Restaurants in Damascus
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A
Leila's Restaurant & Terrace
This al fresco rooftop restaurant overlooking Umayyad Mosque has the most magical setting in Damascus, especially for sunset drinks - the fresh mint lemonade is thirst-quenching - or later for dinner when the city lights twinkle. The menu features delicious Arabic mezze - try the eggplant kibbeh (cracked-wheat croquettes) - and succulent grills. Alcohol is served, but it's not on the menu - ask the waiter what is available.
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Beit Jabri
Popular with locals and tourists alike, this casual café in the lovely courtyard of a splendid old Damascene house serves up Syrian standards like mezze and kebabs, alongside international dishes such as 'beef stricanof'. Locals mainly come for the sheesha and coffee, but the fresh juices are delicious.
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Bekdach
A purveyor of scrumptious ice creams made with sahlab (like semolina powder). The generous servings of creamy ice cream are topped with crushed pistachio nuts. A souq shopping must.
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Aldar Restaurant
In a chic conversion of an old Damascene building, stylishly blending old and new, Aldar dishes up some of the tastiest Syrian cuisine in the city, with creative touches added to classics. For starters, don't miss the tasty, cheese borek (filled pastry) and the spicy sojok meatballs with a green pepper, onion and tomato sauce. Book a table for the live jazz on Tuesday night. Alcohol served, credit cards accepted.
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Abu al-Azz
This place is popular with locals as much as tourists - Arab families pack the place over summer. Look for the sign 'Rest. Al Ezz Al Shamieh Hall', then pass through the bustling ground-floor bakery and up a narrow staircase to two floors of dining; the upper level is the most atmospheric. Expect mezze, salads and kebabs, live Oriental music all day, and whirling dervishes in the evening from around 22:30. No alcohol served.
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Al-Hallabi
This is the city's best restaurant, serving up refined Aleppan cuisine in opulent surroundings. Don't miss classics like kibbeh safarjalieh (kibbeh with quince and pomegranate sauce), or one of Chef Mohammed's own inventions such as shahba hommos (hummus with mouhamara - a spicy capsicum dip). There's excellent service and a superb wine list, and credit cards are accepted.
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Downtown
You're more likely to hear French being spoken than Arabic at this hip contemporary café. It has sleek Scandinavian-style décor (think chocolate wood and clean lines) and the most decadently delicious sandwiches, salads and fresh juices in Damascus. Try the caviar en croute sandwich with cucumber, dill, caviar, cream cheese and a boiled egg, and the strawberry and blackberry juice.
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Elissar
The atmosphere in the lovely courtyard of this old Damascene favourite, with fairy lights and trickling fountain, surpasses the quality of food and service these days (both of which are hit and miss). However, it's popular with the diplomatic crowd, who garner more attention than most patrons. When the Syrian and French dishes are good they're great. Alcohol served, no credit cards.
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Al-Arabi
Situated on a pedestrianised street off the southeastern corner of Al-Merjeh, Al-Arabi consists of two adjacent cheap restaurants, one more casual, the other a little fancier with a separate family section. Perhaps only for the culinary adventurous, specialities include sheep testicles, sheep-brain salad with potatoes, and the local favourite, fried sheep brain with two fried eggs.
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Al-Khawali
Devotees swear the Syrian cuisine served here is some of the best in the city. Try the jedy bzeit (lamb with lemon sauce), shish taouk (marinated chicken on skewers) served in pottery Turkish-style, or the chef's special chicken and thyme. It's off Straight St, in a beautifully renovated old Damascene house. No alcohol or credit cards.
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Gemini
This ever-popular eatery sees affluent groups of friends and families filling its tables for long leisurely meals. It's very Western, with a menu embracing Tex-Mex, French and Italian (from nachos and fajitas to pastas and veal escalope), good glasses of white wine, and Norah Jones on the stereo. Alcohol is served and credit cards are accepted.
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Abu Rashid
Of the many pastry shops on the southern side of Al-Merjeh, one of the best is Abu Rashid, down the pedestrian lane on the southeastern corner of the square and up the top of the steps. It does delicious kibbeh, cheese or meat borek, and ouzi sarrar, a samosa-like pastry of rice, meat, peas and spices.
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Casablanca
While Damascenes dress up on weekend nights, when cheesy live piano music is on offer, management is forgiving of travellers dropping by this elegant local favourite in casual gear. The French-heavy menu also features delicious Syrian standards such as mezze mixed grills. Alcohol is served and credit cards are accepted.
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La Casa
Popular with middle-class Damascenes, who hang out here for hours playing backgammon and smoking sheesha, this is one of the few places where you'll see local girls drinking nonalcoholic beer. The menu features sandwiches and pastas, but the big fresh salads are the local dish of choice. No alcohol or credit cards.
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Art Café Ninar
Don't be surprised if you see local artists sitting at the wooden tables painting and sketching, or a poet jotting lines of verse in a notebook. Damascus' bohemian set flocks to this casual eatery in a big stone building, for the art exhibitions, excellent pizza and cheap beer. Be a local and drop by late.
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Bab Sharqi
It's hard to get a table out the front of this excellent pizzeria-cum-takeaway place, especially on a summer evening, when students linger over cheap cold beers, bottles of Syrian wine, Italian-style pizzas and delicious toshka (Armenian toasted meat and cheese sandwiches).
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Al-Sehhi
This modest family restaurant confines itself to the basics - mezze, grilled meats, and very good fatta (an oven-baked bread dish soaked in tahini and spread with chickpeas, minced meat or chicken). There's a separate 'family area' for women diners. No alcohol or cards.
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Al-Masri
Al-Masri 'The Egyptian' is popular with local office workers, with a menu featuring the kind of home-cooked fare you'd find in Cairo's backstreets, along with local favourites such as shakshouka (fried egg and mince meat) and shish taouk.
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Old Town
Expensive cars are often parked outside this long-established restaurant in an elegant covered courtyard. Italian is served up alongside Arabic and French. Unfortunately service can be dreadful. Alcohol is served but it doesn't take credit cards.
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Oxygen
This eatery-cum-bar has a dance-club vibe, especially late at night when the big-screen TV blares. The Syrian and French food offers no surprises but it's good for groups, especially if you want to stay on and drink for a while after dinner.
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Al-Kamal
Located near the main tourist office, this place resembles a Parisian bistro. Regulars come for the good-value French plats du jour and home-style Syrian dishes, including kabsa (spiced rice with chicken or lamb).
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Anas Chicken
Locals swear this is the best eatery on the street. Its speciality is succulent roasted chicken with thick, hot, freshly fried potato crisps, and there are also tangy chicken shwarmas.
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Arabesque
Dress up a little for this elegant, cosy local favourite serving up the usual Syrian and French cuisine. There's a decent wine selection but no credit cards are accepted.
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Pizza Roma
You can eat in or take away from this casual pizzeria west of Cham Palace, where the speciality is American-style deep-pan pizza and pasta. No alcohol or credit cards.
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Pit Stop Café
This buzzy modern eatery below Gemini serves up delicious cheesy pizzas, crepes and salads.
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