Syrian Cuisine

Syrian cuisine is widely regarded as one of the finest and most refined in the Middle East, its great cities, above all Aleppo, long celebrated as culinary capitals of the Arab world. It is a cuisine of generous mezze, tables laden with creamy hummus, smoky baba ghanoush, tangy muhammara of walnuts and red pepper, tabbouleh, and warm bread, followed by delicate kibbeh, the beloved bulgur-and-meat dumplings in myriad forms, succulent kebabs, Aleppo's famous cherry kebab, and slow-cooked stuffed vegetables. Rich with olive oil, pistachios, pomegranate and spice, and finished with honey-soaked pastries and pistachio sweets, it is a tradition of real depth and hospitality.

What you actually see

• The mezze - the spread of hummus, muhammara and baba ghanoush.
• Kibbeh - the beloved bulgur-and-meat dumplings in many forms.
• The cherry kebab - Aleppo's famous kebab in sour cherry sauce.
• The sweets - the honey-soaked pastries and pistachio treats.

When to go

Year-round; Syrian food is enjoyed across the country, with Aleppo and Damascus its great culinary centres, and is celebrated worldwide through the large Syrian diaspora and its restaurants. The refined mezze and Aleppo's kibbeh and cherry kebab are the signatures to seek out.

Honest expectations

The most refined Syrian dishes, like the many elaborate forms of kibbeh or Aleppo's cherry kebab, are painstaking specialities best sought in a skilled kitchen rather than casually; happily the cuisine also thrives through the worldwide Syrian diaspora. As one of the great and most refined cuisines of the Middle East, generous, aromatic and hospitable, though, Syrian food is a genuine delight.

Nearby

The eateries of Damascus and Aleppo, and Syrian restaurants abroad, all serve it.