Le Roi Falafel enjoys a quiet location near Place Bellecour, where it serves healthy Middle Eastern treats in a friendly atmosphere. A chalkboard menu draws up the day's special, and each falafel comes with a choice of meat, a tabbouleh salad, chickpea puree and grape leaves all deliciously filled in a warm pita bread. A shawarma plate is available as well, as is a mezze platter for sharing. Try the Cigar Cheese appetizers and the meat-laden sandwiches that come with an exotic Lebanese twist. Finish off with a traditional baklava.

If you like to experience the gastronomy of the entire world, then rush to Alyssaar. This is a Syrian restaurant which is quite rare in the area—all the more reason to come and dine here. The food is good and the prices are very competitive. Menu choices include beef with cherries, marinated chicken kebabs and hummus. This dining experience is truly a refreshing change from the usual French fare.

Vegetarians despairing over the lack of vegetarian restaurants in the city will be very pleased with Yaafa, a quick-service Lebanese eatery in Croix-Rousse. A chalkboard displays a host of falafel options and sandwiches, each made with fresh veggies and topped off with tantalizing traditional sauces and hummus. Some favorites include Le Grec, filled with olive tapenade, grilled eggplant and drizzled with white sauce, Le Red Neck, a simple combination of tomato, corn, red onion and Philly sauce, and Le Veggie Fest that comes with assorted veggies topped off with a tomato coulis. Desserts and beverages are available as well.

Translating into delicious, Aklé is a Lebanese eatery that truly lives up to its name. Located on rue Chaponnay, this bright, minimalist restaurant serves authentic Lebanese eats that are delightfully reminiscent of grandma's kitchen. This family-owned eatery has specializes in mezzes, or shared platters, and features everything from Kafta, a kind of brochette with meat, to fragrant traditional arayes, or flatbreads stuffed with meat. Both cold and hot mezze platters are available for sharing. There is also a menu for Middle Eastern desserts that definitely deserves trying, as well as a smattering of wines and beverages.

This relaxed, elegant restaurant near the Montchat neighborhood serves exotic Middle Eastern cuisine, alongside Lebanese wines and dessert. The interiors of the restaurant are characterized by lilac-colored walls, complemented by dull gold and silver chairs, and a softly lit ceiling. Layali Beyrouth makes for an excellent place for dinner or for celebrating special occasions, with its wide assortment of platters, appetizers and grilled meat dishes. The desserts are especially heavenly, with home-style Lebanese pastries that include specialties such as Mouhalabieh, a creamy concoction flavored with rose water and orange blossom, and the Nammoura, which is an almond-studded semolina cake drizzled with syrup.