Owned by the stylish Lebanese restaurant group Babel, Bebabel is the more casual cafe version. You'll still find stunning interiors, top-tier service and great food, but things here are a little more relaxed. The first thing you'll notice at this Dubai Mall restaurant is the floor-to-ceiling windows, or perhaps it's the sandstone walls and arches lining the opposite side of the space. Either way, you'll likely be impressed, especially considering all of this is housed on the first floor of a shopping mall. Once settled in, you'll enjoy a truly enormous selection of Middle Eastern food, featuring all the beloved classic dishes you can think of.
If you visit the restaurant in the morning, you can have your eggs plain, as an omelette or in a spicy shakshuka, topped with chives. After noon, however, the menu switches gears to a much broader range. Start of with soup such as mushroom or lentil, or a salad like falafel, tabbouleh, fattouch or kale and chicken. The mezze selection, however, is the main event. Choose from a seemingly endless list of hot and cold small plates, including hummus, muhammara, labneh, vine leaves, moutabbal, grilled halloumi, shawarma, chicken liver and more.
Alternatively, try one of the tarha flatbreads, topped simply with za'atar and tomato or more lavishly with beef shawarma. Going larger still, there are platters piled high with grilled meats and fries to consider, including a mixed grill that includes beef, chicken and lamb. To drink, you'll find a pleasing selection of mocktails, as well as hot drinks like tea and coffee.
Finally, finish off your meal with an authentic Middle Eastern dessert such as umm ali, karabij, nammoura and knefeh, or a more French option like chocolate fondant or pain perdu. Shisha is also available for the complete Middle Eastern experience after dining.