The Student Survival Guide: 27 Spots To Eat, Study And Chill In Beirut
Living on a budget is extremely challenging when everything around you seems to be expensive and tempting.
Between the insatiable hunger and the long hours spent meeting deadlines at coffee shops, spending wisely can be pretty difficult for a student in Beirut. Here is an extensive list of great affordable places to eat, study and chill in the city.
You’ll always find your calling at this spot, whether for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Aside from their extremely affordable prices, Mini Guette serves delicious bites, both in mini and regular servings. You can’t go wrong with their chicken pesto sandwich, their breakfast menu or any of their chicken platters.
A perfect hideout spot to focus on that paper you’ve had on hold for so long. Hom Cafe offers coffee and drinks at affordable prices. P.S: It has a really cute library you can borrow books from to pair with your coffee or beer time.
Coffee shop, co-working space, library, and garden, B Hive merges all the ingredients for a perfect laid-back yet productive day. You can catch up with your deadlines or with your friends over a delightful cup of coffee and some munchies on the side.
Whether you’re craving Mexican, Hawaiian, Asian, or soul food, Food district has it all for pocket-friendly prices. Personally, we are obsessed with their burrito bowls and their Mongolian beef noodles.
Sometimes all you need for an energy boost to kick start your day is kaaket knefeh and where else would you satisfy this craving? At Al Beik, of course.
Despite being a notorious deli in Verdun, Goodies has a great affordable food menu if you’re looking for pocket-friendly sandwiches and dishes (P.S: their shawarma is a must-try).
The Mansourieh McDonalds branch has a spacious coffee shop that is great to study in. Needless to say, it’s also the perfect spot for that junk food craving.
Furn w Fekhar serves man’ouche, eggs, fatteh, and delicacies like lamb tongues and chicken liver cooked in traditional clay fekhar for pocket-friendly prices. For a sweet ending, don’t miss out on the ashta, banana, and honey pastry!
Recently opened in Hamra, this brand new Fakhani has budget-friendly juices, fresh bakes, sandwiches and plat du jour. P.S: They’re almost always offering free food so come in with an empty stomach.
Mr. Brown offers affordable and equally delicious alternatives to all your classic food cravings. You can either dine in for a delicious straight-out-of-the-kitchen meal or opt to order it to the library where you’re trying to catch up with your deadlines.
Word is you’re getting double the trouble on Tuesday with Pizza Hut’s weekly ‘buy one get one free’ offer. Any other day of the week, you can get an extra pizza for free if you order it online.
If you are looking for a quick bite in Mar Mikhael, By The Slice will cater for your hunger with their mouth-watering, generous, and well-priced slices. Don’t shy away from going for seconds and thirds.
The one and only Hamra stape Le Sam offers their infamous sandwiches, as well as delicious Lebanese, Japanese and American food, minus spending a fortune, at their Hamra Street branch.
Kronfaly is the new it-spot for your snack fixes. Their chicken burger is a MUST try that you are not going to regret, and their prices only make everything taste better.
ALBA students you are in luck, Al Kantara is about to be your favorite mou3ajanet and manakish place. A good breakfast goes a long way, and their oven baked pastries can also double as light snacks to put off your hunger.
Conventionally a go-to place in Hamra, T Marbouta is THE spot for a delicious Lebanese meal. They also have a library upstairs that is perfect to catch up on your readings.
Right on the Vendome Stairs, Sole Insight is a hip place that offers herbal teas and fresh juices and homemade pastries and cakes. They also have a library full of books on art and philosophy waiting for your eyes to skim through them.
This funky-looking truck will make your craziest burger dreams come true for pocket-friendly prices. Take a study break and head to the burger shop for a double or triple burger and a nice visual.
One of our favorite go-to fast food places, you don’t have to think twice before heading to Sandwich W Noss for a quick and filling bite. You can count on their taouk el saroukh or kafta malghoume to keep you full during the day.
A modern-eastern experience in the heart of Hamra, Spiced and Sliced is your go-to destination for shawarma with a twist. The shawarma spot is a classic student hub, perfect for a quick bite before class or a fulfilling meal for an overnight.
Any extra toum-ers here? This spot is just for you. Enjoy a decadent and affordable shawarma, DRIZZLED with toum. Best part is you can totally go back to study group after this meal without worrying about smelling like toum.
Are you potato-crazed? Call up this Achrafieh self-service spot and try out their potato delicacies. Don’t miss out on their famous boutata sandwich and pretty much everything else on their menu.
Concept 2092 hosts dinners with talks, movies and workshops for $5 or more on a weekly basis. Stop by any time, eat your heart out, socialize, and help them support local chefs who want to show off their cooking skills.
This Achrafieh spot offers a wide variety of items to choose from. P’tit Creux is your best bet for a tasty and fulfilling snack, especially if you’re craving French or Italian and a pocket-friendly bite.
