Where to get an authetic taste of Lebanon in Cape Town

The best way to get a sense of a country is through its food, and Rafael is a persuasive reason to plan a trip to Lebanon.

The bright corner cafe on Sea Point’s Main Road is the newest sibling to co­ffee shops Mischu and Byblos owned by Mikhael and Angelic Bou Rjeily. Perfecting the art of co­ffee has been their focus until now, but they decided it was finally time to share the flavours they grew up with. 

“Being Lebanese, food is a big part of your life,” says Angelic. “It’s such a unique cuisine. There are Mediterranean dishes in common with neighbouring countries, like hummus, but everyone makes it their own way.”

The flavours are Eastern Mediterranean, fresh, light and healthy, with lots of lemon, olives, fresh herbs and spices. “I grew up eating like this. For me, it’s a matter of reviving childhood memories,” says Mikhael on how they developed the menu.

Man’oushe flatbreads in several variations are the staple breakfast of Lebanese village life. The simplest is spread with zesty zaatar, (a blend of dried thyme, sesame seeds and sumac). Thin, crispy and very moreish, man’oushe is a light and satisfying snack eaten with dollops of homemade labneh (strained yoghurt), tomato, cucumber and mint, or a handful of olives.

Lebanese food is all about sharing and social eating, the mezze menu lets you order for the table and taste a little bit of everything.

The falafel is not to be missed, dipped in hummus or baba ghanoush with a tabbouleh salad. Chicken kebabs and beef kafta skewers bring subtle spices into the mix. For lunch, man’oushe becomes more substantial, topped with kafta ground beef and cheese.

It’s a way of eating that encourages long, laid-back lunches, sipping at refreshing frozen lemonade with mint in summer, or energising Yerba Mate tea for a slow-release ca­ffeine buzz.

But Rafael also works well for takeaways to eat while strolling on the promenade – think a rolled pita stu­ffed with shwarma or falafel. And you can order platters to take home for e­ffortless entertaining.

We drew out our lunch with excellent Turkish co­ffee accompanied by small bites of baklava from a local Lebanese bakery.

For winter, Angelic is developing soups, desserts and more meat dishes to add sustaining warmth to the charming corner cafe that already feels like a home away from home.

This article was originally published in Sunday Times Neighbourhood, your must read property and lifestyle guide. Visit Yourneighbourhood.co.za