Califorian Gold

North Nicosia (Lefkoşa)


The sprawling terrace here is nearly always packed with a youthful, well-heeled crowd tucking into dishes from fajitas to Asian noodles to Turkish kebab plates. It's a big ask for one kitchen to be able to prepare so many different cuisines, and it shows. Nevertheless, the sandwiches make a nice change from kebabs for lunch.

Note that, amusingly, the name is intentionally spelt this way to avoid any potential copyright infringements from the US sunshine state.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby North Nicosia (Lefkoşa) attractions

1. Museum of Barbarism

0.37 MILES

Set in the house where the family of Dr Nihat İlhan was murdered during 1963's intercommunal attacks, this museum is a gruesome reminder of the brutal and…

2. Ethnographic Museum of Cyprus

0.46 MILES

This eclectic museum in the New City is the work of Ergün Pektaş, who scoured Northern Cyprus to salvage and preserve local craftwork, day-to-day objects,…

3. Samanbahçe Quarter

0.69 MILES

This neighbourhood of whitewashed terraced cottages, tucked off Girne Caddesi, was Cyprus' first social housing project. Built in the early 20th century,…

4. Mevlevi Tekke Museum

0.69 MILES

This 17th-century former tekke (dervish house) was once Cyprus' central meeting place for the island's followers of the Mevlevi Order. Made famous by the…

5. Dr Fazil Küçük Museum

0.71 MILES

Doctor, newspaper publisher and politician Fazil Küçük was the Turkish Cypriot community's leader from the 1940s to '60s; when the Republic of Cyprus was…

6. Colonial Law Courts

0.72 MILES

This finely preserved example of colonial architecture was built during British rule in 1901. Today it carries on with its original function as the North…

7. Dervish Pasha Mansion

0.78 MILES

This small ethnographic museum is housed in a 19th-century mansion. Built in 1807, it belonged to wealthy a Turkish Cypriot, Derviş Paşa, who published…

8. Arabahmet Quarter

0.79 MILES

This neighbourhood rubbing up against the Green Line is home to well-preserved examples of Ottoman-era town-house architecture. The narrow alleyways are…