My wife and I are currently in Bordeaux, France, attending the CAFA Wine School “Go to Wine School in Bordeaux“. Before our classes began, we visited Cyprus, known for its delicious Cypriot cuisine. One of the most intriguing dishes I tried was sheep’s head, called “Kefalaki” in Greek, which means “little head” (goat head can also be used). Not to be confused with tasty Sheepshead fish.
Traditionally, preparing and serving sheep’s head was essential to ensure that no part of the animal went to waste. Today, it is considered a delicacy appreciated for its different textures: flavorful meat, chewy tongue, and tender brain. The practice of serving sheep’s head at feasts and special occasions continues to be popular among Cypriots.
I Tried Sheep Head at Militzis Restaurant
Militzis Restaurant in Larnaca is where I tried Cypriot sheep’s head. Militzis is one of the oldest family-run restaurants on the island, renowned for its local meat dishes. They prepare the sheep’s head by first grilling the entire head and then placing it in a pressure cooker to enhance its tenderness. The dish was served whole, featuring the jaws, tongue, cheeks, eyeballs, and brain, pictured below.
Before serving, the head was cut in half to expose the brain, making it easier to access for eating, as pictured below.
What my Friends had to Say
When I sent the images to some friends on WhatsApp, I received a variety of responses.
The FlanMan: “Ouch. No, thank you.”
The Sicilian: “😳prehistoric cuisine?!”
The Bernmister: “Whoa! Not sure about that, man 😆”
The Hawaiian: “Oh my!”
The Cypriot: “Wow? How did u like it?” I answered, “The potatoes were good.”
Sheep’s head is not only a Cypriot Dish
Sheep’s head is not only a dish from Cyprus; it is also prepared and served in various ways throughout Western Asia. Countries such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen all have their own versions of this dish.
However, sheep’s head is not limited to Western Asia. For instance, in Norway, it is a traditional dish served during Christmas time, known as “Smalahove.” This consists of a salt-cured, smoked, and steamed sheep’s head.
According to the “Visit Norway” tourism website, the Voss family produces and sells 70,000 portions of smalahove every autumn, from September to December—now that is a lot of sheep heads!
Iceland also has its version of this dish, called Svið, where the sheep’s head is cut in half and boiled.
In Kazakh culture, which belongs to a Turkic ethnic group native to Central Asia and Eastern Europe, presenting a boiled sheep’s head to the most respected guest is a long-standing tradition during celebrations.
Overall, sheep’s head is a traditional and nostalgic dish found worldwide—a culinary trophy for true food enthusiasts. If you ever have the chance, consider giving it a try.
Very engaging depiction. I imagine it all could be quite tasty, flantastic even.. But psychologically I could not eat it.