A meze of influences: a history of food in Cyprus

On a warm afternoon in Nicosia’s old town, the scent of cinnamon-dusted koupes wafts from a street vendor’s cart while, just a few steps away, a kafenion serves Cypriot coffee in trademark tiny cups.

But look closely at the Cypriot table, and you will see layers of history. The Greek influence goes without saying, of course. But Venetian, Ottoman, British influences have all left behind much more than battles or