Famous Cypriot Meze
The legendary Cypriot appetizer that is a must-have at any feast. What it consists of and when it is served.
Meze in Cyprus
Meze (in Greek, edesma) refers to small dishes or appetizers served as accompaniments to drinks or alcohol. The word originates from the Persian word "masse," meaning taste.
In addition to Greece, meze is popular in other countries of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, such as Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Iran.
Meze is also known as mezedakia, mezeklikia, and sometimes binkelikia.
What Meze Consists Of
Typical Greek appetizers include alipasta, olives, various salads such as tzatziki, cheese salad, taramasalata, octopus, saganaki, pastrami, beans, sardines, and more. Bread is a must. An extended list is presented below but may vary from place to place.
- Cheeses: feta, hard and semi-hard yellow cheeses, saganaki
- Salads: tzatziki, tyrosalata (Tirokafteri), taramasalata, eggplant salad, Russian salad, summer salad
- Fish and seafood: sardines, smoked fish, herring, mackerel, salmon, shellfish and mollusks, octopus, shrimp, crab meat
- Meat appetizers: salami, meatballs or keftedes, cured sausages, pastrami (basturma)
- Other appetizers: olives, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes
Drinks for Meze
It is worth mentioning that meze is, in essence, an appetizer for drinks. However, it is also appropriate to discuss the reverse tradition.
In Cyprus, meze is usually accompanied by ouzo, tsipouro, wine, retsina, and beer—in short, almost any alcoholic beverage.
Appetizers served with meze are typically salty, one theory being that this stimulates alcohol consumption.
Where Meze is Served
Meze is served in nearly all Greek and Mediterranean restaurants. In Greece and Cyprus, they are also offered in restaurants commonly referred to as mezedopoleia, as well as in specialized establishments like ouzeri (for ouzo) and tsipouradika (for tsipouro).
How Meze is Served
Meze is typically served on several small plates, each dish on its own. The idea is that most dishes are consumed spread on bread (except for olives, of course).
After serving meze, the waiter usually brings the main course—often while the meze is still on the table, so be prepared to arrange everything on the table.
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Author
Born and raised in Yekaterinburg, visited more than 40 countries, lived in the USA for some time, and in 2022, moved to Northern Cyprus. Education: Ural State University (now Ural Federal University), Faculty of Political Science and Sociology. Professional Experience: Since 2008, worked in the…