Discover how Levantine cuisine is elevated to a luxury Michelin-starred affair, blending tradition, excess, and international sophistication.
From Beirut’s spice souks to Paris and London’s trendy rooftops, Levantine food has been reinterpreted for the luxury landscape. No longer regional comfort food, it is now an internationally celebrated culinary form—where hummus, kibbeh, and labneh are no longer mezze but haute indulgence. Michelin-starred establishments now do justice to Middle Eastern food’s richness and generosity, serving it with ease, restraint, and panache.
In London, Arabica in Borough Market reinvents regional favourites with a cosmopolitan spin. There, patrons sip house-distilled arak while they consume wagyu kofta, saffron-kissed labneh, and heirloom chickpeas presented from artisanal ceramics. Bubala Soho, the modern vegetarian Levantine eating experience, indulges in a vegan version—confit potato latkes topped with truffle honey or house-made harissa on Jerusalem-style flatbread, say.
To facilitate the quintessentially regal ambiance, Dubai and Beirut-based Em Sherif is the wake-up call. Renowned for its marble-facade decor, crystal chandelier lighting, and opulent spreads of over 30 traditional dishes served on gold-edged porcelain, the restaurant has long been among the favoured haunts of high society, monarchs, and upscale visitors.
Its newest opening in London introduced Middle Eastern luxury dining to Mayfair without sacrificing its identity.
What is so seductive about Levantine high cuisine is its harmony of texture, taste, and storytelling. From perfumed freekeh risottos to rose petal-pistachio desserts and saffron teas served at the table, every dish evokes the amour of a history-saturated and open-hearted country. Even the service—a drizzle of pomegranate molasses or sprinkle of 100-year-old olive oil—is executed with the gravitas of ritual.
It’s not to be consumed alone. It’s a feast for the senses. Luxury food has embraced the Levant for its unapologetic nature, heat, and sensuality, and chefs globally are taking the humble origins and transforming them into couture experiences. From Paris chef’s table Michelin-starred to Doha rooftop tasting menu, the Levant’s flavours have never been more luxury—or more upscale.
