I know I keep saying this, but for a city by the coast, Limassol does not have nearly enough restaurants by the sea. Thankfully though it does have quite a few places where one can eat “al fresco”. Having a meal under the stars is, unfortunately, not always pleasurable given the hot and humid weather in the summer months, so taking advantage of these spring months is vital. Although this list is not exhaustive, I have collected a few places that I think are best for dining outside.
Saripolou Square
Beginning in the old city, Saripolou square is an obvious option. Apart from Kitchen Bar and Prytaneio right at the entrance of the square both of which offer an international cuisine, Salut is a quite popular place. With a Lebanese/Cypriot cuisine and an international touch it is in my opinion one of the best restaurant options. Kanella Bar and Cambana further down both offer high tables outside. I can’t, however, say food is the strong point in this very popular square as it mainly attracts people for drinks after 10:00pm, but nevertheless for the ones that want to enjoy some people watching in a buzzy environment with music it is quite the place. My personal favourite is a small “taverna” on the other end of the square, Yiagkini. Go there for small “meze” Greek and Cypriot dishes of the day, local wine and spirits and enjoy them in a fantastic little courtyard at the back.
Castle Area
Moving further down to the old castle area one can enjoy a different side of Limassol. If we say Saripolou square is for a younger and a more lively crowd, the castle area is for the ones that are look
ing for a higher quality meal in a more peaceful environment. The Carob Mill restaurants (Artima, Stretto) are obvious choices offering a very large selection of carefully prepared international dishes. That includes excellent pasta served from inside a parmesan cheese, fantastic tuna tartare and Nicoise salad. Further down, Karatello (also of Carob Mill), is a Greek/Cypriot modern tavern with a refined ambiance. A few meters down the road, one can also find the latest arrival, Hani, which has one of the prettiest internal courtyards in the area. Go there for an early or late drink, as well as for a nice dinner in a modern ambiance with traditional touches from the fantastic old white stone surrounding the inside space.
Another personal favourite (and more of an eclectic place) is the Old Neighborhood, which in my opinion, is probably the best fish and seafood restaurant on the island. With merely 10 tables (2-4 outside and 5-6 inside), a very small menu consisting of the catch of the day, a very good wine selection for a tavern, it 
is a place worth visiting. Don’t expect luxuries and fancy décor, but a simple meal of high quality in a relaxed ambiance.
Beach front
Although there aren’t enough places by the beach, a few have opened in the last few years and as you would expect they are most popular. Puesta is definitely one of the most busiest ones. Do try their oysters (I would recommend the ginger and lime ones), as well as their prawn pasta. At Famagusta Nautical Club get a table under the eucalyptus trees to enjoy it’s fish/seafood offering. Not only does it offer a great sce
nery but it is also open for dining all day long. Finally Blueberry and Plus Sea have in my opinion the best atmosphere and the best views, but both are more of the café/beach club variety, rather than proper restaurants.
We still have a couple of months before the humidity of the city becomes unbearable so it’s time to go out people!
