Orea Ellas Tavern

We visited this tavern today 26/08/2012 after reading the critique written above. We drive from Nicosia to go there and believe me this was the worst tavern we ever visited. When we arrived there the owner suggested meze without to tell us that we had the choice to order a portion. We have been charged 20 Euros per person to eat sausages from a much known German supermarket but they called it "loukaniko lamias"........ "sarmadakia" from the can called home made, "piperia florinis" from the can called again home made ...... for GOD's sake, people know what they are eating. The salad for 4 persons was made in a small plate (toooooo poor), the aperitifs I think that was just for 2 persons not 4, and the main course in that MEZE was only 1 SMALL piece for each person of hamburger (in size of meatballs), chicken and pork!!!! We had also a small kid with us and the owner suggested ordering a portion for the kid. They brought him a plate with 2 small hamburger (like meatballs again) with frozen pre-cooked potatoes and they charged 10 Euros for this!! When I asked the owner why they charged the kid's portion so much, he was very rude and he told me "this is what we charge madam"! And finally at the end the grate desert was 2 small rizecreams that we had to share 4 persons!!!!!!!!! This is UNACCEPTABLE. You cannot write a review and mention that it worth's every cent for such a restaurant. Finally is time to start showing some respect to the people and stop writing reviews just because the restaurant owners paid for it. And the owners of the restaurant have to respect their customers. They cannot serve readymade food and call it home made. It is unacceptable to charge 80 Euros for 4 meze that didn't even include 4 portions of food!! Certainly I will visit Cyprus Tourism Organization to report this restaurant.

Hands down my favorite Greek tavern in Cyprus. This restaurant is owned by a Greek man married to a Cypriot woman and is the quintessential family-owned restaurant. They obviously love what they do here and put a lot of passion and love to the food.

There is no menu - you will get served the dishes of the day that are slightly different from one time to the next. For example, on one day they may have "kolokythokeftedes" (zucchini balls) and on another "tomatokeftedes" (tomato balls). There are of course the usual suspects, like the dips, salads and cheeses in the beginning, stews and veggie dishes in the middle and the meats at the end. One thing is for sure - all of them are delicious and just the right quantity.

The restaurant is open both in the summer as well as the winter and it has its charm in both seasons. In the summer you can sit outside in the yard which is wonderful and in the winter you can sit inside by the fireplace which is nice and cozy.

The lady there also bakes her own special bread, with tomato, black olives, or feta inside. But the absolute must-order is the dessert. She makes the most amazing home-made dark chocolate cake as well as apple pie. Trust me, order both and you won't regret it. They are divine!

I will make the 2-hour trip from Nicosia just to eat here and go back any time...