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Al Ajami
One can’t help but feel nostalgic for the classic fine-dining restaurants of yesteryear when at Al Ajami, located across the street from Ramlet el-Bayda beach. Perhaps it’s the combination of white tablecloths, leather seats, and attentive black-suited waiters, but there’s...
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Al Falamanki
This Beirut institution is a café/watering hole that was built as a son’s homage to his father. The owner Amis adored his father Khalil Al Falamanki, who was a wrestler before becoming the personal bodyguard of an Egyptian business tycoon...
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Casablanca
Located in a sea-facing villa, Casablanca feels like a slice of California in the Middle East. The dining room has high ceilings, red walls and modern lighting that accentuates the bones of the historic house. The Lebanese owner’s wife is...
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Em Sherif
A restaurant so popular, it has spawned three additional locations in Dubai, Doha, and Kuwait City, the original Em Sherif takes diners on a culinary journey across the finest flavors of Lebanon. It’s got exceptional mezze (and perhaps the world’s...
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Em Sherif Sea Café
The newest restaurant in the Em Sherif empire, this location in the Zaitouna Bay Marina serves the same reliably delicious Lebanese food (traditional mezzes and fish) as the original outpost in a slightly more casual atmosphere.
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Enab
Enab greets your senses with a mix of souvenirs from the past and the present. With an exquisitely designed interior that recalls the glamour of old-world Beirut and a menu that perfects traditional Lebanese dishes, Enab is a winning choice...
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Ferdinand
Head to Hamra, a popular nightlife district, to grab a bite at Ferdinand. This sophisticated gastropub has dim lighting, dark wooden fixtures, and boozy cocktails to match, with a staff just as warm and inviting as the ambience. Go big...
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Hanna Mitri
At Hanna Mitri, be prepared to indulge in the best ice cream in Beirut—maybe even the world. Founder Hanna Mitri has been freshly churning bouza, Arabic-style ice cream that has a satisfying stretchiness to it, for over 60 years. This...
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Hotel Albergo Rooftop
The Hotel Albergo has a charming rooftop restaurant with views over the city and lantern-lit tables. Have a drink in the charming upper floor bar that was decorated by Jacques Garcia, with a 1930s colonial vibe, and then head up...
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Joseph Restaurant
There’s nothing at all fancy about Joseph Restaurant, a shawarma institution by Al Saydeh church in Sin el Fil, but that’s the point. A local favorite for its succulent beef and chicken pita sandwiches, the rotating spits of meat seem...
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Liza
With an interior as glamorous as its clientele, Liza also hits it out of the park with its refined menu of classic Lebanese dishes. Highlights include kreidess bel arak (shrimp with fennel and tomatoes), fattit battenjane bel habak (eggplant and...
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M. Sahyoun
Ask any local about M. Sahyoun and they’ll likely confirm its status as the best falafel in Beirut, maybe the world. Family-run since its opening in 1935, this tiny joint prides itself in selling one thing: its signature falafel sandwich....
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Tawlet
Tucked in a quiet corner of the buzzing Mar Mikhael neighborhood, Tawlet was founded by Kamal Mouzawak, creator of the country’s best-known farmer’s market, Souk el Tayeb. Possibly the most recommended restaurant in Beirut, Tawlet’s daily rotation of freshly prepared dishes,...
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The Gathering
Anchored by a majestic olive tree within a shared courtyard, The Gathering is comprised of three distinct restaurant concepts: an Italian cantina, a bar/cellar, and a grill house, each situated within stately 18th-century houses. Tucked away from busy Rue Pasteur,...