Start your day with breakfast at Al Manoosh – flatbread, shakshuka, traditional baked goods and more. Photo: Al Manoosh/Instagram.
Australia is home to a large slice of the Lebanese diaspora, so it’s unsurprising that there’s plenty of delicious Lebanese food here, too. And Canberra has its fair share of falafel and flatbread! Here’s a taste of Lebanese places to feed you from morning til night!
Al Manoosh, Mawson
Start your day off right, just like they do in Beirut, with a warm manoosh flatbread fresh from the oven.
At Al Manoosh, you can choose from toppings like za’atar (traditional Lebanese seasoning of sesame seeds, dried oregano or thyme and sumac spice), sujuk (Lebanese spicy sausage) or vegetables with labneh (a thick yoghurt cheese).
As well as the bakery goods, Al Manoosh has a full sit-down brunch menu with well-known offerings like shakshuka and hummus, as well as traditional dishes like musahaba (chickpeas with lemon, garlic and olive oil).
If you’re in a hurry, grab some baked snacks like spinach triangles or sambusak (pastry parcels filled with minced meat and pine nuts). And yes, you can get a flat white with that, or a strong, sweet Lebanese coffee for an extra pick-me-up.
Cedars of Lebanon stocks everything you’d need to make a Lebanese feast at home – spices, nuts, dried fruit and sauces. Photo: Facebook.
Cedars of Lebanon, Mawson
Once you’ve sated your appetite with breakfast, pop across to Cedars of Lebanon, a specialty grocery store for Lebanese goods. This is the place to find spice mixes like za’atar, as well as hard-to-find ingredients like deep-red, fermented urfa biber chilli flakes, dried golden raisins, and pomegranate molasses. You can also buy nuts, seeds and other ingredients in bulk, choosing how much to purchase.
There’s also a range of sweets like syrupy baklava and nutty halva.
The exceptional falafel at Med. Photo: Region.
Med, Barton
Med in Barton technically has a broader remit than just Lebanese food – also drawing inspiration from Turkiye and Greece – but its menu is heavily influenced by Lebanese cuisine.
Falafel, traditionally a street food, is given the star treatment at Med. Too often, falafel is a dry disappointment, but here it is fluffy, moist, and oh-so-tasty. Batata Harara is another Lebanese classic dish – spicy and moreish roast potatoes, which make an excellent side dish to charcoal roast chicken or slow-baked lamb shoulder.
Best of all, they have an express lunch banquet menu for $49 (vegetarian option available) and takeaway options like pide pockets and lunch boxes.
The grilled meat skewers at Azima are deliciously moist and moreish. Photo: Azima/Instagram.
Azima, City
This expansive Lebanese restaurant in the city is a labour of love by hospitality veteran Adam Elchakak, who was inspired by his Mum’s cooking. Azima roughly translates as ‘an invitation to feast’, and in the best traditions of Levantine hospitality. You will leave absolutely stuffed.
Grab some friends, put on your stretchy pants, and enjoy a banquet meal, starting with beautiful dips: hummus, baba ganouj, and mouhamara (roasted capsicum and walnut), served with a herby tabouli salad and pita bread dusted with za’atar. The grilled skewers are charred to perfection, with a mix of flavours, such as spiced lamb kofte or juicy marinated chicken shish tawook.
Azima also serves a range of Lebanese wines from the Bekka Valley (Lebanon’s main wine-producing region). If you’ve left any space for dessert, the rose-scented rice pudding is surprisingly light and served with strands of Persian fairy floss and crunchy pistachio praline.
Popular Belly Dancing nights keep the shimmy alive at Bar Beirut. Photo: Avon Dissanayake.
Bar Beirut, City
Echoing Beirut’s reputation as a party capital, this popular bar in Garema Place is beloved for its warm hospitality, fun atmosphere, and amazing cocktails.
Owner Soumi Tannous has won the national prize for Best Host at the AHA awards twice now (most recently in 2025), as well as Best Unique Bar Experience and Best Cocktail List – all well deserved.
Their signature cocktail is the Wasabi Martini, a mainstay of the menu since 2019. Wasabi-infused vodka is muddled with Lebanese cucumber and vanilla for a refreshing drink, with bite! Or try the complex, savoury and spicy Beirut Express made with tequila, green chartreuse and lime with a smoked chilli salt rim.
They also serve a range of modern Lebanese food, including vegetarian and vegan set menus, so they’re another great dinner venue.
Bar Beirut regularly hosts belly dancers and burlesque performers, ensuring that guests get not just a meal or a drink but a memorable experience.
Are there any other Lebanese spots you’d add to this list?
Original Article published by Lucy Ridge on Region Canberra.