Relaxing days on those beautiful sun-blessed beaches and evenings spent in atmospheric restaurants dining on mouth-watering cuisine is what holidays in Cyprus are all about. The bonus when it comes to Cypriot food is that the island is home to a mix of both Turkish and Greek dishes, and there’s plenty of choice for vegans.
The Mediterranean diet is in full effect in Cyprus meaning an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, and of course plenty of that all-important olive oil.
An appetizing favorite
You cannot visit the island of Cyprus without sampling the traditional appetizer dishes known as Meze. This is one of the best ways to try out a number of different little delicacies including vegan options such as rice-stuffed vine leaves as well as stuffed tomatoes and peppers (yemista), ask if the filling is suitable for vegans. Meze is usually served pre-dinner but the amount of food offered means that many people choose this as a main meal. This is a great choice for a group of friends to sample different varieties of Cypriot food including the freshest salads and of course those famous olives.
Meals in Cyprus
If you’re heading out to the restaurants in Cyprus you’ll have plenty of dishes to choose from and the locals adore socialising and making new friends over dinner. There are restaurants across the island that will serve vegan options but of course make sure your waiter is aware of your preference. Fried courgettes and aubergines are particularly delicious and can be served with a garlic dip called skordalia. Ladera is another island classic comprising of one or more vegetable types cooked in olive oil or ask if they have the tourlou tourlou, which is a delicious mix of vegetables similar to the French ratatouille.
Vegan options
You should have no problems finding platters full of sliced and fried in olive oil vegetables, and the Greek and African salads are an explosion in the mouth. In Cyprus you can also find veg-moussakas, lasagnes, carrot burgers and the mouth-wateringly light, crispy and flavoursome carrot keftedes. Most of these dishes will be made from scratch with the freshest locally-sourced ingredients as well as a selection of organic food products.
The food in Cyprus will definitely not disappoint vegans and the restaurant prices are relatively inexpensive, which is good news for those on a budget. Low cost flights and discounted accommodations make vacations to Cyprusa good bet if you’re looking for cheap holidays with plenty of natural beauty spots, lashings of sunshine and of course really good food.
