Paphos has remained one of my favourite places to visit in Europe since I was a child and I’ve been lucky enough to eat a lot of food in the city. This is my guide to the best restaurants in Paphos.
Ah, Cypriot food is quite possibly my favourite food in the entire world. I lived in Cyprus for four years as a child and so any return to this beautiful Mediterranean island feels like returning home. It also means that I have to make sure that I find the best places to eat; no-one wants to leave disappointed given how popular Cypriot food is.
We recently returned to Cyprus staying at the Atlantica Mare Village in Paphos. As we only had breakfast included, I could ensure that we tried as many good restaurants in Paphos as humanly possible. Let me tell you now that there are some amazing places to eat if you know where to look. Luckily for you I’ve pulled my favourites together here in this guide so you can be assured you’re going to eat well!
MY FAVOURITE RESTAURANTS IN PAPHOS, CYPRUS
Ta Mpania
The first of my favourite restaurants in Paphos can be found near the municipal baths, overlooking the Mediterranean sea. It’s a restaurant come lounge bar perfect for lunch, evening dinner or just a few beers in the afternoon. We had a lovely lunch here; pasta for Evelyn and pitta and tzatziki for us. I would definitely recommend eating a light lunch here alongside a frappe whilst watching the waves crash against the building.
Laona Restaurant
Tucked down a little side street, Laona is a hidden gem in the newly renovated Old Town of Paphos. The family owned restaurant (since 1986!) offers traditional Cypriot cuisine cooked to perfection; the moussaka and meatballs were honestly excellent. The complimentary dessert was a lovely touch too.
Muse Restaurant
Muse isn’t only one of the best restaurants in Paphos but it also has, without doubt, the best views across the entire city and the Mediterranean sea. Muse is located on top of a cliff in central Paphos and the terrace is a beautiful location to slowly unwind over an afternoon or to watch the sunset from.
Every time I’ve been to Muse, I’ve had a milkshake and a frappe but it’s also a great place to eat. The chicken kebab, Muse burger and the salads come highly recommended. If you’re up for sharing, there are plenty of platters that you can order too.
Souvlaki Livadias
Again, another restaurant in the Old Town (did I mention how much I love Paphos’ Old Town), but here you can expect more of a casual tea with gyros & souvlaki on offer. Food like this just hits differently when you’re in Cyprus; this is not a ‘kebab at the end of a night out’ kind of place but perfect for a quick, affordable and enjoyable tea.
7 St. Georges Tavern
The concept of meze food is synonymous with Cypriot food and there’s no where better to enjoy a meze in Paphos than here at 7 St. Georges Tavern. If you haven’t heard of a meze, it’s essentially a selection of hot and cold dishes; a meal in its own right. I have fond memories as a child of spending late evenings with my family and friends as dishes upon dishes of Cypriot food were brought out until you could physically eat no more. 7 St. Georges Tavern lived up to (and then some) the memories of meze food I had as a child.
Despite Google’s opening times, the restaurant wasn’t open at lunch but you could smell the most incredible food cooking away presumably in preparation for the evening. The evening kicks off at around 7pm and I’d highly recommend booking a table. Ben is extremely welcoming and sits you down before explaining how things are going to go – there’s no menu, you can expect dishes to keep coming until you say stop. All for one set price of €22!
This is one of the most unique meals in the whole of Paphos and, for me, is a must-visit. In terms of the food on offer within the meze, think hummus, tzatziki, pita bread, beetroot with coriander, eggplant, olives, greek salad, pork souvlaki, vegetarian moussaka, stuffed peppers, pulled beef pie and feta and spinach in puff pastry. Incredible! Whilst I couldn’t possibly eat anymore, somehow Emma was able to fit in a dessert (chocolate brownie) though this wasn’t included in the price.
Pizzeria Caliano Kissonerga
Whilst the restaurant is in a modern unit on the side of the E701, you can expect high quality freshly made wood-fired pizza here. It was perfect for our first night in Paphos as we didn’t want to walk too far from our hotel but the pizzas and pasta blew us away. I did not expect to find pizzas this good in Paphos but I’m so glad we did! If only we had a few more days, we would have eaten here again without doubt. Whilst I love Cypriot food, there does come a time where a pizza is required just for balance.
David’s Take Away
If you’re looking for somewhere casual to eat, head straight to David’s takeaway on the side of the E701 road near Kissonerga. This is a no-frills local restaurant where you can expect a high quality pork kebab cooked fresh over the grill. We sat outside under the vine leaves during golden hour with the view of the ocean in the background. Prices here are extremely reasonable and they also have options for children; Evelyn enjoyed chicken nuggets and chips.
Sala Thai
Emma and I are big fans of Thai food (I mean there can’t be too many people that don’t love Thai food right?) so when Sala Thai was recommended to us by family friends who regularly spend time in Cyprus we knew we had to visit. You’ll find Sala Thai in Coral Bay having opened back in 2016. As I said above, for all that I love Cypriot food, I didn’t mind trying something a little different and really enjoyed my night eating here. I was pleased to see that Sala Thai is owned by / or at least the chefs were from Thailand which assured me that the food would be authentic. I love red curry but this time I chose green and we were given an option on how spicy you wished your curry to be which might be to cater more towards the large ex-pat community in Paphos. I went very spicy obviously.
Oniro By The Sea
Oniro By The Sea is a little out of the way and is best reached by car; we’re talking halfway between Coral Bay and Agios Georgios, but it is more than worth it. This restaurant serves up fantastic modern food and we ordered a margarita flatbread and a Greek salad for lunch. This was all made better by the unique views to the Edro III Shipwreck which is so close to the rugged coastline you can almost touch it. It makes for amazing photos!
Kambana Cafe & Traditional Restaurant
Last but by no means least is Kambana, a restaurant away from it all in the village of Kissonerga. When we visited, we were the only ones but that made it all the more special as we were made to feel as though we were guests in the owners home. We sat on the veranda overlooking a Greek orthodox church and I truly felt so relaxed. Emma had moussaka clearly cooked from scratch and I went for the pork chop which was absolutely huge. We would definitely return here when we get back to Paphos not only for the food but the hospitality too.
Now who’s hungry? I hope you’ve enjoyed checking out my thoughts on the best restaurants in Paphos. Let me know if you get chance to try any!
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