Το Αραξοβόλι (To Araxovoli) — Restaurant in Larnaca

This is more of a paean of appreciation than a review. Stars cannot justify the gratitude that I feel towards Coffeeshop 29 and Mr. Photis in particular for making my Cyprus experience an unforgettable one. Notwithstanding the majestic ruins of antiquity, the sweeping vistas of the Mediterranean, the delectable food and the sublime drinks that one experiences in this beautiful country, Coffeeshop 29 was undoubtedly my favorite part of Cyprus. What starded as a leisurely stroll into this cute looking corner cafe turned into a precursor for a visit each day of our 4 day stay. The incredibly affable Mr. Photis, who we would later find out is the father of the actual owner and is only temporarily managing the cafe while his son travels, gave off such a positive vibe that we felt like having coffee with a friend. He told us they would have some live music later the evening and we enjoyed our coffee visit so much that we decided to swing by. Was so glad that we did. The duo of local musicians belted out English and Greek hits and were so good that they had the crowd cheering and singing along for a good 3 hours. Mr. Photis was there as well along with the rest of his lovely staff, chatting, singing, laughing and enjoying the wonderful evening with the patrons. House specialty cocktails made with cypriot and greek liquors were phenomenon, free matsicha shots kept flowing and the experience could not have been more fun. A night to remember. Was still buzzing from the energy of the night the next morning.

The day we were leaving decided to stop by for a last coffee and a goodbye to Mr. Photis and coffeeshop 29. Spent a good hour laughing, chatting and talking about the good things in the world with him. A last little authentic taste of Cyprus that made us realize that this wasn't a goodbye but a see...

Anyone on holiday in Larnaca must have been to To Araxovoli at least once. If you don't know where it is, look around and if you see flowers in a box as on the photo you arrived. The owner and his sons welcome you in a friendly atmosphere and here you are truly a king as a customer. All home-made snacks are delicious and every one of them excellent in taste and prepared with care and love by the owner. The specially seasoned pancetta is unique and not for sale anywhere else in Larnaca. Do something crazy and order the small individual dishes with your drink. Lountza, halloumi, pancetta, meatballs, seasoned chicken livers and a roasted pita with Tzatziki and Spicy cheese dip make the evening complete. And I dare say that after such an evening you will definitely go there again during your holiday because the food is good, the atmosphere is great and everything...

We met the owner and one of his sons and they both are some of the funniest and wittiest people I know!

It's a family business and all the food is homemade and you should take it really slow with eating everything, they really go above and beyound to make it a relaxing experience for you. Also the food is unbelievably tasty.

We were there is the extra-season so there were not so many people and I advise that you come when there are as little people as possible because the chat with the family is just as good as the food!

10/10 experience and I know I'll come here every time I visit Larnaca...