A stunning view of the Burj Khalifa can be enjoyed from the beautiful outside garden area, while a huge indoor area is enhanced by a traditional ceramic water fountain and an olive tree, evocative of the 1950s, the golden age of Beirut. It is a tribute to an age gone by when the city teemed with life and culture. Black and white Beirut portraits of the era are hung on the round see-through domed ceiling which also allows the sun’s rays to flow into the main room and offers relaxing outdoors views.

An extensive menu caters for every taste from all day breakfasts which include firm favourites such as ballila with pine nuts, eggs and soujouk, fattet hummus and grilled halloumi cheese. The lunch menu has a wide choice of cold mezza items including mouttabal, warak enab, shanklish, and labneh with garlic. Hot mezza offers delicacies like sautéed chicken livers, makanek, falafel tacos, ras asfour with pomegranate molasses and tabbouleh. From the grill there are chicken, cutlets, kafta meat, lamb fillet and shawarma. Daily dishes are also available as well as a children’s menu. Those with a sweet tooth will appreciate knefeh, osmalieh cheesecake, um Ali, qatayef with Nutella and daaoukyeh.

Hot and cold beverages include a twist on popular drinks like Tiramisu Latte, Date Frappucino, Oreoccino and Caramel Peanut Butter Milkshake. Café Beirut cocktails are delicious so why not try Beit El Din, made from fresh kumquat, passion fruit syrup, brown sugar and ginger ale or Baalbek, made from fresh grapefruit, aloe vera, lime juice and sparkling sugar, or perhaps one of the healthy detox juices, seasonal fresh juices, traditional Beiruti Sharab, coffee with spirits, a superb selection of coffee or something from the alcoholic menu.

The days of glory are honoured at Café Beirut and the old saying holds true;” A lot can happen over a cup of coffee.