Old Simos is a traditional Cypriot taverna in Sotira, a village a short drive inland from the Ayia Napa, Protaras and Paralimni coast in the Famagusta district. It has built a strong reputation over the years for its meze, and it draws diners from right across the island, including from as far as Paphos, which says a lot for a village taverna.
What makes it special
Personalized meze options tailored to your preferences
Delicious vegetarian and seafood dishes at reasonable prices
Warm and welcoming atmosphere with friendly owners
What sets it apart is not the setting or the marketing, since there is not much of either. It is the food, the personal touch of the owner, and a meze format that works differently to most tavernas on the island.
What Makes It Worth Visiting
Most Cypriot tavernas serve a fixed meze, a set run of dishes decided in advance. Old Simos does things differently. Here, you choose exactly which dishes go into your meze, and you can order by the piece if you like, a single souvlaki, two sheftalies, whatever suits the table. It sounds like a small detail, but it changes the whole meal, since nothing arrives that you did not actually want.
There is no printed menu. Instead, the owner, Simos, comes to the table himself and talks diners through the options. He is known for being warm, patient and happy to repeat choices or make substitutions right up until the last dish is ordered. It gives the meal a personal feel that is hard to find elsewhere, and it is a big part of why regulars keep coming back.
What to Expect
Expect grilled meats cooked well, alongside dips, salads and a good range of starters, some traditional and some with a slightly modern twist. Because you build the meze yourself, the pace of the meal is relaxed and conversational, closer to grazing through course after course than working through a set menu.
Old Simos is popular enough that tables can be hard to come by in summer, with waits reported to stretch for weeks during the busiest months. Reservations are advised, and it is worth calling ahead rather than turning up on spec, particularly on a weekend evening. The taverna is open Tuesday to Sunday, 6pm to 11pm, and can be contacted on 23 730189. It is located on Grigoris Afxentiou Street in Sotira.
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A few dishes come up again and again from people who eat here regularly. The pork shank with carob syrup is a standout, with the meat cooked until it falls apart and the tangy carob syrup, a Cyprus staple that rarely appears on taverna tables, cutting nicely through the richness.
For starters, the fried halloumi sticks served with tomato jam are worth ordering early, the sweetness of the tomato working well against the salty cheese. Fried poulles, deep fried sticks of taro root known locally as kolokasi and closely associated with the Famagusta area, are another good choice, and mushrooms with egg have also been singled out as a highlight. Leave room for dessert, since Old Simos is known for pitta tis satzia, a Cypriot flatbread cooked on a domed griddle and filled with honey and cinnamon, smoky and slightly charred in the best way.
Go with a group if you can, since a build your own meze works best when there are several people around the table sharing dishes and deciding together.
Sotira sits close enough to the coast that a meal at Old Simos fits easily into a day spent around Ayia Napa, Protaras or Paralimni. It is worth the short drive inland, and worth booking ahead for. You can find more local recommendations for the area through the ElloCyprus Discover Guide.
