Tawlet Ammiq

Any Lebanese foodie will tell you that Tawlet Ammiq, the Bekaa Valley branch of Souk El Tayeb, a Beirut-based outfit that runs a farmers market highlighting rural produce as well as a hugely popular restaurant where a constantly changing cast of cooks from across the country showcase their regional culinary traditions, is their top choice for a weekend culinary adventure. This is one of the best restaurants in Lebanon that you should try once in your life.

Tawlet Ammiq, located in the fertile Western Bekaa Valley, borders the Ammiq Wetlands, which are part of the Shouf Biosphere Reserve, and allows local farmers to demonstrate their traditions, crops, and expertise. It also serves as a test kitchen, where local chefs rediscover and improve ancient recipes and practices.

Weekend meals are leisurely affairs here, with customers selecting from a variety of specialties. Those in the know arrive in the middle of the morning to sample fresh manakeesh (baked flatbread with toppings like cheese and minced meat) cooked on a saj (metal dome over embers) in the garden, then head over to adjacent Chateau Kefraya for a wine tasting before returning for lunch. When it's warm outdoors, there's seating outside, and when it's cold inside, there's seating around a pot-belly stove.

The restaurant structure is a sustainable design type with panoramic views of the valley. There is no public transportation available, so you'll need a car to get here. It's located 28 kilometers southwest of Chtaura.

Rate: 4.5/5.0, 435 Google reviews

Location: Tawlet, Lebanon

Website: http://www.soukeltayeb.com/