Lebanese restaurants in Middle East
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Abdel Wahab el-Inglizi
Set in a nice old Ottoman house, this place is a favourite with locals for its table-bending buffets. It is a great choice if you're hungry for high quality mezze and are a particular fan of hummus, of which there's numerous varieties - it won't leave you much room for dessert.
reviewed
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B
Al-Balad
This place offers the tastiest, best-value Lebanese mezze in Downtown, and is especially popular with lunching business people. The spicy red hummus, in particular, is well worth a dip.
reviewed
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Automatic Restaurant
This Lebanese eatery is a branch of the successful national chain, and while everything on the menu is good, their tangy shwarmas are some of the most delicious around.
reviewed
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D
Al-Meshwar
Long the most popular eatery in town, this excellent restaurant (in a bizarre building that looks like a cross between a set from the Flintstones and a crusader castle) serves up the best Lebanese food outside of Lebanon. The appetiser plate is delicious (the spicy sausages are scrumptious!) and excellent value. Add a fattoosh salad and baba ghanooj and it's enough to fill two. Make sure to try the fresh pomegranate juice. If you're with a big group, phone ahead and order the house speciality Ouzie (a moist tender roast whole lamb with rice and pine nuts). Sit in the sheesha section downstairs – the people-watching possibilities alone make a visit worthwhile.
reviewed
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E
Tawaheen al-Hawa
Reem al-Bawadi and Tawaheen al-Hawa are two huge restaurant complexes popular with tour groups and Jordanian families. They're a bit far from the centre but are a good option if you want to try some upper-end Jordanian and Lebanese food. Both menus include a wide range of mezze and grills, giving you a chance to explore beyond the normal felafel and hummus dishes. You can eat on brass tables in the cavernous main halls or in Bedouin tents, either way the live music gets things going.
The Reem has a traditional bread oven and is perhaps better for couples. If you're headed to Tawaheen al-Hawa, look for the windmill symbol on the wall as there's no English sign.
reviewed
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Karam Beirut
Outpost of the famous Beirut restaurant, Karam’s extensive menu showcases everything you’ll find in Lebanon, including its most ambitious dishes – even lamb’s brain – all meticulously presented. There are six types of kibbeh (raw lamb), stellar mezze including a velvety hummus, and creative kebabs, one flavoured with pistachio and white cheese. The room’s look is decidedly upmarket (comb your hair), but a wall of windows overlooking Ski Dubai adds levity (call ahead for a window table; bring a sweater). Full bar. Note: service is erratic and the kitchen sends everything at once; order piecemeal.
reviewed
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G
Awtar
Locals love the opulent Bedouin-tent-like atmosphere and warm welcome of this formal Lebanese restaurant, complete with a belly dancer and live band – it’s not uncommon for women to stand up, clap and sway to the music. The menu lists the usual mezzes and kebabs, as well as a full page of raw-meat dishes, all served in mountainous portions. If you’re loath to shout over the noise, book for 8pm. But for maximum fun, round up a posse and come at 10pm, when the scene gets rockin’. Request one of the swoop-backed booths for the best views.
reviewed
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Lebanese House
A five- to 10-minute walk from Jerash’s centre, this is a much-loved favourite for local families, with outdoor seating and a kids’ play area. The menu here (as its name implies) is decidedly Lebanese, and offers a broad range of mezzes including everything from frogs legs to shinklish (tangy white cheese). Culinary daredevils can try a pair of hot and buttery cow testicles, washed down by a glass of local Machereus white wine. Maybe just stick to the basics…
reviewed
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H
Al-Nafoorah
Tucked away in the base of Emirates Towers, Al-Nafoorah’s clubby, wood-panelled dining room feels like a Wall St power-lunch spot. The mezzes stand out – try the kibbeh (raw lamb) – more than the kebabs on the classic Lebanese menu, but really, the kitchen does everything quite well, if not beautifully. It’s quieter and more formal than most Lebanese restaurants, making this a great choice for a dressy-casual night out without the noisy fanfare of the big Lebanese party places.
reviewed
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Seaside Road
The best place for cheap eats is the stretch of felafel, seafood and mezze joints surrounding the Al-Qualaa Hotel on the seaside road, opposite the Sea Castle. A very popular local choice here is Abou Ramy, though all the places offer comparable quality and prices and are packed at weekends. Wandering the souq, you'll also smell tempting, cinnamon-tinged aromas wafting from tiny eating establishments. Follow your nose to a cheap and delicious lunch in its atmospheric hidden alleyways.
reviewed
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Zaatar W Zeit
In the wee hours, this Lebanese fast-food joint gets howling with night owls hoping to restore balance to the brain with manaeesh – flatbread topped with cheese, tomatoes, minced meats or, of course, zaatar (thyme, sesame, marjoram and oregano). Think Lebanese pizza. Laban taza (salted yoghurt drink) goes best with ’em, not cola. Other branches are in Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates and on The Walk at JBR.
reviewed
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J
Al-Mijana
The wooden ceiling, keyhole windows and sweeping arches lend the dining room an abbey-like simplicity, but the Lebanese party scene is anything but subdued. Book a 10pm table, just before the belly dancer arrives, and fill the table with mezze and kebabs; if you’re an intrepid foodie, order the pomegranate-lemon sauté of sparrows. The food’s great, but the real reason to come is to whoop it up, spontaneously dance, and laugh too loud. Even the waiters join in.
reviewed
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K
Al-Tannour
While its traditional village-style décor doesn’t excite, the smell of freshly baked bread does. So does the rest of the food – this is some of the most authentic Lebanese food in Dubai. Go with a group that likes to get noisy, and fill the table with mezze from the unusually long list; round out the meal with a couple of grilled dishes (try the chicken). Book for around 10.30pm for maximum fun, when the band and belly dancer really get going.
reviewed
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'46
Named after the year the owner's father opened the restaurant, '46 has a solid Italian/international menu. The friendly waiters, relaxed atmosphere and large windows overlooking the Corniche make it a cut above Tripoli's other dining choices. Try the rich, spicy pasta Arrabiata; the 'Rockford filet' - allegedly involving steak and blue cheese - is excellent. The entrance is at the back of the building; you won't miss the restaurant when cruising the Corniche.
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Sidra
Of all the Beirut-style pavement cafes lining pedestrian-friendly Al-Diyafah Rd, our top pick for mezzes is Sidra. Fantastic fattoosh, zinging muttabal (purée of aubergine mixed with tahini, yoghurt and olive oil), creamy-rich hummus, tangy tabouli and fresh, hot bread. The kebabs are okay, but the dips are what’s best. Inside is ugly; sit on the pavement and soak up the street scene. Ideal after a night out.
reviewed
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Chandelier
You'd be forgiven for thinking that Chandelier was the only restaurant around - to most Lebanese expats, it is! This stylish slice of Beirut is known for its excellent mezze, grilled haloumi cheese and tasty sausages, such as makanek (spicy Arabic sausage with tomato, garlic and onion sauce). Meals usually finish with a marathon sheesha session. Great fun.
reviewed
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Diwan al-Sultan Ibrahim Restaurant
The Diwan comes highly recommended by wealthy locals and expats for its high-quality Lebanese food. Among the meals are frogs legs with garlic and coriander, and deep-fried brains (the last being something of an acquired taste). The fresh-fish selection is good, the batrkh (roe) is popular, and there are good salads and some Western dishes.
reviewed
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Rest House
Sidon's upscale option is this government-owned venue, overlooking the Sea Castle. It's a restored Ottoman khan, with vaulted ceilings and inlaid marble and stonework. The shaded garden terrace is on the edge of the sea and has a nice view of Sidon's seafront. Food here is traditional Lebanese, with good mezze, seafood and Lebanese wine.
reviewed
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Diwan Sultan Brahim
If you're looking for fine fish, it's hard to beat the freshest catch in tow. Select your own; the red mullet and deep-friend sardines (known as bizri) are house specialities. The excellent mezze are well known in Beirut, and it's a busy place particularly during the weekends, so be sure to book.
reviewed
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La Tabkha
Trendy Beirut chain serving contemporary versions of traditional French and Lebanese dishes in minimalist surroundings. The daily specials, chalked up on the board, are a great lunchtime option, as is the Lebanese mezze buffet. There's a second, equally yummy, branch on Rue Mahatma Gandhi in Hamra.
reviewed
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Zaatar w Zeit
This branch is busiest late at night when patrons from the nearby clubs flock here to re-energise over cheap and delicious manaeesh with a multitude of toppings. There is another branch on Rue Bliss that is equally popular, with AUB students there at all hours of the day and night.
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Tyros Restaurant
This is a huge place that's extremely popular with locals, especially on weekends when it's advisable to drop in during the afternoon to book a good table in advance. It has a great atmosphere, the food is delicious and there's frequently live classical Arabic music on Saturday nights.
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La Campagne
Though roomy and rambling, the place gets packed - it's rated by some as Riyadh's best Lebanese. The mezze are freshly made and the grills are something of a speciality. In warm weather, head for the lovely covered terrace at the back. Reserve 24 hours in advance; 48 hours at weekends.
reviewed
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Al-Qasr
Prepare to loosen your belt when tucking into this unbelievable cornucopia of delectables – meats, sushi, seafood, foie gras, beautiful salads, mezzes, all sorts of hot dishes, etc. It’s one of the most expensive brunch feasts in town but the quality and range justify the price tag.
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Barbar
The granddaddy of them all, this phenomenally popular chain sells manaeesh, shwarma, pastries, mezze, kebabs, ice cream and fresh juice. Join the hordes of people gobbling their snacks on the street in front, or organise to have food delivered to your hotel or apartment.
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