Cyprus

Cyprus has a strong tradition of pepper cultivation in its Mediterranean climate, focusing on sweet frying peppers and moderately hot annuum types like long red chilies and local varieties akin to Turkish sivri biber and Greek “piperi pikantiko.” Commercial growers supply fresh markets and processors who pickle peppers or produce ajvar-like spreads.

In Cypriot cuisine, hot and mild peppers appear in sheftalia and souvlaki marinades, village stews, and meze platters. Long green chilies—similar to Anaheim or sivri—are grilled or fried and served with lemon and salt, while hotter red chilies may be dried and flaked. Pickled hot peppers accompany halloumi, olives, and cured meats.

Increasingly, imported jalapeño and Thai-type chilies are grown in greenhouses for restaurants catering to international tastes. While Cyprus lacks globally famous named hot cultivars, local long red and green chilies are integral to everyday dishes and mezze.