For contact details of each confectionery/shop click on its name

Saying that you are from Nicosia, or a “horaitis” (“χωραϊτης”), implies that you know about certain hidden gems that others don’t. I don’t mean knowing where the best “souvlitzidiko” is, but more specific tips like where to get the best “tahinopitta” or where to buy the best mixed sandwich. Knowledge that you don’t get unless you have lived in a city for a significant amount of time, knowledge that takes effort to acquire, local information gathering and a lot of calories, knowledge that sadly after a period of more than 18 months during which I have been living in Limassol I haven’t managed to acquire yet, κnowledge that, however I believe I have for my home town, Nicosia. I don’t of course, know everything there is to know about the capital…what is the point of this blog had that been true? For this reason, please feel free to mention anything you may think I have missed and is worth sharing.
Due to the large number of sweets, snacks and cakes worth mentioning it makes it easier to focus on sweet products first, and savoury later.
If you think the best galaktoboureko around is not the one of Mr Giorgos (pictured above) it means you haven’t tried it. There are two reasons why he is still around: firstly he has been making the best galaktoboureko for more than 20 years, and secondly he, I am sure, doesn’t overspend a cent (you will know once you see his shop!).
Talking about old school sweets and pastries I must mention the amaretto cookies from Hurricane, which are little bites from heaven and its “tiropitta” (cheesepie). Word of advice: if you don’t get them fresh, don’t get them at all.
If you like moist and rich cookies you will love the chocolate chip ones at Zorba bakeries. They in fact, remind me of American biscuits (same style as the equally fantastic and very famous Debbie’s cookies). The good thing is that Zorba bakeries are everywhere so you don’t have to travel to find them, the bad thing is that it is now even more difficult to resist!
I still think that the proud Cypriot mother makes the best oreo cheesecake around but I must admit that Pandora bakeries’ oreo cheesecake is not far behind. With a generously thick oreo crust at the bottom and with almost zero taste of chantilly it is definitely worth trying out.Even though part of the “old school” confectioneries as well, La Parfait’s pistachio cookies would survive any generational development.
Even if you think you have never tried them, think hard about those days when someone had a name day and they would bring a soft, green biscuit in a silver wrapping…and just made you wish we had name days every single day!
La Parfait might be the winner in pistachio cookies, but Sarah Lyne is the winner in almond cookies. I prefer the ones without jam as the jam takes away from the almond taste! Apart from the tasty cookies it is needless to mention that Sarah Lynn makes some of the best savoury pastries in the city, always fresh, never dry and always full of flavour (try the soufflé and the Greek cheese pie once you are there).
Speaking of cookies, New York Sweets in my opinion might have fairly average sweets and cakes, but they score the highest in butter cookies and of course, marble brownies. Their cookies are made with lots of butter and hence are moist and tasty. If you must choose one (or two) in particular try the hazelnut cookies and the walnut ones too.

Last but not least is one of the two best “tahinopitta“ in the city: “Pharos” bakery. What is really special about it is that it is not the usual  thick and rich flavoured tahinopitta but closer to tahinopitta made from puff pastry. It is definitely different and that’s why not everyone likes it. The only problem is that “Pharos” is only open until 11am and the “tahinopittas” run out quite early!