We leave Kyrenia behind us and head out west. The landscape varies in shades of green as we drive along the coast parallel to the clear blue Mediterranean Sea. After a while we reach our goal, the restaurant Ocean Breeze in Karsiyaka. The renowned restaurant is known for its location and for its tranquility, right next to the sea. It is a popular destination for those who want to get away from the city stress without having to travel too far. Here you can relax and just be.
We found Ugur Belet, who has now owned the appreciated restaurant for two years. He greets us with a charming smile and a firm handshake. It is Sunday afternoon, and the room is filled with families who are here to have a long lunch. Many are local, but there are also foreign tourists who stopped along the way to enjoy the Cypriot hospitality. “We have guests coming from all over Cyprus,” says Ugur. “We also have many Russian and Scandinavian tourists who come here, I myself have several Swedish friends that I met here.”
The menu includes fresh fish, kebabs and other Cypriot dishes. Ocean Breeze also has a private picnic area with 16 tables that you can book and bring your own food to. This is very popular, especially on weekends, and it is usually fully booked. Below the restaurant a large sandy beach spreads out where Ocean Breeze’s guests can swim. Same parts of the year, the water sinks down and forms a natural swimming pool, perfect for children to swim in. The beach is a known turtle beach which each year attracts many visitors who want to see the turtles hatch. Three years in a row, the Ocean Breeze team along with Karsiyaka Turtle Watch arranged a Turtle Party, a big party where people gather and help the turtles on their way down to the sea.
We walk out on the large terrace overlooking the sea. The sun spreads a warm light over the bay and the beach is full of bathers. It’s really a relaxed atmosphere. Ugur stops at one of the tables and chats with some regulars. He says that they usually arrange karaoke nights in the fall, but in the summer, he wants to preserve the natural serenity.
The restaurant is open every day from 10:30 until late.
Phone: 0533 832 70 02
