Where to Eat in Nicosia by Area and Budget

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Our Nicosia picks at a glanceA dash means no priced menu is published; check before you go.
Where to eat in Nicosia old townInside the Venetian walls, the streets around Faneromeni, Ledra Street and Laiki Geitonia are full of cafés and small restaurants.
Where to eat in Nicosia city centreThe modern centre, around Makariou Avenue, Stasikratous Street and the streets towards Agioi Omologites, is where you go for business lunches and smarter dinners.
Where to eat in the Nicosia suburbsMost Nicosia families eat out close to home, and the suburbs have some of the city's best-value tavernas.
Practical tips for eating out in NicosiaNicosia empties a little at weekends, and many restaurants close on Sunday evening or Monday, while some open for dinner only.

Quick answer

In Nicosia, eat in the old town inside the Venetian walls for meze and cheap eats, in the city centre around Stasikratous and Makariou for smarter dinners, and in the suburbs for family tavernas. For a budget meal try Piatsa Gourounaki for souvlaki or Hat Gao for pho; for a classic meze, Zanettos; for fish, Pyxida; for a special night, Pralina Experience or Sumosan; and for home-style Cypriot cooking, Oi Mageirisses in Lakatamia. Many Nicosia restaurants close on Sunday evening or Monday, so check before you go.

Old town: Zanettos for a fixed-price meze since 1938, Piatsa Gourounaki for souvlaki and Hat Gao for Vietnamese pho.
City centre: Pyxida for fish, Pralina Experience for contemporary Mediterranean and Sumosan at The Landmark for Japanese.
Suburbs: Pais Lysiotiki Souvla in Agioi Omologites and Oi Mageirisses in Lakatamia.
Pais Lysiotiki Souvla has a full vegetarian section, and tavernas cater well for vegetarians in a meze.
Several places close on Monday and some open for dinner only, so check the days before you go.

Nicosia's food scene is quieter than Limassol's but more varied than many newcomers expect: old meze houses inside the Venetian walls, souvlaki joints that stay busy late into the night, smart dinners in the business district and good neighbourhood tavernas in the suburbs. Below is our own pick of nine restaurants, grouped by area and budget, with the practical details expats ask about: opening days, booking, parking, vegetarian options and children.

Our own picks, checked in October 2026. Opening days and hours change, especially in winter, so check before you go. Know a great place we've missed? Tell us.

Our Nicosia picks at a glance

Restaurant	Area	Type	Budget	Link
Zanettos	Old town	Traditional meze taverna	—	zanettostavern.com
Piatsa Gourounaki	Old town (Faneromeni)	Souvlaki and grill	€	piatsaexpress.com
Hat Gao	Old town (near Ledra Street)	Casual Vietnamese	—	No website; phone 22 002235
Pyxida Fish Tavern	City centre	Fish taverna	—	pyxidafishtavern.com
Pralina Experience	City centre (Stasikratous)	Contemporary Mediterranean	—	Zorbas Group
Sumosan	The Landmark, Makariou Avenue	Contemporary Japanese	—	The Landmark
Pais Lysiotiki Souvla	Agioi Omologites	Neighbourhood taverna	—	No website; phone 22 316220
Oi Mageirisses	Lakatamia	Home-style Cypriot	—	oimageirisses.com

A dash means no priced menu is published; check before you go.

Where to eat in Nicosia old town

Inside the Venetian walls, the streets around Faneromeni, Ledra Street and Laiki Geitonia are full of cafés and small restaurants. It is lively at lunchtime and on weekend evenings. Our old town area guide and walk along the Venetian walls make a good start to an evening out.

Zanettos: meze since 1938

Zanettos, on Trikoupi Street, has been a meze taverna since 1938 and serves a fixed-price meze in the evening. It opens Wednesday to Sunday for dinner only, from 19:00. Book by phone or through the contact page on its website, and come hungry: the dishes keep coming. Instagram: @zanettoscy.

Piatsa Gourounaki: souvlaki on Faneromenis Street

Piatsa Gourounaki serves Greek-style souvlaki, gyros, sheftalia and kebab in pitta. Its menu shows pork souvlaki at €9.40, chicken at €9.80 and a halloumi pitta at €6, so it is one of the cheapest good meals in the centre. There is no booking; it also delivers through the main apps and has other branches, including one at the Mall of Engomi. Instagram: @piatsagourounakiofficial.

Hat Gao: a bowl of pho near Ledra Street

Hat Gao, on Vasiliou Voulgaroktonou Street near the Ledra Street end of the old town, is a small Vietnamese place known for pho, summer rolls and steamed buns, with a few outdoor tables and a room upstairs. In May 2026 it was open daily from 11:00. It has no website; call 22 002235 to check or book.

Parking: the old town streets are narrow and often one-way. Leave the car in one of the municipal car parks along the walls and walk in.

Where to eat in Nicosia city centre

The modern centre, around Makariou Avenue, Stasikratous Street and the streets towards Agioi Omologites, is where you go for business lunches and smarter dinners.

Pyxida Fish Tavern: fish in the centre

Pyxida, on Menandrou Street, has served fish and seafood since 2004. It was on the WiZ 50 Best Restaurants list announced in January 2026 and works well for a family lunch or a celebration. Book through the online reservations page on its website. Instagram: @pyxidafishtavern.

Pralina Experience: contemporary Mediterranean

Pralina Experience on Stasikratous Street, run by the Zorbas Group, relaunched in May 2026 with a seasonal menu built around "earth, fire and water": Wagyu and Iberico pork cooked over fire, seafood, sushi and a long dessert list. It suits a celebration or a client dinner; book by phone.

Sumosan: Japanese at The Landmark

Sumosan, inside The Landmark Nicosia hotel on Makariou Avenue, is the first Cyprus branch of the international Sumosan group, serving contemporary Japanese food such as sushi and black cod. It opens Tuesday to Sunday from 18:30 and closes on Monday. Book online through SevenRooms; the dress code is smart casual. It was reviewed in September 2026.

Where to eat in the Nicosia suburbs

Most Nicosia families eat out close to home, and the suburbs have some of the city's best-value tavernas. Our guides to Agioi Omologites, Engomi and Lakatamia cover each area.

Pais Lysiotiki Souvla: the neighbourhood taverna

Pais Lysiotiki Souvla, on Daidalou Street in Agioi Omologites, is a traditional taverna in an old house with a garden, cooking on charcoal and in a wood oven. It is known for wine-marinated pork, ttava (a lamb and vegetable stew) and hand-cut chips, and its menu has a full vegetarian section. In January 2026 it opened for dinner Tuesday to Saturday and for lunch on Sunday, and closed on Monday. It has no website; book on 22 316220.

Oi Mageirisses: Cypriot home cooking

Oi Mageirisses, on Makariou Avenue in Lakatamia, serves traditional Cypriot dishes in a modern dining room and also does takeaway. It was on the WiZ 50 Best list announced in January 2026. It opens Tuesday to Saturday for dinner and on Sunday for lunch, plus lunch on public holidays. Book through the online form; the restaurant confirms by phone. Instagram: @oi_mageirisses_cy.

Practical tips for eating out in Nicosia

Check the opening days

Nicosia empties a little at weekends, and many restaurants close on Sunday evening or Monday, while some open for dinner only. Check the restaurant's own page the week you go.

When to book

For Friday and Saturday dinner, book a few days ahead, and earlier around Christmas, when office parties fill the city.

Families and children

Neighbourhood tavernas are relaxed with children, and an early table at 19:00 is the easiest. For places with play areas, see family-friendly restaurants with play areas in Cyprus.

Vegetarians

Traditional tavernas offer plenty of meat-free dishes in a meze: dips, salads, halloumi, pulses and seasonal vegetables. Tell the restaurant when you book.

Heading out of town

For a weekend lunch in the countryside around Nicosia, see our guide to village restaurants worth the drive.

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Frequently asked questions

Where should I eat in Nicosia old town?

For a traditional meze, Zanettos on Trikoupi Street has served one since 1938. For a quick, cheap meal, Piatsa Gourounaki on Faneromenis Street does souvlaki, and Hat Gao near Ledra Street serves Vietnamese pho.

What is a good special-occasion restaurant in Nicosia?

Pralina Experience on Stasikratous relaunched in May 2026 with a seasonal Mediterranean menu, and Sumosan at The Landmark hotel serves contemporary Japanese. Pyxida, a fish restaurant on Menandrou Street, is a long-standing choice for family celebrations.

Are there vegetarian or vegan restaurants in Nicosia?

Yes. Traditional tavernas cater well for vegetarians; Pais Lysiotiki Souvla has a whole vegetarian section on its menu.

Are Nicosia restaurants open on Sunday and Monday?

Not always. Zanettos opens Wednesday to Sunday evenings; Sumosan, Oi Mageirisses and Pais Lysiotiki Souvla close on Monday; and Oi Mageirisses and Pais Lysiotiki Souvla open only for lunch on Sunday.

Where do you park for dinner in Nicosia old town?

Use the municipal car parks along the Venetian walls and walk in; the old town streets are narrow and many are one-way. See our old town area guide for more.

Useful links

Zanettos Tavern, old townFixed-price meze; Instagram @zanettoscy
Piatsa Gourounaki – menu
Pyxida Fish Tavern – online reservations
Sumosan, The Landmark Nicosia – book a table
Pralina Experience (Zorbas Group)
Oi Mageirisses, Lakatamia – reservations

Sources (11)