Vasilissis Frederikis 13, 22314344, LEFKOSIA (NICOSIA)
Mon – Tue & Thu – Fri 8.30am – 6pm, Wed 8.30am – 4pm, Sat 10am – 4pm, Sun Closed
I am quite excited about the most recent arrival in the coffee/snack domain. To begin with it had quite a build-up as rumours about its opening have been going around for a few weeks. Secondly, it is on Vasilissis Freiderikis, one of my favourite streets in the centre of Nicosia, a quiet, refined and stylish street extending up from Stasikratous. And finally, I know for a fact that attention to detail was put into selecting every single thing in the place, including the coffee and a lot of the organic ingredients that make the food.
The fact that it’s small fits perfectly with the vibe of the area which is full of boutiques and independent designer shops. I loved the white décor as it makes the whole space looks very bright. In combination with the light coloured wood furniture, the space gives off a clean and fresh feeling. The tables are placed along the side of the long bar which made me feel part of the action, especially since all the food is placed on the bar itself. Also, whatever dish needs additional prep is made right there in front of you.
For the moment, in addition to coffee and cake, you can also have a light snack. The menu currently consists of 4-5 dishes which are mostly salads and sandwiches. I asked whether the menu will be changing from time to time as going for lunch at a place with only 4-5 never-changing options could be a bit boring. I was reassured that the menu not only changes daily, but plans are in place to establish a bigger menu. Apart from food and drinks one can also buy organic products, most of which are also used in the food served in the restaurant.
We tried the open salmon sandwich with cream cheese on an organic spelt bread (from my favourite bakery, Qboo), which was very good with a light lemony taste balanced by the smoked salmon and the light cream cheese. We also tried the avocado sandwich on organic kamut bread which I thought was equally good (although my friend preferred the salmon one). The avocado spread also had a strong lemony taste while the bread added a light sweet flavour. We also had the pasta salad with pesto and grilled vegetables. This was never going to be a favourite of mine as I am not a big pesto fan but my proud Cypriot friend said it was quite flavoursome and light. I was very kindly offered an organic vegetable juice – this was made of tomato juice, celery and a large number of other nutritious vegetables that I don’t even remember now but it was delicious. My proud Cypriot friend had the cold chocolate and she was very happy with it as well. We didn’t try the pear and cranberry salad as 4 dishes for 2 people were kind of a lot (!) but I would love to go back and try more of their salads. It is worth mentioning that, although I thought the sandwiches on their own would not have been enough for our large appetites, because a generous amount of toppings was used in both of them, they were more than enough.
Full as we were we also didn’t get a chance to try the apple pie or the cinnamon roll but I plan to visit again soon a morning coffee and breakfast.
The final verdict is definitely more than positive. 5 euros per dish, enjoyed in a fantastically pleasant and stylish ambiance, located right in the centre of Nicosia, yet on a quiet street is more than we could ask for. I do hope that as they progress they offer breakfast and brunch, as well as a good selection for lunch so it can become a hang out place!
