Shemaine Bushnell Kyriakides
Someone once accused me of eating to fill a void. Or to comfort myself. And I remember thinking: Well… duh.
Of course it’s comforting. That’s the whole point. Food is meant to make you feel good, steady you, reward you, rescue you after a long day. If food didn’t comfort us, we’d just call it fuel and be done with it. There’s a reason it’s called comfort food and not “emotionally neutral sustenance.”
Which is exactly why last night’s Wiz 50 Best Restaurants awards didn’t feel like a stiff industry event, it felt like a celebration. A big, joyful, slightly indulgent ode to everything food is supposed to be.
If I had to describe the atmosphere at the Hilton in Nicosia on Tuesday night, I’d say this: it felt like the Oscars of Cyprus, only instead of actors and films, we were celebrating chefs, kitchens and plates that have made us fall in love, again and again.
I’m not a professional foodie. I don’t dissect dishes or speak in tasting notes. But I do know my tastes. I know when something is good, when it’s memorable, and when it makes me want to go back. So yes, I was genuinely excited to see who would land in the top ten of this year’s Wiz Guide list.
And I wasn’t alone.
As Wiz Guide and the Bank of Cyprus unveiled the 50 best restaurants in Cyprus for 2025, the room buzzed with anticipation. I sat through the evening eagerly waiting for the countdown, mentally guessing the rankings, nodding in agreement at some picks, raising an eyebrow at others, and already thinking about bookings. Because let’s be honest: by the time the night was over, half the island would be trying to secure a table at the same places.
In between the suspense and the rankings, one moment stood out for its warmth and emotional weight.
A tribute to Evroulla’s restaurant, beloved for bringing together locals and officials in a way reminiscent of today’s Bemba. For years, it was the place where lunchtime regulars asked the most important question of the day: “What is Evroulla cooking today?” Home-cooked Cypriot dishes, served with care, consistency and heart.
For 26 years, Evroulla’s stood the test of time, through political changes, financial crises, and countless conversations held over plates of food. Locals, officials, and everyone in between gathered there not for trends, but for comfort. If Cypriot cuisine has a soul, Evroulla’s helped feed it.
Then came the moment everyone was waiting for.
When the top spot was finally revealed, The Polo, located at the Alasia Boutique Hotel in Limassol, once again took first place, earning the title of the number one restaurant in Cyprus for 2025. It also topped the list last year, proving that consistency, creativity and quality still matter. Needless to say, it has officially moved to the top of my must-try list.
Overall, the top ten felt both surprising and deeply deserved, restaurants that made you pause, rethink, and promise yourself you’d visit soon.
Behind the glamour, the process is rigorous. From more than 2,000 restaurants listed in Wiz Guide, about 120 were shortlisted, narrowed down to 80, and then visited anonymously—often more than once—by the panel of judges. Dishes were tasted, debated and rated on everything from creativity and raw materials to sustainability, service, value for money and love for local ingredients.
This year also saw Kuzuba receive the Sustainability in Gastronomy Award, while the newly introduced Eneken Honorary Award fittingly went to Evroulla’s, because legacy deserves applause too.
And just when you thought the night had reached its peak, the doors on the right side of the room opened.
Lo and behold: a feast.
Not a modest buffet. Not a symbolic bite. But an abundant spread of food from the very restaurants being honored that night, paired with wines from different wineries across Cyprus. Plates filled quickly, glasses followed, and suddenly the room shifted from anticipation to pure enjoyment.
It was a feast to behold. And yes...delicious, delicious food.
This year marks the fourth consecutive Wiz 50 Best Restaurants, and if anything, the event felt like proof that Cyprus is only getting started. With new restaurants opening, young chefs experimenting, and old favorites holding their ground, the island has firmly become a land of food lovers.
A place where we plan our lives around meals, argue passionately about where to eat, and happily drive across districts for a good plate of food.
A land of foodies...and very happy, very well-fed people.
Here’s to many more years of celebrating the best of Cypriot gastronomy!
See the list of winners below:
1. The Polo
2. Cor Gastronomy
3. Salt & Fire
4. Seasons Oriental
5. Beba
6. The Farmyard
7. Musa
8. Sentio
9. Pyxida
10. Ethimo
The next 40:
11. Tocayo
12. Kuzuba
13. Vintage
14. Ristorante Bacco
15. The Grill Room
16. Classic by Bistrot 55
17. Kohili
18. Nerea
19. Alley
20. Palia Elia
21. Topika Meze Bar
22. Oi Mageirisses
23. Pralina Experience
24. Vassos (Psarolimano) Fish Tavern
25. Acane
26. Barrio
27. O Potamos tis Militsas
28. Beefbar
29. LPM
30. Shibui
31. Gefsikleous 62
32. Oris
33. Ristorante Locatelli
34. Limanaki
35. Impasto
36. Nema
37. Rous
38. Leila
39. Koutsonikolias
40. Nippon
41. Onar
42. Wok & Oven
43. To Pantopoleio - Kali Orexi
44. The Royal Goat Farm
45. Treis & O Koukos
46. Theta Mediterranean
47. Koutourou
48. Dionysus Mansion
49. To Patrikon
50. Famelia
