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Where to eat Middle Eastern food in Damascus: The Best Restaurants and Bars
Reviews on Middle Eastern food in Damascus, Syria. Having survived thousands of years of successive civilizations from the Egyptians, Greco-Romans, Muslims, Crusaders, Mongols, Ottomans and French to the modern Arab era, Damascus is one of the most resilient and historic cities on Earth. Its ruins lay up to 8 feet deep under its surface and the Old City is home to Roman era ramparts, gates, the Umayyad Mosque and legendary churches including the Chapel of St. Paul. Bab Sharqi and the Souk Medhat Pasha lay on a street dating to biblical times.
Things to do in Damascus
10. Elissar Restaurant
Overall Ratings
3 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By pln1961
We had dinner here one night a few weeks ago The setting, especially iin the interior courtyard, is very nice. Unfortunately, our food was very uninspired , with gooey sauces, dry-tasting meats, vegetables lacking in any freshness or taste, and rather uninteresting seasonings. Our entrees and appetizers, sadly, did not taste much better than what we would have gotten at places like Applebees or TGIFs when these latter places attempt ethnic cuisine. The service was indifferent. And to add insult to injury, the price for this mediocrity was disproportionately high. We wonder if Elissar gets by with the largely tourist clientele ...
9. Plus Restaurant and Cafe
Reviewed By THOMASFROMDAMASCUS
The Plus Restaurant and Café is located on the Mezze Autostrad and has dual entrances. The one on the autostrad appears to be the secondary entrance where as the one at the rear street appears to be the main entrance. This secondary entrance seems to be for the restaurants take-away as well as the service entrance as when we entered the stair were very, very dirty. This is not the best image one should have when visiting a new restaurant for the first time. We were escorted to the main dinning room at the rear of the restaurant and we had a nice table along the wall of windows. The waiter came by in a quick and expeditious manner and we had a bottle of water served in record time. We had found that the food service was quite slow. We waited quite awhile for our soup and salad to arrive. The menu was quite extensive, but it contained many, many spelling mistakesâ¦For me this was another red flag!!Now the most important part of any new restaurant experience is the quality of the food. I had a very good Onion Soup; I shared a nice and fresh Rockford Salad and as my main entrée I had the Fish and âShipsââ¦humâ¦in Arabic it did say potatoes! The dish was good, but the fish was frozen and the batter was a bit too thick. The highlight was the very tasty Tartar Sauce.Finally the fresh juices were were not that fresh, my wife could not finish her âFreshâ Orange Juice!Finally, being a non-smoker, I was a bit annoyed with the smoke from the numerous Hubbly Bubble even with the open windows the smoke seemed to be too close to our table. In my humble opinion in Damascus, there are many, many restaurants and cafes available so for me I would not return to the Plus Restaurant and Café in the near future.
8. Grape Leaves
It is two blocks north of Naranj, a flew blocks east of the Omayyad Mosque. Their phone # is 542-6160. There is a review of this place in the NY Times.
Reviewed By Flat_Planet
Grape Leaves Damascus During our ten days in Syria my wife and I very much enjoyed the food but by the time we got to Damascus we pretty much had our fill of kebabs and shawarma. We happened by Grape Leaves in the Old Town and saw that its menu had a variety of dishes we had not seen before and it was packed with locals. So we gave it a try and it was great! The food was very well spiced, the meat was tender, the place is clean and modern, and the staff speaks English. And the prices were quite reasonable, no âtourist mark-upâ. They have different menus every day. We managed to get a meal here four days in a row and tried a bunch of different things: magloobeh, kabseh, bamia, khadra, etc. We are âfoodiesâ living in New York City and are convinced that Grape Leaves would be very successful there. It made our top ten restaurants of all time!Okay, so where is it, exactly? (Note to fellow Trip Advisor posters: please donât post about great places to eat without giving directions, it is such a tease!) If you are walking along Straight Street (Madhat Pasha) towards the east gate (Bab Sharki), when you get to the Roman Arch turn left onto Church Street and head north so that Naranj Restaurant is on your left and Saint Maryâs Church is on your right. Church Street ends at the Barbacoa Coffee Shop, but just bear to the left for ten yards and then make a right and keep going north (now you are on Kilani Street). Grape Leaves is just up ahead, on your right. Or from the Omayyad Mosque, head east along Qaimaryah Lane until you reach the Fatih Mosque then make the next right on Kilani. Grape Leaves will be on your left. Happy Eats Everyone!
7. Bab Alhara Restaurant
Within the Old City walls
Reviewed By HaiderR_12
Again, I've been in this retaurant when Damascus was peaceful and qiuet. We ordered meals for 4 but the food that served was enought to feed like 10 for the same cost. In this restaurant, we ate an ealry dinner that we couldn't eat anything until the next late morning. The food was so delicious that you can't resist to leave any of it on the trable, but we laft too much . I hope that we can do it again,
6. Mcfoool Restaurant
Reviewed By THOMASFROMDAMASCUS
Another lunch and another Great Meal at the McFoool Restaurant in Damascus!I was very hungry the other day so I walked over to the McFoool Restaurant to enjoy a nice lunch. I especially like their serve-yourself Salad Bar where you have a wide assortment of fresh onions; mint and pickled turnips and pickles.I especially enjoy the fresh interior design and implacably clean. The service is top and very fast. They do serve two types of tea, one is an Arabic type of tea and the other is the standard bad type.So if you are hungry you must try McFoool Restaurant.
5. abu kamal
Overall Ratings
4 based on 16 reviews
Reviewed By doctoranees
I went there twice before and whatever I would say is not enoughexemplary food and service BUT 2 points I have noticed1- It can be crowded at lunchtime especially on weekends Fridays here so the service would be be somewhat slower yet the food is worth waiting for.2- It should not be mixed with Kamal restaurant which is a 7 min walk from itKamal restaurant has a nicer brighter ambience with nearly the samr quality and price
4. Al sediq
Reviewed By THOMASFROMDAMASCUS
If you want one of the best and most famous Shawurma Plates in all of Damascus you must try the Alsediq Restaurant!!The Alsediq Restaurant is located in the Kanawat District just off of Khaled Ibn Al Walid Street near the Old City in Damascus. The entrance is down a small alleyway and is one of the most unimposing restaurant entrances you will ever see. The walk to this great restaurant along one of Damascusâs oldest Souks is great and a photographers hot spot!!This specialized Shawurma restaurant is open only for Lunch as it caters to the many shop owners from the surrounding shops and stalls.There are many tables within the restaurant and you are greeted warmly. The main dining area has many plants, both real and plastic, and in the center it has have a nice old Arabic Water Fountain. The open ceiling is covered with plastic so it is a bright with natural light all lunch long!I suggest you get there early so you have a great table as all tables are either reserved or occupied soon after opening. They do have a separate dining room for the extra and late customers, but it is not as nice as the main dining room!!Alsediq Restaurant is noted for itsâ Great Shawurma Plates. This is still the only Shawurma Restaurant that heats the meat by Charcoal!! The plates come with a nice salad; mixed pickles; great Arabic Bread and a desert. In the winter months they serve a nice Lentil Soup in addition to the above. The price is still very, very reasonable and the service is very fast and polite.This Damascus restaurant is well know, has a great reputation and is a must visit while enjoying a great Lunch!
3. Al Khawali Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4 based on 66 reviews
Reviewed By Mars V
My wife and I visited Syria just before the war began. Al Khawali was the best restaurant we visited in Damascus; and we had dinner here several times. We are very happy to see, that in 2014 a review was sent to describe an experience with Al Khawali. This indicates that the restaurant still exists. And we hope and pray for peace in this country. Deo volente! Kind regards.
Damascus Food Guide: 10 Must-Eat Restaurants & Street Food Stalls in Damascus
2. Al Halabi
Overall Ratings
4 based on 32 reviews
Experience Syrian fine dining in this luxurious, intimate restaurant. Al Halabi features the best of the Aleppo cuisine of northern Syria, with specialties that combine European culinary sophistication with the excitement of Eastern spices. The well-appoi
Reviewed By Martin Z
This very good restaurant within the Four Seasons Hotel premises is apparently predominately utilized for big events and meetings. It indeed has a very unique and Syrian traditionally, beautiful designed interior, built for big gatherings. It seems a legendary, frequently busy location and well appreciated by the guests.
1. Naranj
Overall Ratings
4 based on 168 reviews
Reviewed By Fabrizio Xjo B
Don't miss this place if you visit the ancient city centre. The restaurant is very tipical, the same for the dress of the waiters. Food was amazing and the offer very wide. You can enjoy traditional food smoking narghilé in a very special place...
