Beachside
As you all know, I love to tell you about my favourite finds, and in my hunt to discover the best beachside bars and eateries in Cyprus, this one is without a doubt one of my favourites, and then, I was more than pleasantly surprised when I found out that it’s strongly linked to Paragka Beach Bar on Trinity Bay in Ayia Triada, Pernera.
Stunning View
So, I called manager Nikos, who invited me for a coffee at the fabulous Nissia Bar & Grill on Byzagakia Beach, aka Green Bay in the Cape Greko area of Protaras to have a chat with him and let’s just say; it’s worth going just for the view. Greeted by manager Nikos, holding a business degree specialising in marketing, with a delicious cappuccino, I had to ask; he said “our selected coffee is Carraro Arabica from Italy”. That was a delicious start to what turned out to be an enlightening interview! Byzagakia Beach
Yia Yia’s Recipies
I’d heard so much about their kitchen so I asked Nicos to tell me their secrets … I should have known it was as traditional as you could imagine. He said; “My Yia Yia ‘Maria’ came to teach our chefs the best way to prepare a few Cypriot dishes including our famous Meatballs just like my yia yia used to make and the Moussaka, cooked fresh every day”. He continued; “Maria still pops in regularly to make sure everything is going right”. One of her specialities is seafood, starting with Baby Kalimari, Mmm I just adore it here!
Off the Sea
As they are on the coast and there’s still members of the family that have been fishermen since they were kids, naturally one of their specialities is seafood … Everything from Sea Bass, Sea Bream, Grouper, and Tuna Steaks to the occasional surprise. But it’s not just the freshness here that matters, it’s the way they’ll cook you the whole fish to order, without spices, just a little sea salt and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Whether it’s grilled or fried, it really is lovely to watch the passion they put into making sure it’s served to the table to perfection.
In The Clay Oven
Maria’s reputation spread fast, coz her recipe for Kleftico is absolutely fabulous, partly because it’s cooked very slowly in their authentic Clay Ovens for over 8 hours, but they only serve it on weekends so you’d best book early. Btw just wait ’til you taste the accompanying potatoes, omg!
Variety
The menu is so varied yet not too big, but the Jumbo Pork Chops, all 600gsm looked good, and so too the Spare Ribs drizzled in Yia Yia’s homemade BBQ sauce. And they serve hand-cut chips with local fresh Cyprus potatoes … Unbeatable!
Pride
The head chef these days is the amazing ‘Panos Korfiatis’, also a keen fisherman, who takes great pride in the way he marinades, cooks and presents his dishes, so expect something a little out of the ordinary here!
Early Start
I almost forgot to mention that Nissia Bar & Grill is open from 8 am for breakfast … serving a selection of breakfasts, with healthy options too, but you really must try their Full Engish Breakfast or the Cyprus Breakfast, Luntza, Halloumi, olives, streaky bacon and Loukaniko Mmm!
Specials of the Day
While you’re there you’ll find a few Blackboards scattered outside telling you what the Specials of The Day are and trust me they’re usually very special … oh and btw, you really must try their amazing recipe for Shrimp Saganaki, it’s more Greek than Cypriot, but … OMG!
Afters
Naturally, they also serve a fantastic selection of local desserts, like Mehalepi, and Pourekia, or just go for a lovely ice coooool Icecream and enjoy the view!
Behind the Bar
They’ve of course got all your favourite tipples, including a fabulous collection of Gin … Plus of course Bottled Beers, Guinness, and Ciders including fruity Koppeberg, so refreshing on the beach … oh and, my favourite, Fix Beer … a must try!!!
Mixologists
They also mix a wicked cocktail or two, from the classics like Pina Colada, but they mix it Carribean style, or their Mi Thai with a twist, and their delicious Daquerries and where would we be without the inevitable Sex on the Beach … but do also try one of their Signature Cocktails for a change … I think you’ll love them!
Events
The crew are always ready to help you arrange Private Parties where you’ll get a little extra attention to make your event memorable. Naturally, you can even design your own private menu for your meal and Nikos told me “We’re planning to do a few live acoustic guitar nights and maybe even a little karaoke”.
Friends Forever
These guys take hospitality to another level. It’s a kind of silver service, and once you visit they’ll want to become friends forever, building a relationship with you … adding a little fun to your visit, a bit of dancing, and he warned me about their complementary Ouzo shots. They’ll even get your digits and send you photos of the sea and messages and stuff to keep you in touch ’til hopefully you’ll meet again!
Open Long Summer Season
April ’til November
Daily: 8 am ’til 10 pm’ish
Directions
You’ll find Nissia Bar & Grill at Tassou Isaak 3, Protaras, it’s a small private’ish bay called Byzagakia Beach, just below The Cavo Maris Beach Hotel on Green Bay, Protaras … where Ayia Triada and Blue Lagoon Boat Cruises more up, coz it is famous for its Sea Turtle Spotting … There’s plenty of off-street parking, shaded by trees … or, for directions just click on the Google Map Icon below …
GPS: 34.99979, 34.06323
A Little Secret Paradise!
