It is a semi-hard cheese that can be consumed in many different ways. It has a distinctive texture and is tasty, whether raw or cooked (grilled or fried). This white, semi-hard cheese has been produced in Cyprus for centuries, and to be considered authentic halloumi, it must be made from a specific amount of goat or sheep milk in villages where the milk itself is produced. It can also be made from cow milk (usually in large dairy units) or even from a mixture of the three types of milk.

Usually, salty halloumi is flavored with mint for long preservation. Its significant characteristic is that it does not melt at the high temperature developed during grilling. Halloumi has a long history. In the file published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus, Doge Leonardo Dona, who lived in Cyprus, refers to halloumi (calumi) in a handwritten document from 1556. Halloumi received PDO status from the EU in 2021.