Lebanon

Beirut

Spots

Late Night Eats

Sandwich

Restaurant

Takeaway 

Jabbour

Lebanese

Live Music

Nightlife

Food

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Dinner

Lunch

Mezyan Pub

Molo

Brunch

Coffee

Riwaq

Where to Eat Out in Beirut

BKLAVA 

London

Maroush is situated on Edgware Road. There’s actually a chain of Maroushs' in and around the city. The restaurant is owned by a couple that have a very interesting origin story in this country: "When my wife Houda and I arrived in London over 35 years ago war was raging in our home country, Lebanon. It felt sad leaving our family and friends behind, but Londoners received us with a warm and genuine welcome. My mum had also fled Lebanon in 1984 to escape the Civil War and managed to get a job in the city, during this time she spent a lot of time in Maroushs’.

Cedar is located in South Wimbledon, near where I grew up. Not only does it have the best and most authentic Lebanese food, but I hold it close to my heart because it’s where my family and I would always go out to eat when I was growing up and even to this day! One of my Teta’s favourites too. My Teta always cooked the best Lebanese/Armenian food so I always trusted her judgement on this one being authentic.

Noura is located in Mayfair. Another spot my mum used to go to after work in the city. They play live music and have upstairs/downstairs seating. With a lot Lebanese spots normally being quite small and intimate, this makes a whole new experience with lots of buzzing atmosphere. The restaurants journey began in the 70s at the very start of the Civil War and they opened up a restaurant in Paris in 1980 before opening another few in London.

Le Val is based in Kingston. We eat here as a family whenever we are in the area. The restaurant is light and airy and has the most amazing Knafeh! I remember once sitting in there with my parents and sisters and it felt weird being there without the whole family, so we called my Aunty and Uncle last minute and they came and bought all of my cousins too. We ended up having an enormous feast.

Tooting is known for it’s British-Asian community, which is why walking through Tooting Market has always been special to me, the market plays host to a wide range of Asian and African cuisines and the fact that I used to visit here with my Teta makes it extra special.

Impact Lebanon is a non-profit organisation based around the world, including the UK. They help Beirut from Beirut itself, especially during the recent explosion that caused devastation and heartbreak to Lebanese people throughout the world. They also helped to bring aid to Beirut from all over the globe. At the time of the recent explosion, Beirut was in the mist of a revolution and a pandemic. Impact Lebanon have been there for the people, trying to help them through this devastating time.

London's Lebanese Spots with Bklava

Sama Beydoun 

Best hidden spot for a good coffee in the heart of the city. You can grab coffee during the day and catch some live music at night. Ask for Youssef, he'll tell you all about the space or he’ll hit you up with some special recommendations. My favorites are the ginger lemon honey tea or the iced doppio, that you can ask the waiter for, it’s off the menu.

Exquisite brunch or sandwiches with beautiful sunlight if you’re sitting outside. I often pass by for coffee too. If it gets crowded it extends onto the facing staircases, for a drink literally on the streets on Beirut. Ask for Antoine, he’s the sweetest and the funniest, he’s usually there until the afternoon, probably singing along to the music spreading his joie-de-vivre.

For film photographers and printmaking lovers, I develop my films at the Beirut printmaking studio, hidden in an alley in Gemmayzeh. Tarek opened this space to gather artists, photographers and creatives, where they can take different printmaking, developing and darkroom classes. Ask him about the names of the cats. You’re in for a ride.

If you’re looking for a special gift or a souvenir, Plan Bey is the ideal stop. Posters, books, prints and many projects that carry so much of Beirut’s visual identity and spirit. The selection of artists is amongst Lebanon’s finest in the contemporary art scene. If you take the stairs you get to the coffeeshop too, it’s beautiful.

Souk el Tayeb is a farmer’s market that happens every Saturday where you can buy vegetables from the farmers themselves. Fresh, fair, colorful, and so tasty. There’s also stands with delicious recipes and innovative projects reviving or revisiting some culinary Lebanese traditions. You must try Em Ali’s manoushe, you will not regret it.

For an afternoon meeting, an evening date or a late night drink, Molo never fails me. “Molo” is the name of the owner herself, who’s often serving you your food or your “Mexican beer” (light beer with lemon juice and salt, delicious). She can always recommend the latest addition to the menu. It has a great outdoors sitting area in the Badaro neighborhood, where you’ll have plenty of choices for the bar that will follow.

Ballroom Blitz is definitely a must if you’re a nightlife lover and a club hopper. It’s located in an industrial area, where more than one club are located. The 3-room experience offers different styles with their respective selection of fine DJs. You won’t come out before you can’t stand on your feet anymore, still wanting more. A cherished space-space for sure.

When you come out of Ballroom Blitz in the middle of the night completely famished, jump to Jabbour, nearby, to grab one of the best Shawarmas in town. Special tip: Ask the man making you the sandwich to add some grenadine molasse to it. An explosion of taste.

For a proper Lebanese lunch or dinner, locals eat at Mezyan, in the Hamra neighborhood. I can’t even begin to count all the things on the menu that are worth trying: Cashew Halloumi, Eggplant Fatté, Batata Harra, Fattoush, obviously hummus. Oh and a pitcher of Araq of course. Choose a night with live music, it often ends up being a party.

For proper sunset and sea view, get ready to trespass the metal fence from the Corniche (don’t panic, everyone does). Grab a snack, a hot drink as it gets windy and choose where you would like to sit, vue-sur-mer. The blessing of living so close to the Mediterranean Sea.

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Where to Eat Out in Beirut

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