The original recipe
A menu that has barely changed in decades — Lebanese cooking as it was served in Beirut, not an updated take on it.
Al Ajami is a name that goes back to Beirut in 1920, and the Paris branch is an extension of that family house. It sits near the Champs-Élysées on the relatively quiet Rue François 1er, and has been passed between Gulf visitors by word of mouth for decades. The cooking is traditional Lebanese in the literal sense: hummus, moutabal, tabbouleh, kibbeh nayyeh and grills, prepared the way they were served fifty years ago. Anyone looking for “modern” Lebanese food or invented plates will not find them here, and that is not a fault — the original version is the point. The room is traditional and calm, the service formal rather than warm, and much of the staff speaks Arabic. That makes it an easy choice for older members of a family who may not be comfortable with a French or English menu. Prices sit in the upper band, as the 8th arrondissement address implies. The real value is in the mezze rather than the main courses, and ordering a wide spread to share across the table is the smarter way to eat here.
A menu that has barely changed in decades — Lebanese cooking as it was served in Beirut, not an updated take on it.
Ask for a wide mezze spread to share instead of a main each; the meal is better and the bill is smaller.
Arabic on the floor makes explaining dietary preferences far easier than in a French restaurant.
Yes — the restaurant serves wine and spirits in the traditional Lebanese manner, while the meat and food remain halal.
Yes, and it is among the better choices for one: the room takes big tables and the shared-mezze format suits families. Call ahead for any group over six.
Yes — the meat is halal, which is why the restaurant is listed here. Management and suppliers do change, though, so a simple question at the door is always worth it: “Is the meat halal?” Places used to Muslim diners answer immediately and without fuss.
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58 Rue François 1er, 8th arrondissement, Paris
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