Malena

The Room

Malena sits on the coastal road at the edge of modern Jbeil, a short drive from the Old Town and positioned for sunset. The space is larger and more contemporary than the souk restaurants — high ceilings, light wood, a long open kitchen, and full-height windows onto the Mediterranean. The cuisine defines itself as Mediterranean-Lebanese, which in practice means a menu that moves fluidly between Greek, Italian, Lebanese, and broader Levantine cooking.

Chef Rana Farah's menu opens with a Lebanese mezze section — tabbouleh, hummus, baba ghanouj — but progresses into territory that a pure Lebanese restaurant would not: grilled octopus in the Greek style with lemon and oregano, fresh homemade pappardelle with seafood ragout, and a rotating pizza from a wood-fired oven imported from Naples. The signature dish is the whole grouper baked in sea-salt crust, prepared for two or four diners and broken open at the table.

The wine list spans Lebanon, Greece, Italy, and France, with a strong rosé page that matches the coastal identity of the room. Cocktails are taken seriously — the bar runs Lebanese-ingredient cocktails (arak-based, pomegranate-based, orange-blossom-based) that are among the best in Byblos.

The terrace, which runs the length of the building and faces directly onto the sea, is the table to book. At sunset in spring or autumn, it is one of the most photogenic coastal dining rooms in Lebanon. Summer evenings the terrace fills by 9pm; a reservation for 8:30pm gives a clear run at the sunset.