My Neighborhood - My Favorites
This is not a neutral or comprehensive list. It contains my personal recommendations of neighborhood businesses that I patronize because they are friendly, polite, and offer quality products and services. A few others are noted because they are particularly useful for their hours or range of goods. I use the Hostler Center gym, but I include a new last section listing neighborhood dance, yoga and fitness places based on strong recommendations of friends and colleagues.
Newcomers may initially find it hard to locate these places since Beirut-style addresses are imprecise. The attached map identifies the main streets near AUB, and the numbers help locate places on or just off those streets.
Ras Beirut still has many village-like qualities, and knowing shopkeepers on a first name basis is part of the neighborhood experience!
Cynthia Myntti, AUB Neighborhood Initiative
September 2011
1. Groceries-Food
1.1 Aziz – On the boundary between our neighborhood and downtown, Aziz is the place for hard-to-find gourmet items. Best international cheeses in Beirut and excellent wine selection. Kantari.01-358000 (off the map)
1.2 Hasbaya Agricultural Products - In this shop with only Arabic writing on the glass front window, Rabih Abou Ghida sells excellent quality olive oils, honeys, jams and herbs from the Hasbaya district of southern Lebanon. Sidani St. 03-505554
1.3 Healthy Basket shop - An AUB project supporting organic producers in Lebanon. Down from TSC, on Adonis Street, facing St. Rita’s church. 01-747831. Open M-F 7:30-3:30.
1.4 Idriss Supermarket – Good all around grocery store near AUBMC, with extensive, inexpensive housewares section. No alcohol or pork products. Sidani/Souraty Street
1.5.Lukma Tayyiba – This immaculate shop sells excellent yogurts, labnes, local cheeses, and other artisanal products. Sidani St.
1.6 Nougatini – Sisters Rima and Karima el-Barrage continue the chocolate business their father established. Exquisite chocolates, chocolate-dipped fruits and marzipan. Elegant seasonal displays, perfect gifts. Pricey. Jeanne d’Arc Street. 01-343759
1.7 Oussama the Greengrocer - If you can look beyond the shambolic state of this hole-in-the-wall that expands onto the pavement and from their truck, you will find produce of above average quality at fair prices. Oussama gives special attention to regular customers, many of whom are connected to AUB. Gemayel St, off Sidani.
1.8 Rifai Nuts – Rifai is the gold standard in nuts in Lebanon. A small corner branch of the larger enterprise is on Mahatma Gandhi St, from AUB Bliss Gate. (Many old timers in Ras Beirut prefer a neighborhood roastery, Edisson, on Makdissi St.)
1.9 Salim Hassan corner shop – Salim Hassan is an old and friendly neighborhood institution, sells fine home-made yogurt and labne, Arabic bread, jams, olives and olive oil. Jeanne d’Arc, near Makdissi. Look for the loofahs, bread and dried beans out front.
1.10 Sam’s Beverages – Hisham (Sam) Mawlawi offers a comprehensive selection of spirits, wines and beers. Open noon to midnight. Near the COOP on Nehme Jafet St. Home delivery. 03-397170
1.11 Score Market - Very convenient late hour shopping for basic foodstuffs, dairy, drinks. Staff not particularly friendly. Sidani St.
1.12 Sidani Butchery – Mustapha and his colleagues do a rousing phone order business with local hotels and restaurants, and offer excellent quality meat and chicken - cut, ground or pounded to specification. Polite service, home delivery. White awning, no name on shop front. Sidani at Mahatma Gandhi St. 01-740815, 01-740784.
1.13 TSC – Kuwaiti supermarket chain located at the corner of Makdissi and Sadat. Open late.
Also:
1.14 Earth Market each Tuesday morning. A farmer’s market is open in front of Bread Republic. Fresh organic produce, pulses, nuts, traditional pastries.
2. Bread-Patisseries
2.1 Amal Bohsali – Connoisseurs swear that this is the best oriental sweet shop in Beirut. Their baklawa is mouth-watering. Abdel-Aziz south of Emile Edde (Lyon) Street. (off the map)
2.2 Bread Republic – Beirut’s best shop for western style breads. Try the fig or walnut rye bread, or a sesame baguette! Café serves breakfast, sandwiches, soups. Open from 7:30am until late. Off Hamra, near Jeanne d’Arc
2.3 La Cigale – Excellent croissants, cakes, salty pastries, ice cream cakes. Also catering. Salim Salloum is the ever-present manager, cigarette in hand. Near Mayflower Hotel. 01-344155
2.4 Taj al-Moulouk – Oriental sweets. Their outstanding (and fattening) warm cheese kunafi is served on kaak each morning, and their sesame cookies (barazi’) are excellent. They also serve ice cream. Bliss St at Sadat.
2.5 Gustav – NEW. Executive pastry chef Noor Ramlawi has created some heavenly cakes and pies. He also sells Oslo ice cream by the cone and has a small mezzanine with tables for eating in. Open 7am-10pm most days, later on Sunday. Antoine Gemayel, between Makdissi and Hamra. 01-747199 or 71 499961
3. Snacks
3.1 Bliss House - Everyone has their favorite shawarma place in town, and this is mine. Bliss Street. Great fresh juices next door.
3.2 Garo – Garo looks like he belongs on a Harley-Davidson, but runs a very popular place for Armenian sandwiches (basterma, soujouk and makanek). He decorates his place with pictures of himself and customers. Open 11am-8pm. Nehme Jafet St, near Hamra. 01-347603
3.3 Faysal’s – A great place for manaqeesh: oven-baked dough with zaatar mixture, cheese, and other condiments, usually eaten for breakfast. Bliss Street, opposite the Hbeish Police Station
3.4 Ichkhanian Bakery - Madame Ichkhanian’s bakery is located in an old building in Zukak al-Blat, next to the (German) Orient Institute and just outside our AUB neighborhood. She makes the best Armenian meat pizzas (lahm bi-ajine) in Beirut. Try the pomegranate version. Until 2pm, Mon-Sat. Home delivery.01-375178, 03-216012 (off the map)
3.5 King of Foul - This hole-in-the-wall place serves delicious foul and fattah mornings through early afternoon. Located next to Oussama the greengrocer on Antoine Gemayel St. Eat in or take away. 01-341589
3.6 Tabbara – Falafel is hard to find in Ras Beirut, but the best place in the neighborhood is Tabbara. Tabari St (parallel to Abdel-Aziz), south of Emile Edde (Lyon) Street. (off the map)
4. Ice Cream
4.1 Alpina – Actually a chocolate shop, their seasonal ice cream is also very good. In pre-packaged cones and squares, and by the half kilo. Abdel-Aziz Street, near AUB. 01-344846
(See 2.3) La Cigale – Excellent ice cream and sorbets sold in half kilo and kilo containers, also decorated ice cream cakes. Near Mayflower Hotel.
4.2 Franco – New Location. Italian styled ice-cream in the Hamra Square complex, behind Starbucks on Hamra Street
4.3 Oslo – Beirut’s most delicious ice cream. Used to be sold from Gruen restaurant. Now call for home delivery. Pricey. http://www.osloicecream.com/ 03-369313. (not on the map)
5. Cafes and Bars
(See 2.2) Bread Republic – This bread place also serves soups and sandwiches, and all day breakfasts. Open from 7:30am. Off Hamra near Jeanne d’Arc. A good meeting place.
5.1 Brisk – New ‘eco-friendly’ café with drinks, sandwiches and soups. No smoking. Wifi. On Hamra, near Red Shoe.
5.2 Buttermint – A new café tucked behind a busy intersection, excellent food and service, and a pleasant outdoor seating area. Hamra at Abdel-Aziz St.
5.3 **CLOSED** City Café – Near LAU on Sadat Street. A pleasant place with okay food, frequented by writers and intellectuals. (off the map)
5.4 Café Rawdah – This old-fashioned family place near the sea offers the perfect spot to drink lemonade and watch the sun set. Behind Luna Park, near the Sporting Club. (off the map)
5.5. Cru - This small new wine bar offers interesting new Lebanese wines by the glass and good food. Matta Bldg. (opposite Le Rouge) Makdissi Street. 01-344565
5.6 Dany’s - A friendly simple neighborhood bar with outdoor seating. In a popular little lane perpendicular to Hamra St, near Le Rouge on Makdissi. 01-740231. 03-904547
5.7 NEW - Dar - This new café is situated in a pretty old house and garden, and offers delicious light fare. The building is actually the home of Dar el Mussawir, a photography workshop and bookshop. Rome Street, Wardiyyeh, in a little alley behind the Interdesign building. 01-373347. 71-236627.
5.8 De Prague - This café-bar always has a buzz, and combines good food, drink, wifi, and an occasional exhibition. Casual sofas. Can be smoky. Makdissi St., near Abdel-Aziz. 01-744864
5.9 NEW - Democratic Republic of Music DRM – Hamra’s latest music venue- basement concert hall with industrial look, grey tones and exposed pipes. The ground floor Deli serves good light food. Souraty St at the corner of Ibrahim Abdel Aal. 70 -030032
5.10 Ferdinand - A cute and cozy bar on Mahatma Gandhi St, near Hamra. Serves food. 01-355955
5.11 Younes – Move over Starbucks, Gloria Jean’s, Caribou and Costa, Younes is the real deal. A family-run business selling coffee beans of various origins, and brewed coffee in a pleasant open air café, with no-smoking inside. Wifi. Nehmeh Jafet Street, near Commodore Hotel.
6. Restaurants
6.1 Al-Dirwandi –Lebanese food on the sea, opposite the Ain Mreisse mosque on the Corniche. Very pleasant in warm weather. 01-366222 (off the map)
6.2 Aunty Salwa – Charming simple place with Aunty Salwa herself keeping an eye on her customers. Lebanese home-cooking, daily dish or vegetarian mezzes. In an alleyway off Abdul-Aziz. No smoking. Well-priced. Lunch only, Mon-Sat. 01-749746
6.3 Blue Note – Cozy neighborhood place with live jazz in the evening. Good daily specials. Makhoul Street, opposite St. Mary’s Church. 01-743857
6.4 Boston-Hamra – This well-situated place on Jeanne d’Arc near the Main Gate has recently become a pub. Their roof terrace is an excellent place for coffee and drinks. Jeanne d’Arc St.
6.5 Bristol Hotel Les Gourmandises Coffee Shop – Enjoy a meal or refreshments from a glass window overlooking the street. Excellent daily specials, salads, and pastries. Good for a quiet conversation. Follow Abdel-Aziz St south to Mme Curie. (off the map)
6.6 Casablanca – Fusion with an Asian touch, excellent standard. Pricey. In an atmospheric old house. Weekend brunch good value. My personal favorite in Beirut. Reserve. Ain Mreisse. 01—369334 (off the map)
6.7 Gruen Eatery – Named after the modernist architect of the Gefinor center, fascinating people watching at lunch. California-oriented cuisine. Weekend brunches. Quiet for morning coffee and in the evenings. Need to reserve at lunch. Pricey. 01-737344
6.8 Kebab-ji – Good quality kebabs and mezzes. Very popular with AUB faculty, staff and students. Noisy at lunch. Bliss St, behind MacDonalds.
6.9 Le Rouge – A reasonably-priced neighborhood bistro with salads, sandwiches, pizzas and daily specials. Great desserts. Makdissi Street at Ibrahim Abd el-Aal. 01-353585
6.10 Osaka – Japanese sushi and cooked dishes, excellent quality, pricey. On the downtown edge of the neighborhood. Kantari. 01-360630 (off the map)
6.11 Pasta di Casa - A modest Italian restaurant with good food. Off Clemenceau just after the Ecole Superieure des Affaires. Home delivery. 01-366909,03-226650. (off the map)
6.12 NEW - Rosa Maria - A new place for Italian and international cuisine. Sadat, near Hamra Street. 01-756166
6.13 Socrate – A cheery place especially good for lunch, with daily dishes and a mezze-salad bar. A block from the Bliss Gate on Sidani St. Also catering. 01-363011
7. Books- journals
7.1 Antoine - The most extensive selection of books and magazines in Beirut. Staff are mostly rude and unhelpful (so don’t take it personally). Hamra Street.
7.2 Arche de Noe – Leila Bissat, the proprietor of this beautiful, mainly children’s, book shop (designed by AUB graphic design students), organizes creative events for children and adults. Sadat St. near TSC. 01-740477.
7.3 Esquire - This dusty shop has seen better days, but helpful owner Sultan el-Bidawi has a wide selection of daily and weekly publications. Specific periodicals may be ordered. Paperback books wrapped in plastic since the Civil War and inlaid backgammon sets also for sale. Nehme Jafet St, opposite Mayflower Hotel. 70-123935
7.4 Librarie Internationale - Antranik Helvadjian, the occasionally grumpy, often charming owner, has an especially good collection of ME politics, art/design and cook books. Next to MEA at the Gefinor Center. 01-43285
8. Stationery and art supplies
8.1 Books and Pens – Convenient location and hours, to 10pm every night except Sunday.
8.2 City Stationery - Excellent paper and art supplies. Owners offer knowledgeable advice. Jeanne d’Arc St, near Sidani
8.3 Diabco – A cavernous basement with office and art supplies. Hamra St, after Sadat. 01-739439
9. Household
9.1 A&P Chemali Stores - wide selection of small household appliances, dishes, candles, cooking pots and utensils. Owners are charming and helpful. Souraty Street, near Abdel-Aziz.
9.2 Abou Hassan Stores – Small jam-packed shop with inexpensive kitchen utensils and helpful staff. Glasses, plastic containers, and more. Off Sadat on Adonis St, near TSC
9.3 Beyrouthi Freres - Lamps and lampshades. An alternative to expensive ready made lamps. Mr. Roger Beyrouthi can transform a pot or jug into a beautiful lamp. 01-349411. Antoine Gemayel St, near Warde Fabrics, south of Hamra.
9.4 Domtex - Towels and bed linens. Mme Liliane Shamsi and colleagues offer moderately priced, locally made products, most are pure cotton. Corner of Abdel-Aziz and Hamra Streets. 01-345901
9.5 Melki – Melki is a veritable Aladdin’s cave of buttons, ribbons, thread and more. Makdissi St, just off Jeanne d’Arc. 01-343709
9.6 Tony Naufal’s no name shop – Tony has a small shop full of all sorts of useful electrical and other household stuff, and he can get what he doesn’t have. Exceptionally friendly. Open late. Ibrahim Abdel-Aal Street, near Souraty.
9.7 Sentier d’Orient – This shop sells locally made soaps with local scents. Elegantly presented, great gifts. Gefinor Center, next to Gruen.
9.8 Warde for curtains and upholstery. Incredible range of mostly imported fabrics. Their Solderie has good bargains. Antoine Gemayel St, near Crowne Plaza Hotel.
10. Pharmacies
10.1 Kutteh Pharmacy - Alex Kutteh offers trustworthy advice and medications. Open daily 8am-7pm, except Sunday. Corner of Jeanne d’Arc and Sidani Street. 01-342355. 01-347355.
10.2 Wardieh Pharmacy - Wide range of products including cosmetics. Open 24/7. Sidani/Souraty Street, Wardieh end. 01-751343, 03-179757. (off the map)
11. Services
11.1 Beauty (facials/massage) – Dermacare. Speak to Adele for an appointment. Excellent. Sidani Street, corner of Sadat. 01-737488
11.2 Beauty (women’s hair salons) - Nasri, Makhoul St 01-354883. A favorite of the AUB community. Reasonable prices. Good with children. Also: Odile, is a long time French resident of Beirut, famous for good cuts. Speaks only French. Relatively expensive. Makdissi St. next to HSBC 01-345884
11.3 Butagaz delivery and installation – Chehab. Prompt service, fair prices. 01-742015. 03-882953 (not on the map)
11.4 Electrical repairs - Nizar Fanous has a small shop opposite Ghali Printers in West House 3, Jeanne d’Arc street. He makes house calls. 76-339303. 01-342104
11.5 Eyeglasses - Space Vision. This is my favorite optics shop of the many in the neighborhood. Good selection and prompt prescription service. Ali Ajouz. Abdel-Aziz Street, near Sidani/Souraty. 01-353126.
11.6 Laundry - Saeedi Cleaners. Manager Ahmad (Abou Tawfiq) Hamdan runs an efficient service at a very reasonable price. Home delivery. No name place on side street, opposite Mayflower Hotel.
11.7 Leather repairs/conditioning - Said Nader For repairs to bags, belts and other leather goods, Said Nader is the best. Antoine Gemayel St, between Makdissi and Hamra. 01-348349.
11.8 Locksmith - Samuel Mozian and his colleague Mike change locks, cut new keys. Gemayel St, off Makdissi, opposite Decoratex. 01-343955. 03-810460.
11.9 Photocopying, scanning, printing and binding – Digital Horizons on Jeanne d’Arc is the favorite of AUB architecture and graphic design students for their good quality work and fast and reasonable service. Well-staffed. Open early and late.
11.10 Photocopying, scanning, printing and binding – Another favorite is ‘ind Riad for excellent, reasonably priced services. Riad’s new location is on the lower ground floor of a residential building, dead end off Makhoul Street. 01-341079.
11.11 Photo processing and equipment – Photo Nubar. Also, passport pictures stored digitally and reprinted anytime. Polite helpful service. Nehme Jafet St. 01-353742
11.12 Picture framing, mirrors – Moustafa Abdellatif Arakji and Sons. Ahmad Arakji runs this family business in a small street parallel to Bliss near the old lighthouse. Good value for basic frames and mirrors. 03-838430 (off the map)
11.13 Shoe repair – Nader This shabby shop with no name dyes leather and repairs shoes. Very good quality work. Moderately expensive. Antoine Gemayel St, between Makdissi and Hamra. 01-347285.
11.14 Travel Agencies. For airline tickets and travel packages, I prefer Ghazi Travel on Bliss. Rania Itani, 01-365705. www.ghazitravel.com. I also use Tania Travel, located on Sidani St, off Jeanne d’Arc, for reasonable day tours in Lebanon. Mary Petrakian. 01-739682. 03-686121.
11.15 Video rental and sales - Chico. Diran Mardirian and colleagues are movie buffs and have an excellent collection of art house, Hollywood, regional and educational films. Sidani Street, near Sadat. 01-743855
11.16 Watch repair/batteries - Jean Satjian Mr. Satjian offers friendly prompt repair and battery replacement service. He also sells watches, clocks, and jewelry. Next to Socrate on Mahatma Gandhi St. 01-739547.
12. Clothes and accessories
12.1 Women – Kalabsha, on the 4th floor of a building kitty-corner to Costa on Hamra St, is the creation of a local designer Loulwa AbdelBaki. Reasonable prices.
12.2 Shoes – Ceyo- Turkish-made comfort shoes for all the family. Moderately priced. Cairo Street, near Marignan/Babel Theatre.
12.3 Sports clothes and equipment - Haber Sport A family business with small outlets around the neighborhood. 01-342434. Jeanne d’Arc, near Hamra.
12.4 Ethnic beads/jewelry/clothes - Ants This shop, especially popular with young people, has developed a cult following for its Indian clothes and ambience. Khalidy/Makhoul Street.
13 . Flowers and plants
13.1 Jacaranda - A pretty new flower shop that specializes in unusual, artistic arrangements. Pricey. Corner of Rome and Maamari Streets. 01-374466
13.2 Takkoush – A large extended-family flower business on one stretch of Jeanne d’Arc. The corner shop is my favorite, run by a genteel old man reputed to be a former movie star.
13.3 Violetta – Nursery and flower shop on Sidani Street, off Jeanne d’Arc. They deliver plants, soil and pots to your home.
14. Artisanat/Handicrafts
14.1 Artisan du Liban - Basic handicrafts and inexpensive gifts. Clemenceau opposite the Ecole Superieure des Affaires. (off the map)
14.2. Al Badia - Specializes in Palestinian embroidery produced by women in the Palestinian camps of Lebanon. Cushion covers, purses, shawls and more. Makdissi Street and Antoine Gemayel Streets. Closes about 5pm.
14.3 Hodaj - This shop sells handicrafts from around the world, but notably Palestinian pottery and Syrian scarves. Open M-Sat 9-5. On Nehme Jafet St, near Mayflower Hotel. 01-340659
14.4 Inaash - The most elegant and pricey of the Palestinian embroidery projects, specializing in handsome modern designs and colors on jackets and shawls. Some articles are ready made in their shop, others must be special ordered. www.inaash.org. In an alley off Mansur Jurdak/Sidani St, close to the old lighthouse. 01-740609.
14.5 Orient 499 - This elegant and expensive shop is an aesthetic treasure. Despite first appearances, it is possible to find affordable items. Omar Daouk Street, above the old Holiday Inn. 01-369499 (off the map)
15. Art Galleries
15.1 Agial Gallery - Contemporary art, temporary exhibitions featuring Middle Eastern artists. Worth joining their mailing list for openings. Abdel-Aziz Street. www.agialart.com 01-345213
15.2 Art Circle - an intimate space featuring mostly young artists. Antoine Gemayel Street, south of Hamra near Commodore. 03-027776
15.3 Espace Kettaneh Kunigk - Temporary exhibitions of international and local photography and art. Ground floor of Block E, Gefinor Center. 01-738706
15.4 Galerie Janine Rubeiz - This gallery is in Raouche, just outside our neighborhood, but worth noting for its excellent shows and openings great for people-watching. Raouche Corniche, above Banque Audi. 01-868 290 (off the map).
15.5 Zaman Gallery - An older gallery featuring Middle Eastern artists. In a small alley off Sadat Street, south of Hamra. 01-745571
15.6 Zico House - Occupying a beautiful old house on Spears Street near the Sanayeh public gardens. More than an art gallery: Exhibition space, garden café and bar, events space, offices of NGOs such as Helem and Greenline. www.zicohouse.org 03-590269 (off the map).
16. Arts Workshops
16.1 Artwork Shop - Courses for children and adults. Down the hill from TSC and Sadat Street, on Adonis Street. 01-749646. www.theartworkshop.net
(see 5.7) Dar el-Mussawir - Photography workshop, book shop and café in a beautiful old house. Rome Street, Wardiyyeh, behind the Interdesign building. 01-373347. 71-236627.
17. Theatres
17.1 Masrah al-Madina. A Hamra institution, the first 1960s movie complex to be renovated post-War for use as exhibition space and theatre. Features music, theatre and dance performances. Hamra Street, Saroulla Building, opposite the Capuchin Catholic Church.
17.2 Masrah Babel. The old Marignan movie theatre transformed by Iraqi playwright Jawad al-Asadi into a grand performance space. In the old Marignan Center, Cairo Street, near AUBMC.
17.3 Masrah Beirut. A hold-over from pre-Civil War days, this theatre is just up from the Abdel-Nasser Mosque and the Corniche in Ain Mreisseh. It now hosts activist art and political events (off the map).
18. Dance/Yoga/Fitness
18.1 Contours. A gym and wellness center. www.contoursservices.com.
Weavers Center, Clemenceau. 01-361022 (off the map).
18.2 Exhale. A small gym in an old house at the lighthouse end of Bliss. 03-197271. 01-364638 (off the map).
18.3 Houna Holistic Center. Mainly yoga and capoeira www.houna.com. 7th floor, Cinema Montreal building, Hamra Street. 03-676285
18.4 Maqamat. Dance studio offering classes for all ages, from oriental to ballet and hiphop. 2nd floor, Estral Center, Hamra Street. 01-343834. 71-616633
18.5 Shiva Lila. Only yoga. Minkara Building, 2nd floor, Clemenceau. 03-335054. 76-624386 (off the map).