Cypriots make the most of their fresh produce and the abundant seafood, vegetables, pulses, grains and meat that make up the basis of a regular Cypriot diet.

One of the most famous concepts behind the way Cypriots eat is meze, those famous little plates of just about everything that seem to arrive from the kitchen on to your table in an endless stream. Dining meze-style is a great way to try a wide variety of Cypriot cuisine, but be warned: you’d better start on an empty stomach.

A traditional meze session could include dips like tahini, taramasalata and plenty of bread; lots of olives; spanakopita (a spinach and feta cheese pie wrapped in filo pastry); vine leaves stuffed with rice and meat; yemista (stuffed vegetables with lots of garlic), casseroles and stews, and the famous souvla (chunks of meat threaded on a spit and grilled over charcoal).

Cyprus has a dry, sunny climate which allows a lot of produce to thrive – among them lots of herbs, figs, dates, almonds, olives and beans. Tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and avocados grow all over the island and form the basis of a lot of Cypriot dishes. You’ll find all sorts of fresh fruit in markets and on menus around Cyprus, as the summer months bring black cherries, apricots, grapes, peaches and nectarines, and green and purple figs.