Syrian Arab Friendship Club

Top choice in Nicosia (Lefkosia)


The meze spread (minimum two people) gives your taste buds a tour of Levantine cuisine's greatest hits, but if you know your Arabic dishes, you can go à la carte and cherry-pick your own feast. We recommend the batinjan makle (aubergines soaked in yoghurt and pomegranate molasses), kibbeh nayeh (Levantine version of lamb tartare) and fattoush (salad with fried pita).

It's deservedly one of the most popular places to eat in Nicosia, and has plenty of choice for vegetarians. The large garden makes this a great choice for families.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Nicosia (Lefkosia) attractions

1. Municipal Gardens

0.5 MILES

A pleasant park located right on the edge of the Old City, with a large children’s playground, ponds and water features, plus plenty of mature shady trees…

2. Cyprus Museum

0.57 MILES

Just outside the Old City walls, this excellent museum houses the island's most important collection of archaeological finds. Highlights include Hall 11's…

3. Kasteliotissa

0.69 MILES

Opposite Pafos Gate, this medieval-era vaulted hall is thought to have been built in the 14th century. Its original function has never been confirmed but…

4. AG Leventis Gallery

0.71 MILES

Located just outside the Old City, this art museum features three collections displaying European paintings and sculpture from the 16th to the 20th…

5. Arabahmet Quarter

0.74 MILES

This neighbourhood rubbing up against the Green Line is home to well-preserved examples of Ottoman-era town-house architecture. The narrow alleyways are…

6. Armenian Church & Nunnery

0.76 MILES

This church and nunnery is first thought to have been established in the 13th century as the Abbey of Our Lady of Tyre, and was handed over to the island…

7. Cyprus Classic Motorcycle Museum

0.77 MILES

The owner of this private museum is more than happy to chat extensively about his 150-plus bike collection. It may just bring out your inner Hell’s Angel …

8. Dervish Pasha Mansion

0.85 MILES

This small ethnographic museum is housed in a 19th-century mansion. Built in 1807, it belonged to wealthy a Turkish Cypriot, Derviş Paşa, who published…