Dahiyeh’s restaurant scene bounces back after Israel’s war on Lebanon

Dahiyeh, Lebanon – Ahmad Wehbe didn’t expect his restaurant, Fries Lab, to survive Israel’s war on Lebanon.

An Israeli attack hit the restaurant in Haret Hreik, Dahiyeh, a neighborhood that was frequently targeted during the war, in late November.

“I woke up to a call from a friend in Qatar”, Wehbe, 28, told Al Jazeera. He claimed that the Israeli army had included my restaurant on a map of the targets’ buildings. I rushed to check”.

When he arrived, all that was left of his tiny, open-kitchen burger joint was a pile of rubble.

“I was sad but not devastated”, he said. I knew I had to move on as long as my family and loved ones were safe. I couldn’t dwell on something I expected to happen”.

Lights amid destruction

Popular restaurants like Falafel Khalifeh and Al Agha are still visible on Haret Hreik’s main street, which still has bright, colorful signs and exteriors.

As daylight fades, the restaurants ‘ vibrant neon lights take over, masking the scenes of destruction all around.

Wehbe is one of the many restaurant owners who lost jobs after Israel completely destroyed large portions of Dahiyeh, despite his somewhat better fortune.

People returned to their Dahiyeh homes, salvaged what they could, and reopened their businesses as soon as a ceasefire agreement was announced on November 27.

Wehbe’s restaurant was a complete loss, but his delivery-only kitchen remained intact, allowing him to keep the business running.

Wehbe, who has been sharing his love of food on Instagram for a while but still works for a media analysis firm, has a passion for food.

“I didn’t study at culinary school, but I have a passion for food. He said, “I enjoy street food and can relate to the analogies and flavor combinations.”

Fries Lab’s delivery branch is on a corner near the destroyed location, sitting, intact, next to a badly damaged building bearing the scars of Israeli strikes.

As staff members work in the kitchen at full speed, seven delivery drivers pre-order orders and place them quickly, preparing numerous orders of fries and burgers layered with vibrant sauces.

Their signature chicken wraps overflow with mozzarella, fried chicken, and homemade condiments, all in generous portions.

Despite the kitchen rush, everyone had their role – grill station, fry station, assembly, quality control – the space’s quiet only disrupted by delivery drivers asking when their orders would be ready.

Outside, one batch of delivery drivers departs as another arrives.

“We’re busier now than before the war”, Wehbe said. During the war, I opened a temporary kitchen in Hamra, but the instructions there were indistinguishable from those in Dahiyeh.

‘ We knew we’d reopen ‘

Al Qaysar, in Chiyah, is also up and running again.

Before the war forced it to close, it had only been open for ten days. Ten days later, it had new windows and was back to normal operation.

Although the buildings around it had been severely damaged, the restaurant escaped with only its windows broken on the old Saida road, which is a busy entry point to Dahiyeh.

“We knew we’d reopen as soon as the war ended. That was non-negotiable”, Zahraa Hammoud, who co-owns Al Qaysar with her brother Ali, told Al Jazeera.

But now, the atmosphere inside is calm, with Western classical music playing softly in the background.

Visitors to the restaurant can expect shawarma and grilled chicken and BBQ wings, a popular menu item frequently seen leaving the kitchen in large numbers.

As families and friends discuss politics, with the most popular topic being the presidential election, and family and loved ones checking in with one another, the conversation is fraught.

Near the road, passing cars swish by, while inside, the open kitchen gives diners a view of the action as their food is prepared.

At the larger family tables, there’s a spread of traditional Lebanese mezza like hummus and tabbouleh, with farrouj – chargrilled chicken – taking centre stage.

Smaller tables, often occupied by friend groups, are piled high with wings, arriving in a steady rotation from the kitchen.

Though not intentional, the layout divides the restaurant into two sections: friends usually sit in the section near the road, while families prefer the more intimate setting inside.

the difficulties of rising from the rubble

Economic expert Ziad Nasser El Dine explains that while Dahiyeh’s restaurant industry is still in high demand, many owners remain unsure about compensation for damages due to uncertainty.

According to Nasser El Dine, “Many owners are still looking for affordable spaces to reopen or battling to pay for repairs.”

Wehbe estimates his losses at $25, 000 and is unsure if he will receive any financial compensation. Still, he plans to open a new Fries Lab across from his old location.

“It’s tough because material costs have skyrocketed after the war, and I’m alone in this, so I’m using all my savings”, he said.

Still, he’s confident his new location will succeed and even hopes to turn it into a franchise.

Many of the Hammouds’ Lebanese staff members had fled the area, and Syrian staff who had been in Lebanon throughout the Syrian war had fled. This also presented challenges for the Hammouds in terms of reopening Al Qaysar.

Overall, they lost about eight staff members, Zahraa estimates. They quickly hired new employees, maintained the same menu and prices, and offered special promotions to draw in new customers.

According to Nasser El Dine, the industry’s future depends on how quickly residential areas can be rebuilt and what options are available for resettling displaced people who have lost their homes.

In areas like Dahiyeh, home to nearly a million people, many rely on fast food for its affordability and convenience, he notes.

“Since Lebanon became cash-only during the economic crisis, demand for low-cost dining options surged”, he added, referring to the crises that have gripped Lebanon’s economy since 2019, pushing most Lebanese over the poverty line.

Wehbe, who opened Fries Lab in 2022, says the surge in new restaurants in Dahiyeh, which is predominantly Shia, over the past three years because “the Shia love to eat”, he joked.

To assess the damage, the government is working with the World Bank, which is also considering a project for urgent aid to the most pressing regions.

“The people of Dahiyeh love life. They “enjoy going out and trying new things,” Hammoud said, adding that Al Qaysar’s population is growing.

She thinks it will take time for Dahiyeh’s restaurant sector to recover because people have already “shaken the dust off themselves and started to look more cheerful.”

Before moving on to become the social media manager, pulling out her phone to capture content, Zahraa juggles multiple responsibilities as customers occupy the restaurant, working with both staff and customers, and checking orders in the kitchen. It’s rare to see her sit down.

“The loss is huge, and all these martyrs died to ensure we can keep going – to live, work, and maintain our dignity”, she said.

Israel has put all of its resources and resources to end us, but we’re here to show them that a month’s delay will make it possible for us to recover.

Source: Aljazeera