Cyprus' dining experience elevated at WiZ 50 Best Awards

For the second consecutive year, WiZ GUIDE, SppMedia Group, and the Bank of Cyprus co-hosted the prestigious "WiZ 50 BEST Restaurants" ceremony. The glamorous celebration of Cypriot gastronomy took place on Monday evening, January 29th, at the Hilton Hotel in Nicosia.

The evening saw only winners as the selection of Cyprus' top 50 restaurants resulted from fierce competition among 1834 dining establishments listed in the leading WiZ GUIDE.

Claiming the pinnacle position among the best was L'atelier Robuchon, garnering the highest scores from judges for both taste and value for money.

Throughout the evening, judges and organizers emphasized the importance of value for money, highlighting a significant enhancement in the dining experience compared to 2022, thanks in part to the support of the Bank of Cyprus, which has transformed the industry landscape in just two years.

Twelve judges from Cyprus and Greece anonymously and impartially sampled hundreds of dishes this year, crafting the ultimate list of Cypriot restaurants for 2023. The "50 BEST Restaurants" initiative aims to incentivize the continually evolving local dining industry, emphasizing science, objectivity, and transparency.

The esteemed panel of judges includes Yiannis Adelinis, Deni Kallivoka, Michalis Michailidis, Paola Papakosta, Apostolos Kuroupakis, Athena Loizidou, Eirini Georgalla, Aphrodite Dermata, Popi Vaki, Sandi Antoniou, Leontios Tselepos, and Yannis Ioannou.

Distinguished guests graced the special evening, including President of the House of Representatives, Annita Dimitriou, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment, Maria Panayiotou, former Deputy Minister of Tourism, Savvas Perdios, and renowned food bloggers, honoring the tradition of the 50 best restaurants in Cyprus.

As in the previous year, an award for Gastronomic Sustainability was presented, supported by Vassos Eliades Ltd. The Sustainability in Gastronomy Award was bestowed upon "The Barn" at The Royal Goat Farm for its practices promoting the pan-European philosophy of "from farm to plate" with a reduced ecological footprint.

The awards ceremony was hosted by Aphrodite Dermata, Journalist at WiZ Guide and Radio Producer at Love FM, along with Dimitris Dermatas, Radio Producer at Deejay Radio. The enchanting evening was accompanied by the vocals of singer Eleonora La Luna and the melodies of the "La Luna" band.

In a night dedicated to gastronomy, after the awards ceremony, guests indulged in delectable gourmet finger food courtesy of the Hilton Hotel.

Here is the ranking of the 50 best restaurants in Cyprus:

1. L’ATELIER ROBUCHON

2. SEASONS ORIENTAL

3. BEMBA  

4. SENTIO

5. LPM

6. THE POLO RESTAURANT & BAR

7. TOPIKA MEZE BAR

8. THE FARMYARD

9. RAFAEL'S AUTHENTIC NEAPOLITAN PIZZA

10. MAGIRISSES

11. M FUSION

12. SALT & FIRE

13. MAISON ANEMI

14. POTAMOS

15. VASSOS PSAROLIMANO

16. NEREA

17. KOUTSONIKOLIAS

18. SERA BY ETTORE BOTRINI

19. BISTROT 55

20. THE GRILL ROOM

21. DIONYSUS MANSION

22. ELIA BACKYARD

23. TOCAYO

24. ROUS

25. PANTOPOLIO "KALI OREXI"

26. JASMINE GASTROBAR

27. WOLFGANG’S STEAKHOUSE

28. RISTORANTE LOCATELLI

29. COLUMBIA SUN

30. THETA MEDITERRANEAN

31. PRALINA EXPERIENCE

32. ALLEY

33. RIVA BEACHOUSE

34. THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD

35. KOUTOUROU

36. KUZUBA

37. PENTASCHINOS

38. MATSUHISA

39. PYXIDA

40. TAVERNA PROAVLIO

41. OLD TOWN

42. PALEA ELIA

43. PATRIKO

44. NAMMOS

45. SCALE

46. TARTUFO

47. AMARACUS

48. NOESIS

49. LIMANAKI

50. PITOT

The awards were presented by:

1st Award: Annita Demetriou - President of the House of Representatives
2nd Award: Maria Panayiotou - Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment
3rd Award: Deni Kallivoka - Head Judge of WiZ 50 Best Restaurants
4th Award: Stefanos Pantelidis, on behalf of the Bank of Cyprus
5th Award: Georgia Lefkariti, on behalf of Petrolina

Gastronomy Sustainability Award: Yiannis Tymvios, on behalf of Vassos Eliades Ltd

Sponsors of the WiZ Guide 50 Best Restaurants:
Bank of Cyprus
Acqua Panna
S.Pellegrino
Krasaki Papagiannakos
Petrolina