Beirut City Guide: Where to Eat, Drink and Linger By A Local

From miso buns and perfectly salted fries to local wine, vinyl records and post-workout coffee, the Beirut-based communications and social media manager shares the places currently shaping her experience of the city.

Kristy Ayoub notices all the details (and we always loved her style!). A Beirut-based communications and social media manager with a soft spot for good food, considered branding and beautiful spaces (and a JDEED Alumn!), she is always searching for the kind of place that gets more than one thing right. It could be a menu built around exceptional produce, a perfectly made coffee or an atmosphere that makes you stay long after the bill has arrived.

More often than not, she is also the person stopping everyone mid-walk—or mid-meal—after spotting something worth photographing.

Her guide to Beirut moves between bakeries, neighbourhood coffee shops, restaurants, bars and a workout-and-smoothie combination worth building a morning around. Some are established favourites, others are more recent discoveries, and a few are still waiting to be crossed off her list.

Start With Coffee—and Something Sweet

At the top of Kristy’s bakery list is BakeLab, where choosing one thing is part of the challenge.

“The miso bun. The almond croissant. The coconut cake that they just brought back. I could go on,” she says.

The coconut cake, in particular, receives all-caps approval, while the bakery’s combination of familiar pastries and less predictable flavours makes it the kind of stop that easily turns into a recurring ritual.

For a slower brunch, Kristy recommends Mavia—although the lavender shortbread cookies are reason enough to visit on their own.

“Come for brunch, stay for the lavender shortbread cookies. Trust me.”

On Fridays, the space shifts into pizza-night mode, offering another reason to return beyond the morning coffee run.

At Headshell, the appeal extends beyond what is in the cup. Alongside great coffee, the space carries a selection of local brands and vinyl records, turning a caffeine stop into an opportunity to browse Beirut’s wider creative scene.

For somewhere to work, meet a friend or simply settle in for a while, Kristy heads to Levant at Brazzaville.

“One of my favourite spots to get some work done or catch up with a friend,” she says. “Super cute, super chill.”

Then there is Beyond Organic, which combines coffee with the practical pleasure of picking up fresh produce, and perhaps a beautiful bunch of flowers on the way out.

Where Kristy Is Eating Right Now

Beirut’s restaurant scene rewards curiosity, and Kristy’s list moves easily between steak, saj, sushi, tacos and local wine.

Un Peu Fou makes the cut for its new menu, which Kristy describes simply but decisively as “really good.” When she is craving steak, she heads to Smoking Barrels. The restaurant may be her choice for a proper cut of meat, but the burger should not be overlooked.

“Their burger is absolutely killer,” she adds.

At Terrible Prince, the recommendation is reassuringly uncomplicated: you cannot go wrong with anything on the menu.

For a more communal meal, Kristy points to Souk El Tayeb. The visit may begin with saj, but it should not end there. Its new lunch formula is designed for sharing, making it an easy choice for a longer table with friends.

And then there are the fries.

“The fries are salted to perfection—which, if you know me, is a very big deal.”

For local wine and small plates, Aleb offers the right kind of relaxed pairing, while Chubby Fish earns a specific order: the Hamashi roll. Its playlist also receives Kristy’s approval, proving once again that the experience of a restaurant goes far beyond the plate.

Stir is another name on her current rotation, while Los Santos Tacos stands out for both the food and the visual world surrounding it.

“So, so good,” she says. “Really cool identity too.”

For someone working in communications and social media, strong branding is not an afterthought. It becomes part of how a space feels, how it tells its story and whether it stays in your mind after the meal.

Drinks, Pizzas and Late Nights

For drinks, Kristy’s Beirut shortlist includes Ivis & Olea, Riff, Fizz and Internazionale.

At Ivis & Olea, the menu leaves plenty of room to explore, but one order is non-negotiable.

“You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu,” she says. “But whatever you do, don’t skip the pizzas.”

Riff, Fizz and Internazional round out the list for nights when the destination matters just as much as the drink—places to meet, stay longer than planned and let the evening develop without overthinking it.

The Workout-and-Coffee Combination

Kristy’s ideal active morning begins at SOAR Lagree and ends nearby at Alma with a smoothie or coffee.

It is the kind of pairing that feels distinctly Beirut: a workout followed by something social, a quick plan that can easily stretch into the rest of the morning.