Visit Nicosia

Café Culture

CAFÉ CULTURE

In every nook of the city, coffee shops are a cherished part of Cypriot life. It’s a long-standing tradition for Nicosians to jumpstart their day with a humble request: “coffee, please.” But coffee is not just a beverage; it is more like a hobby, or let’s admit it, a necessity. People from all walks of life gather, chit-chat, and savour their java for hours on end. As for the ideal time to enjoy coffee, well, there’s no such thing as a bad time. How many hours can one chat and sip coffee? There is no set limit!

For exceptional specialty coffee take a journey through the caffeinated universe at Swimming birds, Bean Bar, Kxoffee project and Coffee Berry.

Extra tip!! Don’t forget to experience Cyprus’s coffee tradition. We use a copper pot, known as a “brike,”, which is filled with water, the amount of which is measured using the coffee cup itself. A heaped teaspoon of finely ground coffee beans is added for each cup. Next, the level of sweetness is chosen: “glykis” for sweet, “metrios” for medium sweet, and “sketos” for unsweetened. The sugar is added while the water is still cold. The magic begins when the brike is placed on a “hovoli,” a bed of hot sand. The coffee slowly heats up, creating a rich foam that rises and falls but never spills over. Once the foam’s dance is complete, the coffee is poured into small cups and served with a glass of cold water. However, be cautious not to drink the thick layer at the bottom of the cup! To seal the deal on becoming an honorary Nicosian, raise your glass and cheer with a hearty “eis ygeian” which is the local way of saying “to a good health!”

3 Fanaria , Kala Kathoumena, Giagia Viktoria, Pieto, Erma Cafe and Apomero.

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