Lebanon cuisine is world famous for its nutritional value and exotic flavors. It includes seafood, fish, and loads of fruits and vegetables. Kibbeh is the most famous dish to try in the country which is also its national dish which is known for its delectable taste. Not just this, Lebanese food also includes a lot of healthy options like falafel, hummus, and Fattoush. All these dishes taste heavenly and will surely make you crave for more. Check out this blog to know more about the flavors of Lebanese cuisine and get ready to try these out on your next trip here.
11 Famous Food In Lebanon To Relish Your Taste Buds
There are so many scrumptious dishes to try in Lebanon, so people often get confused on which one to try first. We have listed down the best 8 Lebanon food that every traveler must taste on their next trip to the country.
1. Falafel
Though Falafel is quite famous in all the countries of the Middle East but Lebanon has raised its flags high when it comes to Falafel. You will taste probably the best falafels in every city of this country. Falafels are prepared with a mixture of chickpeas, onions, herbs, beans and spices, deep-fried and served with tahini dip, garlic dip or hummus. Falafel is usually served in pita sandwich, topped with pickled vegetables that enhances its taste. Falafel is one of the favorite Lebanese dishes of the local people here which is served in every restaurant and also on the streets.
Main Ingredients: Chickpea, Beans, Onion, Flour, Garlic
Where to Taste: Falafel M. Sahyoun, Beirut, Lebanon
2. Hummus
The origin of this famous dish is unknown till date; however, it is believed to have been originated in Egypt. Hummus is a popular creamy paste of chickpeas, lemon, olive oil, tahini, garlic and cumin that is taken as a dip with a meal or flatbreads such as pita. Since the paste is quite rich in nutrients and is loved for its tangy flavor, people like to take it with every meal they have. Lebanese cuisine would be incomplete without serving hummus as a side dish with a meal. It can be enjoyed as a topping with the main dish or even as an appetizer, in both ways it tastes heavenly.
Main Ingredients: Chickpeas, Lemon, Tahini, Olive Oil, Garlic, Cumin
Where to Taste: Al Halabi, Georges Massaad
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3. Manakish
A famous food in Lebanon, Manakish is a round flat bread that is topped with sesame seeds, sumac and thyme. It resembles a pizza but is quite light and often taken as a breakfast meal. Manakish is easy to prepare and also comes at a low price, hence quite famous amongst the local people of Lebanon. Manakish can also be topped with additional seasonings like spinach, minced lamb, spinach and cheese. The dough is prepared using the tips of the fingers until it becomes a flat bread. This technique of using finger tips to prepare the flat bread is called “manakish”. You will find most of the cafes in Lebanon serving Manakish as it is quite light and can be enjoyed with beverages.
Main Ingredients: Flour, Sesame seeds, Olive Oil, Thyme, Sumac, Cheese, Spinach, Eggplant
Where to Taste: Uniun, Madrid Street, Beirut, Lebanon
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4. Kibbeh
If you are looking for the best Lebanon food, then do not forget to try Kibbeh which is also famous as the national dish of Lebanon. Kibbeh is a mixture of soaked bulgur wheat and lamb meat, seasoned with spices and taken as a side dish or an appetizer. The best part about this dish is that it can be prepared both in non-veg and veg versions. In vegetarian version, Kibbeh can be stuffed with potatoes, pumpkin or tomatoes while in non-vegetarian version, it is usually stuffed with meat. It can be served in different forms like raw, fried, or even baked if you are looking for a healthier option. Kibbeh being the national dish of the country is found at almost every restaurant here.
Main Ingredients: Lamb meat, Bulgur Wheat, Pine nuts, Onion, Spices
Where to Taste: Babel Restaurant, Beirut, Lebanon
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5. Tabbouleh
One of the best Lebanese dishes, Tabbouleh is for people who are health conscious and love to eat salads and love to add green leafy vegetables in their diet. The dish has a chewy texture as it is made with bulgur wheat, parsley leaves, mint leaves and natural herbs that originated from the mountains of Syria and Lebanon. The dish is seasoned with tomatoes, fresh lemon juice, chopped onions, and dried cucumbers that gives a tangy flavor to the dish. It is often taken as an appetizer as a full-fledged dish and sometimes served with hummus or pita bread. It is the best food in Lebanon when it comes to healthy dishes.
Main Ingredients: Bulgur wheat, Parsley leaves, Mint leaves and Natural herbs
Where to Taste: Em Sherif Beirut and Liza Restaurant, Beirut, Lebanon
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6. Fattoush
The variety of food that people get to savor upon makes Lebanon one of the best food destinations in the world. There is no dearth of healthy food options in Lebanese cuisine and Fattoush is one of them. It is a healthy salad with a base of pita bread on which all the exotic vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, peppers and other seasonal vegetables are placed. All of these ingredients are mixed with natural herbs, parsley and mint. The final step of the dish is giving dressing to the salad which is done using either olive oil, lemon juice or pomegranate juice. The final dish is then sprinkled with sumac spice that gives a tangy taste to the salad.
Main Ingredients: Pita bread, Mint Leaves, Parsley, Lettuce, Sumac spice
Where to Taste: Em Sherif Restaurant
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7. Rice Pilaf
A staple food of many Middle Eastern countries, rice forms a major part of Lebanese cuisine and rice pilaf is one of the best dishes to try here. It is a mixture of rice, vermicelli noodles, olive oil, nuts and butter. The vermicelli noodles in the rice pilaf are fried which gives a crisp taste to the dish. To add extra taste, rice pilaf is often topped with meat chunks and caramelized onions that not only makes it a wholesome dish but also adds more flavors to it. Rice Pilaf can be eaten as an individual dish or can be taken with some curry or a dip for that extra flavor.
Main Ingredients: Rice, Vermicelli noodles, Nuts, Olive oil, Butter, Spices
Where to Taste: Liza Restaurant
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8. Sfiha
Dating back to 15th century, Sfiha is an Arabic dish that was first served in Eastern Lebanon. It is a famous food in Lebanon which is like a dough with meat on the top. Resembling a pie, Sfiha dough filling is usually meat which is usually mixed with spices, chopped onions, tomatoes, yogurt and olive oil. The dish is usually served with tahini sauce or yogurt as a side dish and is often garnished with herbs, coriander, chopped cucumbers and pomegranate seeds. The dish has even become popular in Brazil where it was brought by immigrants from Lebanon and Syria. Most of the food places in Lebanon serve Sfiha as it is quite a popular dish here.
Main Ingredients: Meat, Tomatoes, Chopped onions, Pine nuts, Sumac, Coriander, Chopped cucumbers
Where to Taste: Jai Asian Restaurant, Batchig
9. Baba Ghanoush
One of the most popular Lebanese food is baba ghanoush that taste similar to hummus and is served with pita bread with olive oil drizzled on the top. It is topped with pomegranate that enhances its tastes as well as its appearance. The main ingredients of Baba Ghanoush are cooked eggplant, tahini sauce, lemon juice, olive oil and different seasonings to enhance the flavor of this dish. It is mostly served with pita bread but can also be served with tomatoes, onions and other vegetables.
Main Ingredients: Cooked eggplant, tahini sauce, lemon juice, olive oil
Where to Taste: Tawlet Souk el Tayeb, Beirut, Lebanon
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10. Kofta
One of Lebanese main dishes is Kofte also called kofte which are small balls filled with minced meat like chicken, beef, lamb, mutton or even pork. The minced meat is often mixed with onions, parsley and spices to enhance its flavors. Kofte are quite popular in Turkey where they are eaten with a yogurt dip. Kofte are most popular in the Middle Eastern region, Central Asia, Indian subcontinent, and South Caucasian. In India, kofte are available in vegetarian version as well wherein they are filled with potatoes, paneer or cauliflower. Kofta can be eaten as an individual dish or can be served with rice or bread.
Main Ingredients: Minced meat, onions, parsley and spices
Where to Taste: Any street vendor
11. Baklava
One of the best desserts to try in Lebanon is Baklava which is a pastry dessert made with filo pastry and is made in layers. The inside portion of Baklava is filled with chopped nuts and topped with honey or sugar syrup. Baklava is most commonly served as a part of Turkish, Arab and Iranian cuisines. Before baking the dough of baklava, it is cut into pieces as per the choice like diamond, rectangle or triangle and is soaked in rose syrup, orange flower water or honey and sprinkled with ground nuts. Baklava tastes heavenly and you should definitely try this dessert on your next trip to Lebanon.
Main Ingredients: Chopped nuts, syrup or honey
Where to Taste: Hallab 1881, Tripoli, Lebanon
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Lebanon is a great country to explore and also to enjoy the best of Arab food and culture. Lebanon food is something that will delight your senses and taste buds, leaving you crave for more and more. Dishes like Kibbeh, Falafal and Manakish are quite popular in Lebanon which offer a burst of exotic flavors and also carry nutritional values. If you are a foodie and loves to explore different places to relish its local flavors, then we would suggest you to book your flights to Lebanon as the country has a lot to offer you when it comes to scrumptious dishes.
FAQs:
There are many dishes to try in Lebanon but if you ask about the best one, then we would definitely suggest you to try Kibbeh which is also a national dish of the country. Kibbeh is a mixture of soaked bulgur wheat and lamb meat, seasoned with spices and taken as a side dish or an appetizer. It can be eaten as a veg or a non-veg dish. When eaten as a vegetarian dish, it is stuffed with potatoes, pumpkin or tomatoes.
Some of the most popular restaurants in Lebanon are:
- Tawlet
- Em Sherif Restaurant
- Liza Restaurant
- Babel Restaurant
- Al Balad Restaurant
- Momo at the Souks
Arak is the most famous drink to try in Lebanon which is an alcoholic grape flavored drink that goes well with the local food of Lebanon.
Hummus is a popular creamy paste of chickpeas, lemon, olive oil, tahini, garlic and cumin that is taken as a dip with a meal or flatbreads such as pita which is known for its tangy flavors and nutritional value.
Some of the best cafes in Lebanon that are worth-visiting are:Ginette, Kalei Coffee Co. - Ras Beirut, Urbanista, Café Younes, De Prague, Demo, Unicorn Coffee House and Smushkies.
Some of the desserts that are worth-trying in Lebanon are Baklava, Jazarieh, Maamoul, Atayef, Lebanese Rice Pudding, Kanafeh and Mafrokeh.
Some of the most popular street food items to try in Lebanon are shawarma, shish kebabs and kebbeh, falafel, and kafta.
Spring (March to April) and autumn season (September to November) are the best times to plan a trip to Lebanon when the weather is pleasant and perfect for all sorts of activities.
Around 6 days are considered enough for an ideal trip to Lebanon out of which one should spend a minimum of 2 days in Beirut.
Some of the best places to visit in Beirut are Hotel Albergo, Lahoya Suites, InterContinental Phoenicia Beirut, an IHG Hotel and Kempinski Summerland Hotel & Resort.
Some of the best markets to shop from in Lebanon are Souq El Tayeb, Burj Hammoud, Souq El Ahad, Hamra Street & Achrafieh, and Downtown Beirut.
Lebanon is a great country to buy some hand-crafted items at affordable prices. Some of the best things to buy from here are cedar wood message plates, sweets, Turkish coffee pots, local wine and home décor items.
