Is Pyxida Limassol worth booking? Yes. It is a great looking fish restaurant over the water on Limassol Marina, the food is excellent, the sardines are a highlight, and the price feels fairer here than it does at the original in Nicosia. The service and the wine glasses are the two things that need work.
This is the marina sister of the original Pyxida in the capital, spelled Pixida in older press. We have reviewed the Nicosia restaurant separately, so here we focus on the waterside one.
Pyxida Limassol at a Glance
- Our rating: 4 out of 5. Book it.
- Best for: fish lovers, sunset dinners, visitors who want a waterside table, birthdays and long lunches.
- Best things: the fresh fish, the sardines and the setting over the marina.
- Weak spots: service can be uneven and the wine glasses do not match the wine list.
- Price: not cheap, but it feels more appropriate for a marina in Limassol than the same money does in Nicosia.
- Address: Limassol Marina. Phone 25 051200. Open daily, with lunch and dinner service.
- Verdict: book a table by the water.
Getting there: book a transfer with KiwiTaxi (affiliate link), compare hire cars on Auto Europe (affiliate link), or browse Limassol days out on Klook (affiliate link).
What Is Pyxida Limassol?
It is the second Pyxida, opened by the same two founders who built the Nicosia original more than ten years earlier. Both came from fish restaurant backgrounds, and the Limassol branch takes the same idea, a serious fish counter and a kitchen that cures its own small plates, and puts it on the water.
If you want the background on the original, our Pyxida Nicosia review covers the city restaurant. The short version is that the food is very similar, and the setting is what separates them.
What Is the Setting Like?
This is the strongest part. It is a great looking restaurant over the water, with the marina in front of you. Earlier press describes wrap around windows and a warm interior in wood and earth tones, and the room still feels designed rather than accumulated. After the Nicosia building, which looks as though it has been extended several times, the Limassol room feels coherent.
That matters more than people admit. A fish dinner with the sea in view tastes better, and the marina gives the evening a sense of occasion without a dress code. Arrive for the last of the light if you can. Our Limassol guide covers what else to do around the marina, and a transfer through KiwiTaxi (affiliate link) saves you from hunting for parking.
What Is the Food Like?
Very good, and very close to the Nicosia menu, which is a compliment. There are fantastic dishes here, built on a wide choice of fresh fish and a set of small plates. The cured and marinated sardines are the ones we keep coming back to, and the fish is what you come for.
The Sardines
We love them. They are bright, salty and clean, and they are the dish that tells you the kitchen understands fish. If you order one thing to judge the place, order these.
The Fish
Pick from the fresh selection, and ask the weight and price before it is cooked. That is good advice at any restaurant that sells fish by weight, and it keeps the bill honest. A larger fish shared between several people usually works out better than separate plates.
What Others Order
We keep this separate from our own meals. Other diners and press reviews praise the octopus, the sea bass, the fish croquettes and the squid ink dish, and a seafood meze that has run to around 19 plates. There is also a raw bar, and some reviewers mention sushi prepared in view of the dining room. Menus change, so check what is on when you book.
Is Pyxida Limassol Expensive?
It is not cheap, and nobody expects a marina fish restaurant to be. The honest comparison is with Nicosia. The two Pyxida restaurants sit in a similar price range, but the same money buys a very different evening. Over the water in the Limassol marina, the price feels justified. On a back street in Nicosia, it feels high.
The two cities also serve different markets. Limassol has a wealthier, more international crowd and a restaurant scene priced for it. You cannot compare the spending power in Nicosia with the spending power here, and that is part of why the Limassol price sits more comfortably. For us it is the more appropriately priced of the two.
How Is the Wine?
Good. The wine selection is a strong point, with enough choice to match the fish properly. It is exactly the kind of list that deserves better glassware.
That is the problem. The glasses are not good enough. We judge every restaurant above about 40 euro a head on this, and a thin lipped proper wine glass matters when you are charging this much and pouring decent wine. A thick glass that feels like a mug takes the edge off a good bottle. Pyxida Limassol needs to improve here, as the Nicosia restaurant does. It is cheap to fix and it would lift the whole evening. Our guide to traditional Cypriot drinks covers what to order from the Cypriot side of the list.
How Is the Service?
Better framed as uneven. Earlier press called the service excellent, while some more recent diner reviews describe it as unfriendly, including one account of a request to change tables being refused when the table stayed empty. That variation tells you the experience depends on the night and the section you are in.
Our advice is to book, say what you want, and ask for a table by the window when you reserve. Sundays and holidays are the busiest times, and a weekday lunch or a later dinner tends to give a calmer room.
Pyxida Limassol or Pyxida Nicosia?
If you are choosing, go to Limassol for the evening out. The food is very similar, the setting is better and the price feels fairer for what you get. Go to Nicosia if you live in the capital and want a fish counter without leaving town. Read our Pyxida Nicosia review for the detail, including why we think it is expensive for the city.
Some people insist the original is the better restaurant. We think part of that is loyalty to the first one, and part is that the Nicosia crowd likes to call it the high end of the capital. We rate Limassol higher because the whole package, room, view and price, adds up better.
What Else Is Nearby?
The marina is a good place to build an evening around. Walk the waterfront before dinner, and plan a late drink afterwards. If you want fine dining on the same stretch of coast, our BEGE review covers another fish restaurant on the marina. For a traditional meze in the old town instead, see Meze Taverna.
If you are weighing a move or a longer stay, our guide to living in Limassol covers the city day to day, and you can compare hire cars on Auto Europe (affiliate link) if you want to explore beyond the coast.
Who Is Pyxida Limassol For?
It suits fish lovers, couples and groups who want a waterside dinner, visitors who want a proper Limassol evening, and anyone who enjoys cured small plates and good wine.
It suits you less if you want a cheap meal, a quiet back street tavern or a strictly traditional menu. For a village style meal outside the city, Taverna tou Theodosi is the benchmark.
Tips for Your Visit
- Book ahead, especially for Sundays, holidays and sunset.
- Ask for a window or waterside table when you reserve.
- Order the sardines first.
- Ask the price per kilo before choosing a whole fish.
- Take a transfer or taxi. Marina parking fills up in the evening.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pyxida Limassol Worth Visiting?
Yes. Fresh fish, standout sardines and a waterside room make it one of the better fish dinners on the marina.
Is Pyxida Limassol Expensive?
It is not cheap, but the price feels more appropriate for a marina in Limassol than the same money does in Nicosia.
Do You Need to Book?
Yes, particularly on Sundays, holidays and at sunset. Ask for a window table.
What Should I Order?
Start with the cured sardines, then choose fresh fish from the selection. Other diners also praise the octopus and the sea bass.
Is Pyxida Limassol Better Than Pyxida Nicosia?
We think so, for the setting and the price. The food is very similar. Our Pyxida Nicosia review explains the other side.
Is Pixida the Same as Pyxida?
Yes. The restaurant spells it Pyxida, and many people write Pixida.
How Do I Get to Pyxida Limassol?
Book a private transfer with KiwiTaxi (affiliate link), or compare hire cars on Auto Europe (affiliate link). Day trips from Limassol are listed on Klook (affiliate link).
Final Verdict
Pyxida Limassol takes everything good about the original and puts it in a better room at a price that feels easier to defend. The sardines and the fish earn the booking, the marina earns the evening, and a better wine glass and steadier service would make it close to a complete restaurant.
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.