Cafes
Da Capo cafe
30 arch makarios avenue tel. ++357-22757427. regarded as one of the first modern cafes caters for the nouveau riche. will serve basic meals too. wifi internet access.
Pralina Cafe
31 stasikratous street, +357 22 660 491. the flagship cafe of a confectionery chain. a chocolate addict's paradise. you can easily overdose on sweets here, and before you know it, your diet is down the drain forever. the coffee is not bad either.
Mondo's Cafe
9 arch. makarios avenue.tel +357-77778044. (http://www.mondocy.com/ar...) one of the new addition on the cafe strip, it dwarfs the rest in size. large outside seating area, perfect for posers. wifi internet access.
Coffee culture is a way of life in Nicosia. It is the place to see and be seen in the afternoon to early evening. In the summer months, tables spill on to the streets. The posh cafes line Makarios avenue, intertwined with shops. Starbucks and Costa coffee have invaded the island but local equivalents also survive. For a change don't stick to the latte/capuccino, try a greek coffee. In the summer you must order a frappe iced coffee.
Le Cafe
16 arch. makarios avenue tel. ++357-22755151. used to be a confectionery. now you'll find the suits of the cyprus financial elite lunching there - book in advance if you're going for lunch. wifi internet access.
Clubs
Sfinakia club
1 kyriakou matsi avenue, 1082 nicosia tel+357-22766661. opened in the 1990s and still going strong. caters for an age group of 20-30s. has a nice outdoors bar section open in the summer months. usually packed on a daily basis and even on weekends.
Zoo Club
15 stasinou ave, 1060 nicosia, tel: +357-22458811. started out as a club but over the years has taken over several floors on the same building. has a restaurant section and a chill-out lounge bar.
Scorpios Club
3 stassinos street - tel: +357-99545690. probably the only discothã¨que in nicosia having survived the test of time. opened in the early 1970âs and has reinvented itself after several facelifts since.
The substantial student population supports a flourishing industry of bars, pubs and nightclubs which keep the old city alive. Cypriots are true socialites and spend most of their time out as opposed to at home. In line with other south European countries going out is unheard of before 10-11pm. There is no official nightlife reference point but Makarios avenue turns into a catwalk cum cruising strip for Porsche owner show-offs. If you are after a more traditional flavour generally catering for an older population you could try a bouzouki bar.
Bars will stock the usual international brands of spirits. Local giants KEO beer and Carlsberg the only other brand brewed on the island have a universal presence. Local wines are now making a comeback after years of medioaracy and decline. Commandaria is the pride of Cyprus' dessert wines. The local spirit zivania very similar to grappa is usually drank as shots straight from the freezer. Cyprus brandy was introduced about 150 years ago and differs from other continental brandies in its lower alcohol content around 32%. As such it is is often drank by locals whilst eating and before and after and is the basic ingredient for a local cocktail, The Brandy Sour. Local Ouzo is also another favourite.
bars/pubs
There is not much of a distinction between the two, most will serve beer, wine, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages. Many will now serve food too, but kitchens usually close earlier than the bar.