15 Unforgettable Paphos Restaurants for Dinner You Need to Book Before Your Trip (Locals’ Picks)

A field-tested, cross-referenced guide built from 9 of the web’s most trusted Paphos foodie sources, plus on-the-ground reviewer notes.

Paphos is a sneaky-good food city. Behind the postcard harbour and the Tombs of the Kings sits one of the Mediterranean’s richest dining scenes — endless meze tables, charcoal-grilled souvlaki, halloumi made the morning you eat it, and clifftop tavernas that look straight out of a travel ad. The catch? The best places aren’t the ones at the top of TripAdvisor. They’re the ones locals quietly keep coming back to. After comparing more than a dozen expert and local reviews, here are the 15 restaurants in Paphos that genuinely deserve a dinner reservation.

How We Built This List

We pulled together notes from local expat guides (Cyprus Escape, AT Lifestyle Crossroads), British food and travel blogs (Jamie Chance Travels, Coco Travels, Man vs Globe), aggregator data from Wanderlog’s top 50 dinner spots, and direct restaurant pages such as Gourmet Taverna. The 15 names below appeared repeatedly, scored highly across very different reviewer profiles, and represent the full spectrum — from a €22 meze marathon to a clifftop fine-dining splurge.

1. 7 St. Georges Tavern — The Meze Marathon Everyone Talks About

Located in Yeroskipou just outside central Paphos, 7 St. Georges Tavern is the single most universally recommended restaurant across our sources. There’s no menu — you sit down, owner Ben explains the ritual, and dishes keep arriving (hummus, tzatziki, beetroot with coriander, eggplant, stuffed peppers, pork souvlaki, vegetarian moussaka, pulled-beef pie, feta-and-spinach in puff pastry) until you physically wave the white napkin. All for one set price around €22 per person.

2. Muse Restaurant — The View Money Can’t Buy

Perched on a cliff in central Paphos near the town hall, Muse has, hands down, the best panoramic view in the city — across the rooftops and out to the Mediterranean. It’s open from morning until 2am, so it works as a brunch spot, sunset cocktail terrace, or a proper dinner venue. Reviewers consistently rave about the chicken kebabs, the Muse burger, the grilled salmon with saffron risotto, and the sharing platters.

3. Oniro By the Sea — The Most Romantic Table in Paphos

About halfway between Coral Bay and Agios Georgios, Oniro sits right beside the famous Edro III shipwreck, with nothing around it but waves on rocks. The menu is modern Mediterranean with a twist — Greek salads, margarita flatbreads, fresh fish — and the styling is Instagram heaven. It’s a drive (you’ll want a car), but every single source we checked agreed it’s worth it.

4. Ta Mpania — Sundowners by the Waves

A waterfront restaurant-lounge-bar next to Paphos’s old municipal baths, Ta Mpania is a younger, livelier spot ideal for a casual dinner with the sea literally crashing against the wall beside you. Think pork kebabs with pitta and chips, light pasta dishes, fresh salads, and frappes or cocktails as the sun goes down.

5. Konia Tavern — A Saturday Night with the Locals

On the outskirts of Paphos in the village of Konia, this taverna is where Cypriot families go for the full party: live music, traditional dancing, and napkins flying through the air (apparently it’s cheaper than smashing plates). The mezze runs from carob-coated cheese and braised mushrooms to grilled pork chops, lamb skewers and the island’s famous chips, with a vegetarian option available.

6. Koutourou Ouzeri — Cypriot Cuisine, Modern Twist

In central Paphos, Koutourou sells “meze without the meze marathon” — you order Cypriot classics à la carte. The vintage-industrial interior (old typewriters, retro fridges, antique signs) is a foodie-photographer’s dream, and the menu reads like a greatest-hits compilation: fava, dakos, oven-baked halloumi with honey, prawns in beer, crispy pork belly, marinated grilled chicken.

7. Souvlaki Livadias — The Best Cheap Eat in the Old Town

You can’t leave Cyprus without eating souvlaki, and Souvlaki Livadias in Paphos Old Town consistently gets the locals’ nod. Pork, chicken or lamb skewers wrapped in pitta with salad and tzatziki — done quickly, done correctly, done cheaply. It’s open late, often until 3am on weekends.

8. Laona Restaurant — Old Town Hidden Gem

Tucked down a side street in the renovated Old Town, Laona has been family-run since 1986. It’s traditional Cypriot done quietly and well — moussaka, meatballs, slow stews — with a complimentary dessert that several reviewers singled out as a lovely touch.

9. Minthis Hills Golf Club — Best Fine Dining in the Region

Up in the hills of Tsada among olive groves and orchards, Minthis isn’t your typical hotel restaurant. Floor-to-ceiling windows look across the Paphos wine country, and the meze — grilled octopus, seven-mushroom risotto, short-rib orzo topped with creamy burrata — was singled out by one reviewer as “the best meal I ate in Cyprus, plate for plate.”

10. Baths of Aphrodite Restaurant — Seafood Meze with a View

Out in the Akamas Peninsula near the legendary Baths of Aphrodite, this cliffside restaurant is built for romantic seafood dinners. The fish meze brings whole fish, grilled octopus, calamari, white fillets, Greek salad and creamy dips, with reasonable pricing for the portion sizes you’ll get.

11. Christos Grill & Seafood — The Octopus Specialist

In central Paphos, Christos Grill keeps the formula simple: mixed-grill platters and generous seafood. Multiple reviewers single out the octopus as among the very best in Cyprus — soft, smoky, and absolutely worth ordering as a starter even if you’re going meat-heavy on mains.

12. Gourmet Taverna — Modern Cypriot Done Right

In Kato Paphos near the seafront, Gourmet Taverna positions itself as “more than a traditional taverna.” The kitchen uses seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients to reimagine home-style Cypriot cooking — village salads, lamb chops, seafood, chicken kebabs and a modernised version of meze. Reviewers consistently praise the ambience, service and wine list as upper-tier.

13. Pizzeria Caliano Kissonerga — Surprise Wood-Fired Pizza

Yes, you came to Cyprus for souvlaki, but after three nights of meze you’ll want a pizza — and the wood-fired pies at Caliano in Kissonerga (just outside Paphos) are genuinely excellent. Fresh dough, proper Italian-style toppings and house-made pasta make this the go-to “we need a break from Cypriot food” spot.

14. Sala Thai — The Best Non-Cypriot Choice

If you fancy a night off from halloumi, Sala Thai in Coral Bay is widely recommended by long-stay expats. Owned and staffed by Thai chefs, it offers authentic red, green and panang curries with adjustable spice levels (helpful, since they cater to a large expat audience).

15. Suite 48 — Sundowners, Grass, and Live Music

Near Paphos Harbour next to Amphora Resort, Suite 48 mixes restaurant, lounge bar, day-bed area and outdoor playground. The menu is short and fresh — sandwiches, salads, grilled mains, cocktails, smoothies — and unlike many spots it stays open through the off-season.

Mobile-Friendly Summary Table

Swipe sideways on phones to see all columns. Use this as your shortlist when you’re choosing where to book each night.

Quick Tips for Eating Out in Paphos

A few things every first-time visitor should know before booking. Cypriot meze is built for sharing — order one per two people and you’ll still struggle to finish. Many of the best venues sit outside the harbour strip, so renting a car opens up at least half of the best dining in the region (Minthis Hills, Oniro, Baths of Aphrodite, Konia Tavern and Sala Thai are all easier with one). Reservations are essential at the most-loved spots from May through October, especially for sunset tables at Muse, Suite 48 and Oniro. Finally, take any vendor claim of “fresh local fish” with a pinch of salt — locals openly admit that the vast majority of seafood on Cyprus is frozen or farmed, so order seafood meze at trusted spots rather than chasing the cheapest harbour deal.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most famous dish to try in Paphos?

Meze — a parade of small plates including hummus, tzatziki, halloumi, souvlaki, kleftiko (slow-cooked lamb), sheftalia (Cypriot sausage), stifado (slow beef stew) and loukoumades for dessert. 7 St. Georges Tavern and Baths of Aphrodite Restaurant are widely considered the best meze experiences in the region.

What’s the best restaurant in Paphos for a romantic dinner?

Oniro By the Sea wins for unbeatable cliffside views, Minthis Hills wins for refined fine dining, and Baths of Aphrodite Restaurant wins for romantic Akamas-peninsula sunsets.

Are restaurants in Paphos expensive?

No — by Western European standards Paphos is excellent value. A full meze at 7 St. Georges Tavern is around €22 per person; a casual souvlaki dinner is around €10. Fine-dining venues like Minthis Hills will run €60–€100+ per head with wine.

Do I need to book ahead?

Yes for 7 St. Georges Tavern, Muse, Minthis Hills, Gourmet Taverna and Konia Tavern (especially on weekends). Oniro By the Sea doesn’t take bookings — go early.

Is the seafood in Paphos really fresh?

Often, no. Local food writers warn that around 90% of seafood served on the island is frozen or farm-raised, even in restaurants advertising “fresh local fish.” Stick to trusted spots like Baths of Aphrodite Restaurant, Christos Grill and Ouzeri at the Almyra Hotel for the best chance of quality.

The Bottom Line

If you only have time for three Paphos dinners, the cross-source consensus is clear: book 7 St. Georges Tavern for the meze experience, Muse for the views, and Oniro By the Sea for the romantic, photo-worthy night out. Add Minthis Hills for a special occasion, Souvlaki Livadias for an easy cheap-eat night, and you’ve built a dining itinerary most visitors only wish they’d planned. Kalí óreksi — enjoy your meal.