Tripoli's restaurant scene is limited and further constrained by the security situation. Most visitors eat at their hotels or at the handful of established restaurants near Martyrs' Square and the corniche. Alcohol is forbidden in Libya — restaurants serve tea, juices, and soft drinks.
Libyan cuisine centres on lamb, couscous, and bazeen — a heavy dough made from barley flour, traditionally served with a lamb and tomato sauce. Shorba, a spiced lamb soup, is a staple. Fried fish from the harbour is also widely available and reliable. For a quick meal, the small coffee shops and sandwich stands in the medina serve fresh bread, tuna, and eggs at low cost.