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Em Sherif

Beirut

A glimpse of la vie Libanaise

On the Pass

Yasmina Hayek (right)

What makes it special? As the quintessential Lebanese dining experience, Em Sherif offers guests a taste of traditional home cooking in a truly opulent setting designed to make you feel like you could be eating food served at the chef’s own kitchen table. Glittering chandeliers, lavish textiles in rich shades of pink and deep blue and live Arabic music perfectly complement the endemic produce from across the country.

A family affair: Self-taught chef and restaurateur Mireille Hayek established Em Sherif after discovering a love of cooking for her family. The restaurant is named after her son (the moniker means ‘mother of Sherif’ in Arabic), and her daughter Yasmina leads the culinary charge as executive chef. Before steering the mothership, Yasmina studied at the world-renowned Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon.

Any signature dishes?  The restaurant is known for its signature ‘daily dish’ that, while changing daily, will always showcase the very best of local and seasonal produce sourced from the surrounding area. Have the choice taken out of your hands and opt for the set menu at lunch or dinner, comprising a marathon of more than 30 dishes designed for sharing. Look out for the kibbeh nayyeh, a Lebanese beef tartare and the silky mouhallabiyeh dessert: a creamy milk pudding infused with rose water and dusted with crushed pistachios.

Trophy cabinet: Chef Yasmina Hayek’s creative cuisine is coupled with the team’s infallible service. The triumphant combination earned the restaurant the coveted Art of Hospitality Award in 2023 as part of MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Global expansion: Since its powerhouse success in Beirut, the Em Sherif brand has expanded to the region’s major cities, including Riyadh, Doha, Damascus, Dubai and Abu Dhabi and, in 2022, Em Sherif’s opened its first venture in Europe at London’s prestigious Harrods department store.

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