Damascene cooking is some of the best in the Arab world — a refined merger of Levantine, Ottoman and Persian techniques, heavy on yoghurt, pomegranate, sumac, lamb, and fresh vegetables from the surrounding Ghouta. Some of the most rewarding meals are in old courtyard houses in the Old City, converted into restaurants in the 2000s.
Naranj on Straight Street is the city's grandest restored-house restaurant. Tables fill the central courtyard around a marble fountain; the menu runs to over 200 mezze. Try the muhammara (pomegranate-walnut spread), the kibbeh nayyeh, the slow-roasted fakhda lamb.
Al-Khawali in a 15th-century house off Madhat Pasha Souq is the longest-established of the type — beautifully lit at night, slightly more affordable than Naranj. The grilled meats and the yalanji (vegetarian stuffed vine leaves) are the signature dishes.
Beit Jabri is a beautifully restored 17th-century home tucked into the alleys near Bab Tuma. The food is simpler than at Naranj but the courtyard, with its citrus trees and tiled fountain, is one of the loveliest dining rooms in Damascus.
Bakdash in the Hamidiyah Souq has served Arabic-style pounded ice cream rolled in pistachios since 1885. Standing room only; cheap, fast, and a Damascus institution.
For everyday food, the lanes north and south of the Hamidiyah Souq are full of cheap shawarma stands, foul (mashed beans) and falafel shops, and fatteh (chickpeas with bread and yoghurt) places that open early for breakfast.