Nicosia is a unique city, and not only because it is the only divided capital in the world, a half of which belongs to Cyprus, and the other half — the part of Cyprus occupied by Turkey. Here, as nowhere else in the island, you can feel the atmosphere of the big city with great history. Behind famous Venetian Walls, one finds cobbled pavements, historical stone houses and lots of cafes and gift shops that help to create this inimitable city charm. We found 5 best restaurants to visit here.

1

The Tria Fanaria Cafe

The Tria Fanaria cafe («Three lanterns» in English) is located very close to the Faneromenis church and to the Numismatics Museum. If the weather is nice, we recommend taking one of the outside tables and watch the day unfold in this busy and lovely square while waiting for you favourite Cypriot dish.

2

The Il Forno Italian Restaurant

The Il Forno restaurant serves Italian cuisine: here you can order traditional pastas, and pizzas baked in a wood stove. Located on one of the busiest streets within Venetian Walls, this restaurant can be a perfect choice for those who enjoy being in the thick of it, while an average 15 Euro check for quite exceptional cuisine and service has proven to please all the customers nobody excepted.

3

Bamboo Restaurant

It’s a fascinating place. On the one hand, restaurant specializes on Chinese cuisine and on the other hand it works also as a buffet. Prices are quite affordable. The menu will offer you several kinds of rice, sushi, sweet-and-sour pork and chicken, spring rolls. The assortment is rather limited but there are still options to choose from. The interior of the restaurant is designed in a light warm colour palette and looks very modern. The restaurant stands out for being spotless. It’s a small but very cozy place.

4

The Piatsa Gourounaki Greek Restaurant

There are several reasons why you should visit the Piatsa Gourounaki restaurant in Nicosia. First of all, it is conveniently located at the heart of a touristy neighbourhood in the Old Town, next to several museums and numerous gift shops. Secondly, here you can try remarkable meat dishes (the choice is wide and impressive even for the most sophisticated foodies). A terrace in the street and nice design go as a cherry on top.

5

The Byzantino Restaurant

The Byzantino restaurant is located on the territory of the Centrum hotel on one of the central squares in Nicosia. From here you can walk to the Leventis museum, the Trypiotis and the Agios Savvas churches. The menu is built around traditional Cypriot cuisine, and it is a great place to explore it.