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There’s no city quite like Beirut, especially when it’s basking in the summer sun. To spice up your next trip to the Lebanese capital, here are 30 off-the-beaten-track tips by local writers and experts Words_Lucy Fielder, Hugh Macleod Restaurants & Cafés
Commodore Street, +961 1 347 531 02. Eat well and make a difference Ashghalouna is a charitable organisation giving Lebanon’s war widows a sense of purpose and a means of supporting themselves financially. On Friday lunchtimes, a group of women rustle up a feast of Lebanese home-cooking, and the secluded garden is a wonderful setting. Fares Nemr Street, Zarif, +961 1 366 758
Mayass, Achrafieh, +961 1 215 046 04. Cool down with an ice cream The decor at Hanna isn’t fancy and you shouldn’t expect service with a smile. But you can expect sensational ice cream in traditional flavours, such as rose and pistachio, from a family business that has served Beirut for six decades. Mar Mitr Street, Achrafieh
06. Meet the city’s favourite maitre d’ Charbel, maitre d’ at Le Chef, is a local legend. As well as shouting “welcome!” every 25 seconds and serving hearty and delicious home-cooking at laughably low prices, he’s also the man to turn to for rental cars, apartments and anything else you could possibly need. Gemmayzeh, +961 1 445 373 07. Try some unusual local specialties Some of the dishes on offer at Abdul Wahab aren’t for those with a weak stomach. As part of the restaurant’s unbeatable range of kebbeh nayeh (raw meat), they serve up raw liver, which comes with a lump of sheep’s fat. Another option for the daring culinary connoisseur is bayd ghanam, pan-fried lamb’s testicles. Needless to say, they are something of an acquired taste. Abdel Wahab El Inglizi Street, +961 1 200 500 Nada Salah’s pick
"Balthus is a typical French brasserie frequented by business people, politicians, ladies who lunch and even ambassadors – in fact, all people who enjoy their food. The cuisine is French-Mediterranean – there’s a Lebanese touch to everything. It’s a beautiful restaurant in an old building. The staff are friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed. It reminds me of the belle époque of Beirut and gives me a sense of security. There’s the feeling the Beirut of my childhood has come back to life again.” Ghandour Bldg, Downtown Beirut, +961 1 371 077 Shopping
10. Indulge your cravings for kitsch Les Must De Pupuce is stacked and ready for a retro-rummage. There, restored vintage dressers, art deco china and 1960s pin-up girls in “collage” can be discovered. And there’s plenty of hand-crafted kitsch here for the less serious collector to take home. Rue Pasteur, Gemmayzeh, +961 3 887 247
SaifiVillage, +961 1 334 040 12. Shop for cool clothes and cupcakes At the charming Kitsch, located in an old Gemmayzeh house, you can nose around the clothes on sale before retreating to the funky in-store café for cupcakes and coffee. Gemmayzeh, +961 1 575 075 Krikor Jabotian’s pick “I love Le Balcon des Créateurs (Sharia Gouraud, Gemmayzeh, +961 1 565 636). It’s a shop in an old Gemmayzeh house and they stock the work of lots of talented young designers. I also recommend Johnny Farah (Rue Said Akl, SaifiVillage, +961 1 974 808). He’s a designer of excellent leather accessories – shoes, bags and wallets."
15. Track down that CD The staff at CD-Theque are knowledgable and passionate, and they support the local scene by selling CDs, books and graphic novels by talented Beiruti artists. Elias Sarkis Ave, Achrafieh, +961 1 746 078 Sport, Spas & Outdoors
Rue Jean Jalkh, east edge of Achrafieh 17. Be a 1970s movie star The best thing about the Sporting beach club, a swimming pool complex by the sea, is that it feels just like a 1970s movie set. Dive from the rocks, eat fresh fish on the restaurant’s terrace, and sit back and watch the sunset over Pigeon Rocks. Manara, +961 1 742 483 18. Trek on a Sunday Every Sunday, Liban Trek takes a coachload of hikers to somewhere remote and beautiful. This is a great way to see the Lebanese mountains without having to drive yourself. Advance booking is recommended. Liban Trek, +961 1 329 956, www.libantrek.com 19. Get pampered Feel like your lymph system needs a good cleansing? Don’t we all. The swankiest spa in town, Naiiman – named after the Arabic greeting for the newly washed – will take care of it. And a whole lot more. Nour Building, Verdun, +961 1 787 858, www.naiiman.com 20. Burn calories Lifestyles, a super-modern underground gym and spa, feels like something out of the sci-fimovie Gattaca. Here, young Beirutis work out, pump iron and keep trim in a funky sports centre with all the Jacuzzi you could ever need. Manara, +961 1 366 555
22. Take to the skies Safely strapped to one of the guys at Interavia – Beirut’s first hang-gliding club open to tourists – you can fly from Jounieh Bay along the Med coastline. The company also organises parasailing, quad-biking, rock climbing and scuba diving trips. +961 3 920 084, www.. interaviasal.com Sandra Dagher’s pick “The Janine Rubeiz Gallery (Raouché, +961 1 868 290) is curated by Nadine Begdache, whose late mother Janine was one of the first women to promote Lebanese art in the 1960s and 70s. They’ve got a great collection of Lebanese art from that era, and they’re also presenting more and more young artists. The Agial Gallery (Hamra, +961 1 345 213) is good for contemporary art from the Arab world, and the most recent gallery to open is the Sfeir Semler Gallery (Quarantine, +961 1 566 550), which presents local and international artists.” Art & Culture24. Sing along to crowd favourites A time machine to a bygone era, Walimat Wardeh is a West Beirut gem. On Fridays, an aoud virtuoso plays to customers, accompanied by funky bass and tabla. When the whole crowd starts singing along, you’ll know you’ve found the spirit of the city. Makdissi Street, Hamra, +961 1 752 320
Jisr El-Wati, +961 1 397 018, www.beirutartcenter.org 26. Go to a cinema with a difference Club 43 is a restaurant, bar, cinema and NGO that was established in 1967. It has the noble aims of combating sectarianism and feeding the homeless. Films are shown on Tuesdays at 8.30pm. Gourade Street, Gemmayzeh, +961 3 708 811 27. Learn about art Set in lush gardens, the stunning mansion housing the Robert Mouawad Private Museum is an oasis of calm in central Beirut. It’s the former residence of the late Henri Pharaoun, one of the major players in Lebanon’s independence movement and a noted collector of antiquities, many of which are on view to the public here. Army Road, Zokak El-Blat, +961 1 980 970 28. Attend a lecture After a meander through the dilapidated but beautiful Zarif neighbourhood, you reach the Orient Institute, a stunning palace where lectures and workshops on art, architecture and politics take place several times a month. Hussein Beyhoum Street, +961 1 359 424, www.orient-institut.org 29. Expect the unexpected Even among Beirutis, Zicco House retains an air of mystery. It’s part-art gallery, part-theatre and part-live music venue, as well as being a restaurant, an office space, and a temporary home for refugees. Describing itself as a “space for cultural development”, Zicco House is an open stage, waiting for its players. 174 Spears Street, Sanayeh, +961 1 810 688 30. Enjoy a variety show Grab your table in the old Music Hall and wait for the red velvet curtains to draw back on an evening of good old-fashioned cabaret. At the Liban Jazz nights, expect music, dance, theatre and stand-up comedy. Starco Centre, Downtown, +961 1 361 236 |
01. Get caffeinated
03. Discover the joys of Armenian cooking The Armenian food at Mayass is a culinary highlight in a city full of culinary highlights. Try the manti (dumplings in yoghurt sauce), burek (fried pastries stuffed with cheese) and the glorious lamb kebab with cherry sauce.
05. Eat on the cheap at a Beirut institution Abu Hassan, a low-key restaurant, has been a fixture of Ras Beirut life since before the war. The place is tiny but the menu is generous, with great grills, stews, salads and mezze that won’t break the bank. Caracas Street, Manara, +961 1 741 725
The London-based food writer’s books, such as New Flavours of the Lebanese Table, have helped popularise Middle Eastern cuisine in the UK. 
09. Go bargain hunting Taking place every weekend, Souk El-Ahad is where Beirutis hunt for bargains. Here, you’ll find flowers, electronics, food, books, musical instruments, wonderful vintage clothes, and just about everything else. Furn El-Chebak
11. Buy produce straight from the farm Beirut’s first and only farmers’ market, Souk El-Tayab, is the place to go for local foods. Every Saturday morning, its irrepressible founder Kamal Mouzawak joins farmers from around the country to sell fresh produce.
14. Shop for local crafts Clemenceau is an artisans’ quarter in the heart of the city. Here, you can shop at L’artisans du Liban or see the graceful Daouk Buildings. Tal’et Jumblatt, with its steep wrought iron staircase lined by villas and gardens, could have been lifted straight from Montmartre in Paris. Clemenceau Street, Hamra
16. While the hours away Beirut isn’t a place for the green-fingered – open spaces are few and far between. But SioufiGardens is a delight, with swings for the kids, a winding path through the trees for romantic strolls, and a spectacular backdrop of Mount Lebanon.
21. Go to the races Join the punters for a Sunday afternoon flutter at the Hippodrome and help keep alive a tradition of horse racing in Beirut that began in Ottoman times. One of the few civic institutions where communities could come together through the bad years of war, the Hippodrome is still as feisty and resilient as the horses which race there. Ras en Naba, +961 1 632 531, 
25. Support Lebanese art The first public, permanent and not-for-profit art gallery in Lebanon, the Beirut Art Centre, has transformed a factory in Jisr El-Wati into a creatove space where local artists can meet, discuss and exhibit their work. In July, a number of rare paintings made during Lebanon’s civil war will be on display.