
Σουβλάκι
Greece's national street food: small skewers of grilled pork (or chicken) seasoned with oregano and lemon. Served on a skewer with bread or wrapped in pita with tzatziki, onions, and fries.
Cyprus
Spoon Sweet
Γλυκό του κουταλιού
Greek preserved fruits (cherry, fig, quince, or citrus) in syrup, served by the spoonful with coffee. A hospitality tradition, sweet and fruity, a national treat, a welcome to guests.
Greece
Stifado
Στιφάδο
Greek stew of meat (rabbit, beef, or octopus) with baby onions, tomatoes, wine, and spices, slow-cooked until tender. A rustic, aromatic winter dish, served with bread or pasta.
Israel
Tahini
طحينة
A smooth paste of ground sesame seeds, the backbone of hummus, baba ghanoush, moutabal and many Lebanese dips and sauces.
Lebanon
Tahini Halva
حلاوة طحينية
A dense sesame confection made by working tahini with boiled sugar syrup until it sets into a crumbly, fibrous block.
Cyprus
Tavas
Ταβάς
Lamb or pork with rice, onion, tomato and a great deal of cumin baked slowly in a covered clay dish.
Cyprus
Tsamarella
Τσαμαρέλλα
Goat meat boned, heavily salted, dried in the sun and rubbed with dried oregano until it is hard and intensely savoury.
Cyprus
Ttalattouri
Ταλαττούρι
Cypriot yoghurt with grated cucumber, garlic and dried mint, thicker and mintier than tzatziki.
Lebanon
Turkish Coffee
Türk Kahvesi
A method of preparing unfiltered coffee using finely ground beans simmered with water and sugar in a cezve. The result is a strong, aromatic brew with a thick layer of foam, served in small cups with water. UNESCO inscribed Turkish coffee culture on its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013. The grounds are traditionally used for fortune telling.
Greece
Tzatziki
Τζατζίκι
Greek dip of strained yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, olive oil, and dill. The national dip, served with bread, souvlaki, and grilled meats, cool and tangy, a meze staple.
Cyprus
Xynisteri
Ξυνιστέρι
Xynisteri is a named Cypriot white wine made from the island's pale Xynisteri grape, prized for fresh acidity.