Looking for where to eat in Nicosia? Henry’s by Columbia is one of the few places we would put on the shortlist for the capital, and it is a restaurant we have been going to for years. It has a beautiful interior, a superb drinks list and the most varied menu in the city centre. It has also slipped, and we explain exactly where.
The short version: Henry’s is still a top tier restaurant for Nicosia, and we rate it 4 out of 5. Go for the setting, the wine and the bar. Order carefully on the steak, and do not expect the standard it set when it opened.
Henry’s Nicosia at a Glance
- Our rating: 4 out of 5. Still one of the best places to eat in Nicosia, but it can slip.
- Best for: a smart dinner in the city centre, drinks and wine, groups who want variety, business lunches and anyone who wants a polished room.
- Best things: the wine list, the bar, the burger and the design of the venue.
- Weak spots: inconsistent quality control, especially on steak, and prices that have crept up.
- Price: high for Nicosia. The Cyprus Mail listed mains at around 16 to 30 euro when it reviewed the restaurant in 2024, and prices have moved up since. Steaks and sharing cuts cost much more.
- Address: Makariou Avenue 30B, Nicosia, in the centre of the city.
- Phone and booking: 22 351111, or reserve online through the restaurant’s own booking page.
- Opening hours: listed as 11am to midnight every day. Check before you go, as hours change.
- Verdict: book it, and treat the bar and the wine list as the main event.
Visiting Nicosia? Book your airport transfer to Nicosia with KiwiTaxi (affiliate link), compare car hire in Cyprus on Auto Europe (affiliate link), or add Nicosia tours and experiences on Klook (affiliate link).
Where Should You Eat in Nicosia?
This is the question behind most searches, so we will answer it plainly. Nicosia has good food, but the capital is not a resort town, and a lot of its best eating is in small tavernas and villages around the city. The choice in the centre is narrower than it looks on a map.
For a smart, modern restaurant in the middle of town, Henry’s is one of the few places we recommend. For fish, go to the original Pyxida, which we cover in our Pyxida Nicosia review. For a traditional meal a short drive from the centre, try Taverna tou Theodosi in Deftera. For the wider picture, our guide to the best restaurants in Cyprus ranks the places we trust across the island.
Why Does Henry’s Stand Out?
Henry’s is part of the Columbia restaurant group, which also runs Columbia Steakhouse and venues on the Limassol coast. The Nicosia restaurant opened as the group’s central city address, and it was designed to feel like a grown up dining room rather than another cafe with a menu.
It works. The Cyprus Mail described the look as stylish and very 1930s New York, with tasteful decor, uniformed staff and an understated feel that Nicosia does not always manage. That matches how it feels to us. This is a room where people dress a little better than usual, and the design carries a lot of the experience.
The restaurant describes an open kitchen, a wine cellar, a bar and an outdoor terrace, with brunch at weekends. It also has a sculpture at its centre called In the Now, by Ignatios Mitrofanous, which the restaurant presents as the idea behind the space. You do not need to care about the art to enjoy the room, but it is a nice touch.
What Is the Venue Like?
Excellent. The interior and the design are the first thing we would point to, and they have held up better than the menu. It is a polished space in the centre of the capital, close to the walking streets and the main shopping area, which makes it easy to fit around a day in the old city.
That location is a real advantage. Plenty of good restaurants in Nicosia sit in awkward spots with poor parking. Henry’s is in the centre, so you can walk to it from many hotels, or arrive by taxi and leave without worrying about the car. Nicosia is a city where you often want a drink with dinner, and that matters.
Where to Sit
In warm weather the terrace is the obvious choice, and the Cyprus Mail noted that Henry’s is better suited to the warmer months, though not to mid August when the city empties. In the cooler months the interior is the draw. Ask for a table near the bar if you want atmosphere, and say so when you book.
How Did Henry’s Start, and What Went Wrong?
We have eaten here many times over the years, and the pattern is clear. Henry’s started very strong. The menu had dishes we loved, the staff were attentive and the standard felt like a higher end tavern with serious ambitions.
The best example was the veal schnitzel. It arrived as it should: a giant plate, properly breaded veal, a side of pickled onion, and a feeling that a good Austrian tavern had been set down in the middle of Nicosia. It was one of the restaurant’s signature dishes, and it was the thing that made the place special for us.
That dish has been taken off the menu, which is a real loss. If it came back, we think it would bring in customers, because people remember a dish like that and talk about it. A signature dish gives a restaurant an identity, and the Cyprus Mail made a similar point about Henry’s, saying it lacked a clear direction.
Since then, the slide has been gradual. Prices have gone up and the quality has not kept pace. That is the core of our view: it is still a good restaurant, but you are paying more for a less reliable result.
Is the Food at Henry’s Good?
When it is good, it is very good. When it is not, it is noticeably off, and at these prices that is the problem. In our experience the kitchen slips on quality about two visits in ten. That is far too many for a restaurant charging this much, and it is why we cannot give it a higher score.
We also will not mark a restaurant down for those two bad visits when the other eight are strong. A fair review has to hold both facts. Henry’s is a top tier restaurant for Nicosia, and it needs better quality assurance.
The Menu Is Wide
This is where Henry’s shines. The menu runs across sushi, pasta, a high level burger, steak and a good piece of fish. Few restaurants in Cyprus cover that range, and it makes Henry’s easy to book for a mixed group. One person wants sushi, another wants a burger, a third wants steak, and everyone is happy.
The downside of a wide menu is that the kitchen can struggle to keep everything at the same level. The Cyprus Mail visit in 2024 found the same thing. Its writer enjoyed the cherry tomatoes and the burger, thought the burrata was cold and mean, found the vitello tonnato well made but unadventurous, and called the carbonara basic. The review ended by suggesting the restaurant needs a clearer direction.
The Burger
The burger is great. We say that without hesitation, and the Cyprus Mail agreed, calling it outstanding and noting that the meat comes from Columbia’s own butchers in Limassol. It has the simplicity that a good burger needs.
That said, it is not a reason to choose Henry’s. A burger this good is a nice option for someone in the group, but you would not pay Henry’s prices for it on its own. If you want the best burger in Cyprus, go somewhere built around burgers. If you are at Henry’s for dinner and someone wants one, they will be happy.
The Steak and the Tomahawk
This is the weak point. We ordered a tomahawk on one visit, and it was 60 to 70 percent fat. That is not a rare cut of bad luck at a restaurant with serious quality control. It is the sort of thing a decent check before the plate leaves the kitchen should catch.
Others have run into trouble with the same dish. One recent Tripadvisor reviewer described booking days ahead to order a tomahawk of around 1.2 kilos for two, only to be told the only cut available was 1.7 kilos, despite the menu listing it by the hundred grams with no minimum. That is a menu and stock problem, and it matches what we mean by weak checks.
The meat can be good, and we have had good meat here. The trouble is the inconsistency. At the price of a tomahawk, you should not need to hope. If steak is your priority in Cyprus, read our guide to the best restaurants in Cyprus for places with a stronger record, and order a smaller cut at Henry’s if you want to test it first.
Fish, Pasta and Sushi
The fish dishes are a good choice, and sushi and pasta give you safe options for guests who do not want meat. We would not travel across town for any one of them, but they make the menu feel complete. The point of Henry’s is the whole offer, not a single dish.
How Good Is the Wine and the Bar?
This is the best part of Henry’s. The drinks menu is fantastic, and it is where the restaurant puts its effort. The wine list is good, with real range. In the past Henry’s had great sommeliers, and the service around wine has been a strength even as the kitchen slipped.
The bar is strong too. Local talk has long said that drinks are the real forte of the place, and the Cyprus Mail repeated that. It makes Henry’s a good choice if you want to start the evening with a cocktail, stay for dinner, and finish with a glass of something good. In a city where many restaurants treat wine as an afterthought, that matters.
If you want to understand what you are drinking, our guide to traditional Cypriot drinks is a good place to start before you open the list.
What Is the Service Like?
The staff are one of the things we would give Henry’s credit for. They are friendly, they are polished, and they are usually good at making a table feel looked after. The uniforms and the manner give the restaurant a little old world formality, which suits the room.
Tripadvisor reviewers say much the same, describing the team as helpful, kind and attentive, and the restaurant holds a rating of 4.5 from around 50 reviews there, placing it in the top forty restaurants in Nicosia at the time we checked. As always, ratings move, so treat that as a snapshot.
What Are the Perks?
These small touches go a long way, and they are part of why people keep coming back.
- Complimentary dessert. On our most recent visit we were given matcha ice cream, and we have had a complimentary dessert there before.
- A free glass of wine. The staff are often happy to offer a glass when you are spending a certain amount.
- A returning customer discount. As far as we know, Henry’s offers 10 percent to returning customers. Ask when you book, because offers change.
This kind of generosity is smart. It keeps regulars loyal, and it helps balance a menu that is priced above the capital’s average. It cannot replace consistent cooking, but it softens the bill.
Is Henry’s Expensive?
Yes, by Nicosia standards. When the Cyprus Mail reviewed it, starters ran from about 16 to 24 euro, mains from 16 to 30 euro and desserts from 9 to 18 euro. Menu prices have risen since, and the steaks and sharing cuts sit well above those figures. A dinner with wine and a cocktail easily comes to a serious bill.
That is fine when the quality is there. The problem is that the prices have gone up while the quality has gone down, and that is the reason we describe the restaurant as having slipped. The venue, the drinks and the service justify a premium. The steak currently does not.
How to Spend Less
- Go for a business lunch or a weekday dinner rather than a Saturday night.
- Share starters and order one main each rather than building a long menu.
- Choose the burger or fish over the large steak cuts.
- Ask about the returning customer discount.
How Do You Get to Henry’s in Nicosia?
Henry’s sits in the centre of Nicosia, on Makariou Avenue, close to the main pedestrian streets. Getting there is easy if you plan the evening.
- By taxi or transfer. This is the simplest option, particularly if you plan to drink. You can pre book a ride with KiwiTaxi (affiliate link), or compare options on GetTransfer (affiliate link).
- From the airport. Larnaca airport is the closest international airport to the capital, roughly a 40 to 50 minute drive depending on traffic. Book a meet and greet through Welcome Pickups (affiliate link) or a private transfer through KiwiTaxi.
- By car. Parking in the centre of Nicosia can be tight in the evening. If you are renting a car for the trip, compare prices on Auto Europe (affiliate link), and consider leaving it at the hotel for the night.
- On foot. If you are staying in the centre, it is a short walk from the old city and the main shopping streets.
Where Should You Stay in Nicosia?
If you are travelling to Nicosia for a night or two and want to eat at Henry’s, stay in the centre. A hotel near the old city lets you walk to dinner, have a proper drink and get back without a taxi. Our Nicosia guide covers the main areas, and our guide to living in Nicosia explains how the city works day to day.
Nicosia is not a beach destination, so most visitors combine it with Limassol or Larnaca. If you are building a longer trip, see our Limassol guide for the coast, and book a data plan for the trip through Airalo eSIM (affiliate link) so you can book tables and taxis on arrival.
What Else Is There to Do in Nicosia Before Dinner?
Nicosia works well as an afternoon and evening. Walk the old city inside the Venetian walls, visit the Cyprus Museum or the Leventis Municipal Museum, then cross the buffer zone crossing on Ledra Street if you want to see the divided side of the city. Guided tours and tickets are listed on Klook (affiliate link) and Tiqets (affiliate link).
Then walk to Henry’s for a drink at the bar before you sit down. That is the order we would recommend, and it makes the most of the location.
What Do Other Diners Say?
We keep this separate from our own visits, because one meal should never define a restaurant, and neither should the opinions of a handful of diners. The pattern online is mostly positive. Diners praise the food, the presentation, the cocktails, the music and the staff, and many describe it as a special place to eat in the capital.
The criticism centres on kitchen consistency and menu availability, with the tomahawk example above. The Cyprus Mail review from 2024 was positive on the venue and the burger and mixed on the starters and pasta. Taken together, that matches our own experience: a polished place with an uneven kitchen.
Who Is Henry’s For?
It suits people who want a smart dinner in central Nicosia, groups with different tastes, anyone who cares about wine and cocktails, and visitors who want one polished meal in the capital. It also suits business dinners, because the room is impressive and the service is professional.
It suits you less if you want a cheap meal, a traditional Cypriot tavern or a reliable steak. For tavern food, our Taverna tou Theodosi review is a better guide.
Tips for Your Visit
- Book ahead, especially for Friday and Saturday evenings and terrace tables in warm weather.
- Start at the bar. It is the strongest part of the restaurant.
- Ask about wine by the glass and about any current offers.
- Be careful with the tomahawk. Check the weight and the cut before you commit.
- Take a taxi. It is an easy way to enjoy the wine list without worrying about the drive.
- Ask for the dessert. The complimentary matcha ice cream has been a nice finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Henry’s Nicosia Good?
Yes. We rate it 4 out of 5. The venue, the drinks and the service are excellent, but the kitchen can be inconsistent, especially on steak.
Is Henry’s Nicosia Expensive?
By Nicosia standards, yes. Mains started at around 16 to 30 euro in 2024, and steaks and sharing cuts cost much more. Check the current menu before you book.
Where Is Henry’s in Nicosia?
It is at Makariou Avenue 30B, in the centre of the city, close to the main pedestrian streets.
Do You Need to Book Henry’s?
We recommend it, especially at weekends. Call 22 351111 or use the restaurant’s online booking page.
What Should I Order at Henry’s?
The burger is great, and the drinks menu is the real highlight. Choose fish or a smaller steak over a large sharing cut, and ask what is freshest on the day.
Where Is the Best Place to Eat in Nicosia?
It depends on what you want. For a smart modern dinner, Henry’s. For fish, Pyxida. For a traditional meal, a village tavern such as Taverna tou Theodosi. See our guide to the best restaurants in Cyprus for more.
How Do I Get to Henry’s From Larnaca Airport?
The drive is roughly 40 to 50 minutes. Book a private transfer with KiwiTaxi (affiliate link), or rent a car through Auto Europe (affiliate link).
Where Should I Stay Near Henry’s?
Choose a hotel in the centre of Nicosia near the old city so you can walk. Our Nicosia guide covers the main areas.
Final Verdict
Henry’s is a very good restaurant that used to be better. The room, the bar and the wine list are the best reasons to go, the staff are a pleasure, and the menu has a range that few Cyprus restaurants can match. The burger is great, the perks are generous and the location is hard to beat.
The slide is real, though. Prices have gone up while the quality control has slipped, and a tomahawk that is mostly fat is not acceptable at this level. If Henry’s tightened its checks and brought back the veal schnitzel, it would deserve a higher score. Until then it earns a strong 4 out of 5, and it remains one of the best places to eat in Nicosia.
To see how it compares with every other restaurant we have reviewed, see our guide to the best restaurants in Cyprus, and read how we review for how we judge them.