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The Cypriot countryside is becoming home to a growing number of restaurants that are challenging expectations about village dining.
While traditional tavernas and meze remain firmly rooted in the local food scene, a new generation of venues is bringing Italian cuisine, contemporary Mediterranean cooking, carefully selected meats and locally sourced ingredients to rural areas.
Among the restaurants recommended by Wiz Guide are two distinctive destinations, December 9 and ARTIO Symposium, each offering a very different take on dining outside the island’s main urban centres.
December 9
Chef Fotis Chatzittofis has turned an old, neglected building in a village into an elegant Italian restaurant that has quickly developed a strong reputation.
Pizza is one of the main attractions, with the restaurant’s wood-fired oven producing pizzas made exclusively with natural sourdough rather than commercial yeast. Handmade pasta is prepared by the chef every Friday and Saturday.
The menu extends beyond pizza and pasta, featuring focaccia, salads and double-bread sandwiches filled with ingredients such as chicken and pork cheeks. For dessert, diners can opt for sweet pizzas with Nutella or a combination of lemon and meringue.
The restaurant also produces its own ice cream and offers a selection of desserts. Its popular fruit creations can be enjoyed after a meal or during the daily 4pm to 6pm happy hour, when they can be paired with coffee or drinks.
The combination of the village setting and Italian-inspired menu gives December 9 the feel of a countryside restaurant somewhere in Italy.
ARTIO Symposium
Located inside Elinn Traditional Suites, ARTIO Symposium offers a more intimate dining experience, with capacity for around 40 people. Guests staying at the accommodation receive priority for tables.
The restaurant follows a Mediterranean culinary direction, combining familiar ingredients with more creative preparations. Carefully selected meat cuts feature prominently on the menu, alongside salads and homemade spreads.
The kitchen is run by two local cooks, with experienced chef Antonis Nikolaou acting as consultant chef. The result is a menu that combines home-style cooking with a more refined restaurant approach.
Local sourcing is another central part of the experience. ARTIO Symposium uses products from producers in the mountainous Paphos region and offers wines from Kathikas, as well as bottles from producers across Cyprus, Greece and other countries.
Together, these restaurants reflect a changing countryside dining scene, where village locations are increasingly being paired with ambitious menus and contemporary restaurant concepts.
