Beirut Restaurants

Food-lovers will be at home in Beirut, with an array of excellent restaurants and other eating options, along with plenty of local delicacies to sample and some top-quality international cuisine to be enjoyed.

Local cuisine

One of the best ways to enjoy some traditional Lebanese cuisine while in Beirut is to order a mezze, which comprises a range of hot and cold dishes, giving you an excellent opportunity to sample a wide range of foods.  A typical mezze starts with some salads such as tabboule (parsley and wheat) and then some hummus (chick pea dip), babaghanoush (puréed aubergine), which is often served with falafel and Lebanese breads. This is then followed by a meat course, and finished off with fresh fruit or a Lebanese dessert.

Some of the most popular meat dishes include lamb or chicken shawarma (roasted meat, thinly sliced) and lamb kafta (minced lamb with spices). Lebanese flat bread is usually served with every meal and is commonly used to eat with, in place of a fork.

The national drink of Lebanon is arak, an anise flavoured liqueur that is enjoyed after a meal or with some traditional Lebanese sweets. Lebanese pastries are famous, with baklawa, similar to the Greek style pastry, which is nutty, sweet and delicious. Ice cream is also very popular and comes in some interesting and unusual flavours.

Where to eat

There are a huge variety of eating options in Beirut, from simple, cheap and tasty snacks to an expensive gastronomic feast. The Achrafiyeh area has become extremely popular, with the district hosting some top restaurants, both Lebanese and international.

Abdul Wahad is one of the most famous restaurants for Lebanese cuisine although it can be quite expensive.  Al-Balad is a good mid-priced restaurant, with a relaxed and traditional feel. The restaurant is almost always busy and there’s a great vibe here.

There are a number of good restaurants in the Raouche area, and Aroma has a good reputation for international cuisine with a strong Asian influence. They also have live music and dance performances every night.

In addition, Beirut is dotted with small eateries serving cheap snacks such as shawarma, salads, falafel or various sandwiches, and these low-key eateries make economic and tasty choices.