Restaurants

Fixes up 365 plats du jour, one for each day of the year and popular specialties from around the world. Try their fresh fruit cocktails.

An organic and eco-living store showcasing the finest gourmet food from Europe and the US, award winning cosmetics from Australia and unique products like "Les Gourmandises de Lolita Lempicka". This store is where you will find all your exclusively organic ingredients and products, it also makes a great gift shop.

Our pick of the Lebanese restaurants. Abdel Wahab’s a gourmet Lebanese experience year-round, whether you’re seated in the hall downstairs or next to the bubbling fountain on the roof terrace. Lebanese food doesn’t come much better than this, and it won’t break the bank. Take your pick from the long, mouthwatering menu of mezze, the grills too are top quality. Make sure you book – this Beirut institution is popular with locals and tourists alike. Unmissable.

The Abela's have been in the catering business for generations and have gained a large market share in numerous Arab countries. The name has now moved to Beirut and taken the shape of Abela Delices, a company capable of catering for a capacity of as few as one diner to a massive dinner for 500 people.

Enjoy the laid-back atmosphere and the traditional mezze at very fair prices. Go for a traditional breakfast in the morning and enjoy the perfectly mixed homemade Arak in the evening.

Abou Joseph picked us up and we were soon winding beneath the tree-clad cliffs deep into the valley. For $25 a head, the table was spread with rustic mezze that were homemade down to the spicy shanklish cheese and labneh. An unfamiliar spinach-like leaf cooked in olive oil turned out to be Qarayteeshi, a rare plant that grows locally and only in spring. Just as the food was in harmony with the surroundings, so was the restaurant, open to the elements and overlooking one of the most devastatingly beautiful views this country has to offer, with the only music birdsong and the river rushing below. Grilled meat, sweets and fruit followed and were also wholesome and full of flavour. Call ahead for times and to book – Abou Joseph will open by arrangement when it’s quiet and will arrange a taxi to the main road or nearby towns and back (for a price – haggle beforehand if you can). If you’re in the valley on a fine day, this place buried deep in the holy valley is not to be missed. These are the moments when Lebanon delivers.

Intimate both in decor and service, Acapulco offers an impressive array of dishes to tease your palate all in a colourful and romantic interior with enchanting music and a special entertainment prgram every weekend.

Famous for its baklava and maamoul, this 1950 Oriental sweets house has branches even in the South of Lebanon. aside from the typical Lebanese sweets, their product range includes ice cream, petit fours, croissants, chocolates and Tunisian sweets. try their znoud el set and their lip-smacking date treats.

A downtown landmark in Lebanese restaurants offering a traditional local cuisine in a casual style. Try a selection of their mezza and their fruit cocktails.

High-end Italian restaurant, decorated with chandeliers, thick drapes and faux Renaissance paintings. Request the capellini with asparagus and white truffle oil or try one of the risottos.

Cafe/restaurant with a truly Beiruti experience. Relish in the remarkable setting and savour some of the most delicious flavours Lebanese cuisine has to offer.

Bucolic Lebanese cafe open 24/7, featuring a huge narguileh garden. Enjoy one of the best fattouches in town and delicious mezze and saj.

A long-standing spot for delicious quality Lebanese cuisine prepared the traditional way and served in a fancy interior and with an even fancier service.

A fine, though fairly pricey café in an old stone house offering a long menu of drinks and snacks – we recommend the Lebanese plat du jour. This is good brunch spot too, with a large breakfast buffet, and the outdoor seating’s a bonus.

Fantastic Armenian/Lebanese mezza and main dishes with a homemade Aleppo twist. Try the soujouk and basterma, the manteh or kafta in cherry sauce.

With a reputation of the highest standard, Sultan Brahim has been known for its superb traditional Lebanese cuisine for over 40 years. Enjoy a wide variety of fresh fish along with the best of the traditional Lebanese mezze. Other branches available: Antelias Hwy (04/03 414474).

Cavernous, even by Lebanese standards. This 1,000-odd-seater giant is nonetheless worth a visit even if there are only a few of you; residents say this is some of the best food around. Our visit delivered the goods: a menu with several unusual variations; even the trusty favourites were slightly surprising, in a good way. Go for the tangy kafta meatballs with pomegranate syrup and the Ehden speciality, kibbet qaras, a large, baked kibbeh strongly spiced with cinnamon and stuffed with pine nuts and minced meat. The spicy potatoes, too, were sublime. The panorama of the valley alone deserves the trip, as long as you get to sit near it.

Enjoy the wonders that Indian cuisine has to offer in the fancy setting of the Palm Beach Hotel lobby.

Exquisite French and Italian cuisine in a super chic and romantic setting and a view of the city. Try the risotto with Parma ham.

Chocolates, candies and marzipan. Sounds like your typical chocolatier, but this one has been around long enough to know how to please its customers. With tasty chocolates and treats and beautiful arrangements, Alpina will wrap up the perfect gift or display trays for you and will have everybody asking.