Start your day right with this epic list of the best brunches in the capital, from waffles and pancakes to all types of fry-ups and eggs
DOT Restaurant
On the road leading to Famagusta Gate lies this charming restaurant and café with an industrial design that has locals stand in line every weekend to enjoy a tempting brunch. Diners will struggle to choose just one of the enticing cooked brunches on offer – there’s poached eggs with avocado paste, French toast, crispy omelettes, waffles and yoghurt with fruit and honey. High-quality, fresh ingredients and ample portions justify its pricing, and attention to detail is a strong point.
6A Athenas, Famagusta Gate, Nicosia, T: 22101228
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Zest
From the outside, this café housed on the ground floor of a stone building with black window frames, looks rather serious. But step inside and suddenly you’re in a bright and airy space serving homemade brunch. This is a place for elegant yet laid back brunching. The food is very good: there’s the granola with yoghurt, fruit and maple syrup, fresh fruit salad, homemade cinnamon buns with butterscotch, sandwiches with cream cheese and smoked salmon and the poached eggs with fresh spinach. On the counter you will always find homemade cakes. They also serve lunch.
13 Vasilissis Friderikis, Nicosia, T: 22314344
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Silver Pot
This cute café, one of the first to introduce the concept of a “proper brunch” to the capital, serves brunch and lunch daily featuring a laid-back atmosphere, since 2011. The brunch is a colourful, inventive mix of eggs, French toast and superfoods. Take yours out to the tables on the pavement on sunny days–or perch in their comfy interior. There is always a freshly prepared homemade dessert on display, try the apple and blueberry crumble served with mascarpone, or the gluten free chocolate fudge cake.
3E Themistokli Dervi, Nicosia, T: 22101722
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The Gym
This fashionable old Nicosia bar restaurant on the cobbled Onasagorou street, known for its impeccable cocktails, does brunch on weekends. The foundation of The Gyms’ cooking is simple and very creative. They source fresh produce, bake their own bread, use organic virgin olive oil and the fresh poultry and meat are supplied daily from a local butcher. Try the milk chocolate pancakes with walnuts and vanilla ice cream and their scrambled eggs with mushrooms and bacon on toasted homemade bread.
85-98 Onasagorou, Nicosia, T: 22002002
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The Boys
It’s brunch-food-with-attitude at this cosy city centre hangout, where on the weekends you can barely find an empty seat to enjoy their hearty brunch. Brunch-ers sit at stylish wooden tables and enjoy dishes from a deliciously meaty, mainly American-influenced menu featuring chorizo, eggs, bacon and pancakes topped with maple syrup. Their menu is a fun read, with meals named after people’s names; try Themis’ Hangover Special featuring three fluffy pancakes with scrambled or fried eggs and The Lordos with ciabatta, chorizo and scrambled eggs. For those seeking a lighter option there’s the granola bowl, smoothies, and specialty coffee, all prepared in house.
5 Themistokli Dervi, Nicosia, 22660421
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Cafe Americain
The breakfast menu at this lavish New York-style brasserie covers the usual eggs every which way (croque madame, florentine, benedict), to American-style pancakes and hazelnut praline waffles, all prepared by creative Chef Konstantina Ioannou who guarantees top quality in all dishes. The full English breakfast and the Café Americain breakfast come in generous portions, but if you’d prefer something a little lighter (actually, a lot lighter), the rice cakes with beetroot and chia seeds or the waffles with strawberries are both good options. They also serve lunch and dinner.
6 Themistokli Dervi, Nicosia, T: 22320390
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Get Fresh
This place is among the locals’ favourite spots as it offers healthy options for breakfast and lunch that also tick the taste box. The massive full super scramble includes genuinely tasty, scrambled eggs with edamame, broccoli and sunflower seeds, while the gluten free wholemeal pancakes with fresh blueberries are loaded with maple syrup and walnuts. There’s a spread of cakes and pastries by the kitchen, too, and enticing options for lunch. Don’t miss their delicious smoothies, freshly squeezed juices and homemade soups. They’re heaving with ingredients, including ginger, almond milk, honey and wheatgrass. Kids menu available. Also does take away and delivery.
4DE Andreas Dimitriou, Nicosia, T: 22437374 & 2 Limassol Avenue, Nicosia
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Mouson Bistro Bar
In the cobbled streets of old Nicosia you will find one of the most popular brunch places in the capital. Mouson prepares an exciting brunch from 11am to 4pm. Try their delicious eggs benedict with smoked bacon, poached eggs on toasted ciabatta bread, croquet monsieur and the Cyprus version of a brunch. For those looking for something sweet, try the oven-baked clafoutis with blueberries and pancakes with chocolate or with fresh strawberries. Serves great coffee but make a reservation before you visit- it gets really busy on weekends.
12 Mouson, old Nicosia, T: 22664444
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Paul
If you want to start your day with a sense of occasion, it doesn’t get much better than Paul, the French iconic grand café that recently opened in Cyprus. From a just-baked pastry, to an omelette marseillaise or quiche of the day, to a plate of tartar salmon with forest fruits or a berry-crowned tartelette, it’s all done brilliantly. Prices are reasonable compared to the exceptional quality. During the week, things kick off at 8am. Breakfast options include the petit dejeuner parisien and the petit déjeuner équilibré - the healthy option. Their freshly baked artisan specialty bread makes for a great gift to take home.
11 Zenas Kanther, Nicosia, T: 22029377
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Bizzy bee
The brunch menu at this snazzy place, that serves only breakfast and brunch, covers all types of pancakes and waffles. Options include the salmon pancakes with cream cheese, or the pancakes with oats, dark chocolate and walnuts but you can go in even heavier with dishes such as the English Breakfast pancake or waffle omelette. Enjoy your brunch at the wooden bar or one of the tables overlooking the street.
16 Simou Menandrou, Nicosia, T: 96599799
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Garden Day & Night
It’s brunch time all of the time for Garden café, bar and restaurant on the weekend. This café in the centre of the capital serves an all-day menu which moves from enticing brunch options to lunch and dinner. Their ‘fancy’ pancakes come in generous portions and there’s plenty to choose from, but they also serve eggs on toast and other brunch usuals. This brunch spot will have you feeling sunny, as you enjoy your meal literally in a beautiful garden and the selection of music can make it far too easy to spend all day here. Brunch is available every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm.
2 Mouseiou, Nicosia, T: 22662626
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ELYSIAN PLANT BASED KITCHEN BAR
This gorgeous vintage style café will let your tastebuds travel with a very unique daily brunch concept! Elysian Plant Based Kitchen Bar, offers a healthy brunch, made with mostly organic, locally sourced ingredients, in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Be sure to try their delicious organic pancakes, both sweet and savoury options, open sandwiches on homemade wholewheat village bread, chia puddings or smoothie bowls. Even their famous signature burger has made it on the brunch menu!
They also serve lunch and dinner.
Diagorou 15, Nicosia, T: 22 004343
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