Halloumi (χαλλούμι) is maybe the most known cypriot food. It is a white, semi-hard cheese, traditionally made with goat’s and sheep’s milk, even if, as demand grew, cow’s milk was used too, to make it more delicate and suitable for every palate.
You can mostly find it grilled or fried (only after being floured!) and it is always one of the first dishes they take you when you do mezes, together with village salad, olives and sauces.
I personally love it in pita with tomatoes (pita me halloumi ke domates): it is a really simple snack/meal, but still one of my favourites here in Cyprus.
For this reason, I decided to conduct a research on the best halloumi in Cyprus. Here it is my top 3 for the moment (not strictly in this order):
Taverna Mousikos (Ταβερνα Μουσικος)
Located in Sotira village, not far from Paralimni, it is a really nice restaurant, with a yard full of tables, a structure with stone arches, a welcoming environment and a menu with a wide selection, including both traditional dishes (for example kleftiko and sheftalies) and dishes I never found in Cyprus, such as the rabbit or the swordfish.
I only tasted the halloumi, which is homemade and fluffy and comes with a delicious loaf of bread, homemade as well.
Agros
This little village is built on the Troödos Mountains, in the region of Pitsilia. I unfortunately don’t have restaurants worth recommending for halloumi here, but the homemade one which was given to my friends as a present and which they grilled for me definitely is one of the best I ever ate.
So, new volunteers: if you make friends with the Agros volunteers and they mention you someone gave them some halloumi, go buy some pita and run to visit them!
White River Tavern
This time we are in Peyia, not far from Paphos. The “restaurant” is a sort of wooden shack, overlooking a space where you can see the owner’s goats, from whose milk the cheese was made, and the sea. The halloumi is fried and arrives with french fries with oregano.
The owner seems grumpy, but he is actually really nice. When you finish to eat, he arrives to call the goats in order for you to see them better, with a whistle and a:”BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH”. It’s a really easygoing and simple place, in a great location, since it is really close both to White River Beach and to Avakas Gorge.If you wish to fully live this experience, I suggest you to go to the toilet!
