THE MAKRINARI TAVERN IN THE VILLAGE OF OMODOS
My name is George Jackson and I am a professional food critic. I recently visited the Makrinari Tavern in the picturesque village of Omodos. This is an honest and fair review of my experience, factoring many things in my submission. These include service, parking, quality, variety, environment, entertainment, and value for money.
LIVE MUSIC
I decided that I wanted to try an authentic Cyprus tavern in a rural location that offered proper live music. With this in mind, I began looking at several village locations in and around the Troodos Mountains. I soon found out that many traditional village taverns are offering live Greek music at weekends. The Makrinari Tavern, in the village of Omodos, however, stood out above the rest. This tavern seemed to tick all my boxes, but what interested me most, was that it provides live music starting at 2.00 pm every Sunday. This appealed to me and I promptly booked a table for one.
A ROOM WITH A VIEW
When I made my reservation, I pleasantly found out that there are very reasonably priced rooms to let on a nightly basis above the tavern. After a little deliberation, I decided to take one! This meant that my simple day out had now become a night stay over. As I was now committed to spending the night in Omodos, I also decided to enhance the experience by taking a bus into the village from Limassol. After checking the bus schedules, I discovered that a regular bus leaves Limassol for Omodos every Sunday at 9.30 am.
LET’S BUS IT
Packing a small bag for my overnight stay, I took the number 40 bus from the Limassol bus station. this bus promptly arrived on time at 9.30 and I found myself at the Omodos High School an hour and a half later. The 42 km trip was quite pleasant, taking in some glorious views of the countryside along the way. The journey up to Omodos, on the sometimes-winding road, instantly enthralled me with a feel-good factor. As the bus chugged along on this pleasant sunny Sunday morning, my anticipation for the rest of the day was building quite nicely.
THE VILLAGE OF OMODOS
Omodos, found in the heart of the wine-growing region of Cyprus, is nestled nicely in a Troodos hamlet, just northwest of the City of Limassol. It has quite an intriguing history and as I arrived early, I wanted to see a bit more of this beautiful place that I had heard so much about. Heading straight for the main square I took a narrow cobbled street. I immediately noticing the rustic village setting, fully embracing the fresh mountain air. When I reached my destination, I was happy to find several charming little shops selling handmade crafts and several local products. I then took both the museum and the impressively decorated MONASTERY OF THE OF HOLY CROSS, which are both just by the main square.
A ROOM WITH A VIEW
I then headed for the tavern, as I wanted to check into my room and freshen up. The Makrinari Tavern is signposted from the main square, and after a few minutes walk I arrived in good time. the view from the tavern’s elevated position was stunning. My first impressions as I walked into the bar area were good and I was greeted almost immediately by Polis, who turned out to be the owner. He showed me to my room after he insisted that we share a Keo beer. He told me that the music usually starts at 2.00 pm and not to be late. My room was basic, but it fit the rustic setting perfectly. The view from the window seemed to enhance the already impressive scenery of the mountains. After settling in, I made my way down to the tavern where I was promptly shown to my table for one.
THE MAKRINARI TAVERN
The tavern by this time was already virtually full with patrons. The aroma of grilled meats, wafting from the open kitchen, and a motley crew of musicians tuning their instruments seemed to fit in nicely with my surroundings. My table was just by the open window next to the band, which I happily found was set against that stunning view. The tavern itself is an old village house, which has been restored, keeping its charm and character. It is exactly as described and the stone walls adorned with traditional Cypriot artefacts, as well as the old school wooden furniture and chequered tablecloths added to the rustic charm of the place.
IT HAD TO BE A MEZE
I was glad to see that the menu has all of the classic Cypriot dishes at more than reasonable prices. Although I was tempted to order a Kleftiko, I decided to go for the village meze instead, for the purposes of this review. I paired the meal with a large jug of local village house wine. This wine was a full-bodied, very strong red from one of the local village wineries. I could tell immediately that everything was made with fresh, local ingredients. I pleasantly then found that the whole spread was cooked to perfection. The first course consisted of a combination of various dips and soft homemade pita bread. A grand village salad, with fresh black olives and a good quantity of feta cheese, soon followed. A succulent treat of hot starters came out next. These included grilled halloumi cheese and Cyprus sausages marinated in wine. Although I was full by this time, I still made room for the main meat course. This included pork and chicken souvlaki, and some lamb cutlets that were just right. This was then finished off with CYPRUS COFFEE served with some fresh BAKLAVA.Â
LIVELY ENTERTAINMENT
Cypriots love their live music and they were constantly dancing and singing along and I was savouring every moment. Polis the owner is a great character. He went around the whole restaurant greeting people with shots of ZIVANIA and then helped his staff serve all the diners. The next thing I knew, he was up on stage playing music and singing. Mr. Polis then ended the afternoon with his special rendition of a zimbekiko dance. Everyone was calling him ‘Kabetanios’, which translates to ‘The Captain’ for reasons I am still unaware of. As I sat back watching this lovely example of Cypriot culture, I couldn’t help admiring the spirit of the place, and the ZIVANIA.
BACK TO THE SQUARE
After my hearty meal, I decided to take a stroll back to the main square where I found a lovely little coffee shop. As I sat back drinking my Cyprus coffee, and watching the sun go down, I began to contemplate my day. My visit allowed me to fully soak up the sights, smells, and flavours of this charming little village in the heart of the Troodos Mountains. I couldn’t help but appreciate what a perfect way this was for me to spend a leisurely Sunday afternoon. As I set off again for the tavern, I stopped by a small unassuming shop, selling some lovely dried fruits that I thoroughly enjoyed the next day during my bus journey back to Limassol. My purchase seemed to round off an otherwise fantastic day.Â
WELL DONE MR. POLIS
On reflection, a visit to the Makrinari Tavern in Omodos, on a Sunday afternoon, is a delightful experience. The Makrinari Tavern offers a good combination of reasonabley priced authentic food, warm hospitality, lively music and the beauty of traditional Cypriot culture. All in all, I cannot recommend this place enough. Anyone looking to experience traditional Cypriot cuisine in a charming setting with proper live music on a Sunday afternoon will not be disappointed. This is genuinely a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Well done Mr. Polis, also known as ‘The Captain’. I will be back very soon!
