A falafel shop in Beirut’s Hamra district is preparing for a fourth-generation leadership transition, marking the continuation of a business that has operated for more than a century. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the Tabbara family has served the community through two world wars, the founding of Lebanon, and multiple regional conflicts. The current owner, Mohammed Tabbara, is passing the culinary craft to his son, Ziad Tabbara, who has worked alongside him for six years.
The establishment traces its origins to 1914, when Ziad’s great-grandfather, Kamel Tabbara, opened the first shop in the Bab Idriss district. This occurred while Beirut was still part of the Ottoman Empire, six years before the state of Greater Lebanon was established. The business was subsequently passed to Kamel’s son, Ahmad, and then to his grandson, Mohammed, who has managed the shop since around 1950. The current location in a narrow street has been in operation since 1979.
Mohammed Tabbara, 82, describes the shop’s resilience as a response to significant regional instability. He stated that he has witnessed forty wars, including the Lebanese civil wars, Israel’s 1982 invasion, and various conflicts involving Palestinian groups and the Syrian army. Despite these challenges, the business has maintained a loyal customer base. Asharq Al-Awsat reports that Mohammed knows many customers by name and has been serving them since he began working at the counter at age six.
The shop offers sandwiches for $3, featuring deep-fried patties made from Australian fava beans. Mohammed Tabbara noted that he prefers fava beans over chickpeas, arguing that chickpeas are heavier and take longer to digest. He also introduced a unique patty design with a hole in the middle and sesame seeds, which he claims ensures the inside is well-cooked while the outside remains crunchy. The family maintains strict hygiene standards, changing cooking oil daily and washing vegetables with vinegar and salt.
Ziad Tabbara, 40, is now the designated successor. He previously worked as an accountant but has spent the last six years learning his father’s secret recipe, which includes coriander and other spices. Ziad expressed pride in the heritage of the flavor, though he faces personal pressure from his father to marry and have children to continue the lineage. For now, the focus remains on preserving the taste that has attracted clients from around the world to the busy Hamra district.