Michalis Michaelides
What would it take for restaurants in Cyprus to be considered for a Michelin star? Or, for that matter, for Cyprus to earn a place in the Guide at all?
Last week’s announcement of the 2026 Michelin stars in Greece brought a familiar question back to the table: When will the Michelin Guide come to Cyprus?
I took the opportunity to call officials at the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and ask. Naturally, I wasn’t expecting a clear answer, knowing the confidentiality and strict secrecy surrounding such matters. As anticipated, no official information was forthcoming.
Another source, however, shed some light on the situation. I learned that the government, formally acting through the deputy ministry, has already contacted the Guide and taken all the necessary steps to bring it to Cyprus. At the time of writing, the ball is in another government department’s court.
On that basis, we can say things are moving in the right direction.
But that raises other questions. Above all, are we ready, as a destination, to be assessed at the highest level? Have we established a clear culinary identity? Do we have enough restaurants capable of catching the inspectors’ attention? And do our best restaurants deliver the consistency needed not only to earn a star but also to keep it?
To explore why Cyprus still has no Michelin stars, I contacted two leading chefs: a Cypriot working at that level in England, whose two restaurants each hold a star, and an Italian heading the kitchen of a highly regarded Italian restaurant in Cyprus under the guidance of a celebrated Michelin-starred chef.
Award-winning Cypriot chef Andreas Antona, who has built a distinguished career in Britain and leads the Michelin-starred restaurants Simpsons and The Cross, offered this response:
“The question ‘Why doesn’t Cyprus have a Michelin star?’ is a reasonable and entirely justified one. It is also a subject particularly close to my heart.
“I truly believe Cyprus deserves recognition from the Michelin Guide. For that to happen, however, we need a coordinated effort—not just from chefs, producers, and restaurateurs, but also from the government, which has a crucial role to play in establishing Cyprus as a culinary destination for food lovers from around the world.”
Chef Andreas Antona receiving the “International Cypriot” award at the Bank of Cyprus Man of the Year Awards 2022.
“In Cyprus, we have all the ingredients: outstanding produce, sunshine, a distinctive terroir, our producers and growers, and chefs who are beginning to reach the required standard.
“We have a culinary heritage and traditions, but I believe our cuisine needs a fresh approach, greater creativity and, above all, the development of a fine-dining culture.
“I would wholeheartedly encourage young Cypriot chefs to work in Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe, particularly in Greece, to understand what it takes for a restaurant to earn and retain a Michelin star.
“I genuinely admire the chefs who have created such a distinctive dining scene in mainland Greece. We need to do the same in Cyprus.”
Chef Andreas Antona’s take on kleftiko: lamb served with fragrant couscous, pomegranate, pine nuts, mint, parsley, and tenderstem broccoli. “This dish was inspired by my Greek roots and is also one of my favorite recipes from my book, ‘Eureka,’” he says.
Italian chef Dario Sutera offers another interesting perspective. He has lived and worked in Cyprus for years and heads the kitchen at Ristorante Locatelli in Limassol’s Amara Hotel, working closely with the renowned Michelin-starred chef Giorgio Locatelli.
“I believe the quality of restaurants in Cyprus has improved significantly in recent years. However, we still need time to develop and establish ourselves as a culinary destination.
“One of the main challenges is financial sustainability. In a small, highly seasonal market, maintaining high standards while also justifying the prices needed to run a fine-dining restaurant throughout the year is not easy.”
Chef Dario Sutera at work at Ristorante Locatelli.
“The awarding of Michelin Keys to some hotels in Cyprus is an encouraging sign and gives us hope for the future. I believe the relevant tourism bodies must also take action and actively promote Cyprus as a culinary destination.
“In my view, the first step is for Cyprus to be included in the Michelin Guide. Before we start talking about stars, we first need to secure a place in the Guide. The stars can come later.”
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