When it comes to Levantine cuisine, Abu Dhabi is a standout destination, and at Yalla, we’ve eaten our way across the city to prove it.
As part of our ongoing “Best of Abu Dhabi” series, we’re spotlighting the best Lebanese restaurants in Abu Dhabi, from budget-friendly shawarma joints to MICHELIN-recognised fine dining gems.
Outside of Lebanon, few places in the world do Lebanese food as well as the UAE capital. From sensational shawarmas for under AED 5 to platters of mezze, sizzling grills and sophisticated Levantine plates,
Abu Dhabi’s Lebanese dining scene caters to every mood and budget, and it keeps getting better every year.
Allo Beirut
Al Danah and Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi
Bright, funky and bringing the vibes of an old-school 1950s diner, sliding into one of the red booths at Allo Beirut is always an exciting feeling.
Offering all-day breakfasts, a wide selection of falafel specials, amazing shawarma plates and sandwiches and all your usual favourite mezze, salads and grills, there’s a branch in Khalifa City and one in Al Najda, and both come with outdoor terraces, too.
Tried and tested: There’s something about the decadent creamy moutabel that makes it superior to most others in the city, while the various breads, including the manakish, kaakeh and shakhtoura (the egg and avocado is ideal for breakfast), are all amazingly light, fresh and completely irresistible in every way.
For bookings: 800 86234788
Address: Khalifa City & Al Najda
Read more about it: Allo Beirut
Website: Allo Beirut
Mosaic
Al Najda and Al Muroor, Abu Dhabi
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One of Abu Dhabi’s most popular and widely recommended Lebanese restaurant brands, it doesn’t get more authentic than Mosaic.
Discover traditional dishes you might never have tried before and all kinds of fresh and tasty specialties from across Lebanon, all made with care, attention and the freshest ingredients.
Tried and tested: Including countless different mezze, foul, eggs, fresh manakish and more, the breakfast spreads provide the most epic way of kicking off a lazy weekend morning, while the traditional cheese kunafa is famed for being one of the greatest in Abu Dhabi.
For bookings: 02 622 6122 (Al Najda) or 02 234 0202 (Al Muroor)
Address: Vision Twin Towers, Street 9, Najda & Guardian Towers, Al Muroor, Embassies
Read more about it: Mosaic
Website: Mosaic
Zahrat Lebnan
Multiple locations in Abu Dhabi
Established in 1983, Zahrat Lebanon is one of Abu Dhabi’s oldest Lebanese restaurants, and indisputably one of the best.
A wonderful place to take your visitors from home, and allow them to experience Middle Eastern dining and hospitality at its most authentic, the bustling terrace of the Al Salam Street branch is always busy, bustling and tonnes of fun.
The friendly staff greet you with genuine warmth, the prices are exceptionally affordable, and of course the food is magnificent, too. As an added bonus, complimentary tea and watermelon are often thrown in at the end.
Tried and tested: The shawarmas are renowned for being some of downtown’s finest, while nothing beats tucking into a sharing spread of mezze (mutable, hummus, labneh and classic fatteh are essentials), fattoush salad, and Arabic grills with your nearest and dearest at the end of a busy day.
For bookings: 600 500502
Address: Al Salam Street, Abu Dhabi
Read more about it: Zahrat Lebanon
Website: Zahrat Lebanon
You might also like: Bon appétit: 7 of the best French restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Beirut Sur Mer
Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
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Located steps from the white sands of Mamsha Beach, Beirut Sur Mer is certainly one of Abu Dhabi’s most picturesque Lebanese restaurants with a view.
Offering a roomy outdoor terrace and Instagrammable interior, it’s the ideal spot for everything from leisurely weekend breakfasts to special birthday dinners, while the open kitchen lets you watch the talented chefs prepare everything fresh to order, just metres from your table.
Immensely popular and the proud recipient of a MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand award, reservations are a must.
Tried and tested: Given its stunning seaside setting, trying the seafood specials is essential. The whole sea bass, seasoned with olive oil, lemon and herbs, will blow you away with its incredible texture and flavour, while the shanklish fondue is a fun twist on a classic.
For bookings: 054 395 4000
Address: Mamsha Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi
Read more about it: Beirut Sur Mer
Visit: Beirut Sur Mer
Grand Beirut
The Galleria Mall and Al Qana
Draped with cherry blossoms and greenery and beautifully decorated with floral furnishings, Grand Beirut is one of Abu Dhabi’s prettiest restaurants.
Blending the ambiance of a fine dining restaurant with refreshingly reasonable prices, everything from the complimentary bread and olives to the fresh salads, succulent grills and decadent Arabic grills is just as good as any you’d find in a more pricey fine dining restaurant
Tried and tested: The outdoor terrace of the Al Qana branch is a gorgeous spot for a romantic evening meal. But be warned, once you try the baladi (hummus topped with salsa and fried egg) or hummus with falafel, you won’t be able to go back to regular chickpea dip ever again.
For bookings: 056 216 1001
Address: Galleria Mall, Al Maryah Island & Al Qana, Abu Dhabi
Read more about it: Grand Beirut
Visit: Grand Beirut
Tean
Jumeirah Saadiyat Island
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Located inside Jumeirah Saadiyat Island, one of Abu Dhabi’s most luxurious hotels, Lebanese restaurant Tean is as special as its idyllic surroundings.
Set by the white sands of Saadiyat Beach, the large outdoor terrace lets you feel the sea breeze while you dine, while the menu spans an enticing mix of Lebanese, Greek and Turkish specialties.
Known for its views, locally sourced catches of the day and its extraordinary choice of eight different hummus flavours, you will never leave disappointed.
Tried and tested: The avocado hummus really works, while the juicy and tender shish taouk will blow every other one you’ve tried out of the water. The grilled jumbo prawns are simply superb, too.
For bookings: 02 811 4342
Address: Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
Read more about it: Tean
Visit: Tean
Byblos Sur Mer
Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi
Looking over the marina of the InterContinental Abu Dhabi, MICHELIN Guide Abu Dhabi‑recognised Byblos Sur Mer is one of the most prestigious Lebanese restaurants in Abu Dhabi.
Sophisticated and elegant, and completed with a wrap‑around terrace offering spectacular views of the Corniche skyline, just one bite of its dishes is enough to tell you why its premium Lebanese specialties are considered a cut above the rest.
High quality and artistically presented, it’s the perfect special‑occasion venue, and more than worth splashing out on.
Tried and tested: While you might have tried many Arabic mixed grills in your time, you’ve never tried one that’s as juicy or as expertly cooked as the one from Byblos Sur Mer.
Packed with premium quality meat and finishings, it tastes unreal paired with the fresh breads, crunchy fattoush and spicy batata harra.
For bookings: 02 666 6888
Address: Marina Walk, InterContinental Abu Dhabi (Al Bateen)
Read more about it: Byblos Sur Mer
Visit: Byblos Sur Mer
Li Beirut
Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers
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Another fine‑dining Lebanese spot recognised in the MICHELIN Guide Abu Dhabi, Li Beirut offers an experience to remember.
Take a seat on the terrace overlooking the private beach of Conrad Etihad Towers Abu Dhabi, or inside the atmospheric dining room, and feast on simple, yet expertly crafted Lebanese specialties that stand out for their quality and immaculately careful preparation.
Tried and tested: Made with fresh veggies grown on the onsite hydrofarm, even the relatively straightforward dishes (including the rocca and zaatar salad) are absolutely exceptional.
Don’t miss the chef’s special recipes either. Bringing a twist to the classics, the ‘Eggplant Experience’ (mutabel, eggplant, walnut salsa and more crispy eggplant) and the kunafa‑wrapped tiger prawns are particularly showstopping.
For bookings: 02 811 5666
Address: Podium 2 – King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud St – Al Bateen – W32 – Abu Dhabi
Read more about it: Li Beirut
Visit: Li Beirut
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