Tavernas with a Fireplace in Cyprus: Cosy Winter Meze by Region

The surest places for a winter meze beside a log fire in Cyprus are the hill villages above Limassol and Nicosia. Polydentri in Pelendri, Makris in Moniatis, Mavres Chines in Omodos and Giannakos in Fikardou are long-standing favourites, and in Nicosia itself Stoa tou Dimitri keeps three fireplaces going. Below we group the tavernas by region, then cover booking, winter opening, mountain driving and what to expect on the table.

How we chose: we only list a taverna if a Cyprus publication described its fireplace (tzaki) between January 2025 and October 2026, and we link its own website or its own Facebook or Instagram page. Many more village tavernas have a fire in winter; if yours is missing, it is because we could not confirm it, not because it is not good. Checked on 19 October 2026.

If you are planning a whole winter weekend in the hills, pair this with our winter plans for December to February and our guide to traditional villages in Cyprus.

Where are the tavernas with a fireplace in the Troodos?

Winters in the Troodos villages are properly cold, so a fire is part of the deal. These are the ones we could confirm.

We looked hard for confirmed fireplaces in Platres, Kakopetria, Pedoulas, Kalopanayiotis and Agros and could not find a recent official or dated source for any single taverna, so none are listed here yet. These villages are still lovely winter stops: Kakopetria's old quarter and the painted churches nearby make a good morning before lunch in Pelendri or Kampi.

Which Limassol wine villages have tavernas with a fire?

The wine villages north-west of Limassol, around Omodos, Arsos and Mandria, are high enough for chilly winter evenings. They also pair well with a winery visit on one of the Cyprus wine routes, as long as someone else drives back.

Closer to Limassol town

If you do not want to drive far, these three in the foothills were also described with a fireplace in 2025 or 2026.

Is there a taverna with a fireplace in the Paphos hills?

Paphos has the mildest winter of the main towns, and fewer tavernas advertise a fire. The one we could confirm is in Kathikas, the wine village on the Laona plateau known for its many tavernas.

We could not confirm a fireplace at any taverna in Tsada, Fyti or Kritou Terra from a recent source. Melitzia in Tala heats its dining room with a wood stove rather than an open fire (Facebook), which is worth knowing if you live on the Tala side.

Where can you eat by a fire near Nicosia and Larnaca?

We found no recent source confirming a fireplace at a specific taverna in Lefkara or Kalo Chorio, so we have left them out for now.

Which Nicosia tavernas have a fireplace?

You do not need to leave the capital for a fire. None of these is inside the Venetian walls, but all are a short drive from the old town.

In Larnaca town, Mezedopoleio Taverna Zinon has a stone fireplace (Instagram), and in Famagusta district To Liodentro in Deryneia lights its fireplace in the evenings (Instagram).

How do you plan a winter taverna trip?

What is in a Cypriot winter meze?

A meze is a set run of small dishes for the table, usually priced per person and often for two or more. It arrives in waves, so pace yourself.

• First round: bread, olives, tahini, talattouri (the Cypriot tzatziki), village salad and halloumi, either grilled or fried.
• Middle: village sausage (loukaniko), lountza or pastourma, koupepia (stuffed vine leaves), snails or liver, and in winter wild mushrooms and wild greens such as wild asparagus picked on the hills.
• Mains: sheftalia, souvlaki and lamb chops from the grill, then slow-cooked dishes: kleftiko (lamb baked for hours in a sealed clay oven), afelia (pork in red wine and coriander seed), stifado (beef or rabbit with onions) or oven macaroni.
• Soup: trahanas, made from cracked wheat and soured milk, is a classic on cold days and some tavernas serve it as a starter.
• Finish: fruit, loukoumades or a spoon sweet, sometimes with a zivania or a Commandaria on the house.

A few habits to know

1. Order one meze per person but do not expect to finish it; the kitchen keeps sending food until you say stop.
2. Tell the waiter early about vegetarians or anyone who does not eat pork; most tavernas will adjust part of the meze.
3. Sharing is the point. Plates go in the middle and everyone helps themselves.
4. Leftovers can usually be packed to take home; just ask.
5. Tipping is not built into the bill in most village tavernas. Rounding up or leaving a little extra for good service is appreciated.

Related guides

• Winter in Cyprus: best plans from December to February
• Traditional villages in Cyprus: life and things to do
• Agrotourism in Cyprus: village stays
• The best wine routes in Cyprus
• Skiing in Troodos