Syrian food is some of the best in the Middle East and far better known abroad — through the Syrian diaspora — than Syria itself has been in recent years. Traveling here you eat extraordinarily well for very little money.
The cuisine varies noticeably by region. Damascus offers the broadest range, with its Ottoman-era restaurants and vibrant street food scene. Aleppo has the most distinctive regional character — spicier, earthier, heavily influenced by centuries of trade on the Silk Road. The coast brings fresh seafood. The Hauran in the south is known for its lamb.
What to eat
Mezze is how most meals begin: hummus, baba ghanouj (smoky roasted aubergine with tahini), muhammara (a roasted red pepper and walnut dip with pomegranate molasses that's especially Aleppan), fattoush salad, labneh, tabbouleh, and stuffed vine leaves. Order generously — a mezze spread can easily be a full meal.
Kibbeh is Syria's national dish: a mixture of finely ground lamb or beef and bulgur wheat, shaped into balls or patties and either fried, baked, or served raw (kibbeh nayeh) for the brave. Aleppo has dozens of kibbeh variations.
Shawarma is the street food of choice everywhere — marinated lamb or chicken on a vertical spit, sliced into flatbread with tomatoes, pickles, and garlic sauce. Cheap, fast, and consistently good.
Cherry kebab is a specifically Aleppan specialty: minced lamb mixed with sour cherry and cooked on skewers. Sweet, sharp, and unlike anything you'll find elsewhere.
Fatteh is a Damascus breakfast staple: layers of crispy bread, chickpeas, yogurt, tahini, and often minced meat, topped with pine nuts and a pour of ghee. Heavy, but wonderful in cold weather.
Sweets are a serious business. Syrian baklava uses different nut fillings and less syrup than the Greek or Turkish versions. Kunafa — hot cheese pastry soaked in sugar syrup, scattered with pistachios — is eaten at breakfast or any time of day. Hama is particularly famous for its sweets.
Where to eat
In Damascus, the old city has restaurants in restored courtyard houses (called beit or dar) — shaded, tiled, with fountains. The experience matches the food. In Aleppo's Jdeide quarter, similar courtyard restaurants survived the war. Street food is everywhere and the quality is reliable; follow where locals eat, not where signs are in English.
Tea and strong Arabic coffee — cardamom-scented, served in tiny cups — accompany everything. The tradition of sitting in a tea house for an hour or two, with a nargileh (water pipe) and a backgammon board, is one of the finer things about Syrian social life.