Aleppo is widely regarded as the culinary capital of the Levant. The cuisine is distinct from Damascene cooking — richer, more complex, with Persian and Turkish influences layered over an Arab base. Kebab halabi, muhammara, cherry kebab, and the city's famous red pepper paste are local staples. Many of the pre-war restaurants were destroyed, but Aleppine cooking survived in home kitchens and in the diaspora, and eateries are reopening as the city rebuilds.