01
The small dish
Cold or hot, based on vegetables, pulses, herbs or meat: the mezze comes in dozens of different preparations.
مازة
The blog · Lebanese cuisine
What is a Lebanese mezze?
Lebanon, a bridge between East and West: the mezze is a whole art of sharing. Here is the story of this tradition, small dish by small dish.
Every dish has a story
The mezze, a tradition built for sharing
A mezze is not a starter you order for yourself, but a small dish placed in the middle of the table and meant to be shared. At Layali Beyrouth, a family restaurant in Lyon 3 since 2010, the table fills with a multitude of cold and hot mezze that everyone dips into as they please. Here is everything you need to understand and put together a true mezze meal.
“The more people at the table, the more mezze you set out: Lebanese hospitality is measured by the abundance of flavours, not the size of the plates.”
01 · The essentials
Three markers to understand the mezze
02
The table
You don't serve one mezze then the next: several small dishes arrive at once, to be set in the middle of the table.
03
The sharing
Everyone helps themselves with warm Lebanese bread, in a spirit of abundance and conviviality.
The two families · Cold & hot
Cold mezze and hot mezze: two complementary families
The first useful distinction is between cold and hot mezze. The cold ones bring together purées, salads and marinated preparations, chickpea hummus, smoked aubergine moutabal, finely cut tabbouleh, crunchy fattoush or vine leaves. They open the meal on fresh, herbaceous, tangy notes.
Hot mezze add another dimension: golden falafel, crisp kibbeh, pastries and small worked portions complete the cold ones with stronger textures and intensity. A true Lebanese meal almost always combines the two, as in our selection of cold mezze, our hot mezze and the whole restaurant menu.
The art of sharing · The Levant
A meal where everything is shared, in the middle of the table
To understand the mezze, you have to forget the Western logic of the individual starter. The Lebanese table is thought of like a landscape: a multitude of small dishes are set out at the same time, and the meal becomes a conversation in which everyone tastes a bit of everything. This way of eating tells of a culture where hospitality comes through the variety offered rather than the size of the portions.
More than a sequence of dishes, the mezze is a gesture: to welcome, to gather, to take one's time. That is exactly the spirit we bring to life every day at 38 rue du Dauphiné, as a continuation of the whole story of Layali Beyrouth.
Worth knowing · The must-haves
The essential Lebanese mezze
Some mezze come up almost every time, and for good reason: they sum up a large part of Lebanon's culinary identity on their own. Hummus, a purée of chickpeas with tahini, lemon and garlic, is the best known; tabbouleh, above all a very herbaceous parsley salad, is the other pillar.
On the hot side, falafel, a fried ball of chickpeas and herbs, and kibbeh, fine bulgur filled with meat and onions, are two must-haves, alongside moutabal and fattoush. Each preparation has its own dedicated page: hummus, tabbouleh, falafel or kibbeh.
In Lyon · At Layali
Putting together a mezze meal to share
Putting together a mezze meal follows a few simple principles: a few cold ones based on pulses or purées, one or two based on crunchy herbs, then hot ones for texture. You often add a grill as a main course, and count five to eight varieties for the table rather than one large portion per person.
- An ideal format for groupsthe mezze makes sharing easy and appeals to varied tastes, from a light lunch to a dinner for several.
- Vegetarian and veganhummus, tabbouleh, moutabal, fattoush or falafel easily make up a full meat-free meal.
To go further, browse our menu or order your mezze for delivery.
FAQ
Your questions about the Lebanese mezze
What exactly is a Lebanese mezze?
A Lebanese mezze is a small dish served at the start of the meal and meant to be shared. It can be cold or hot, based on vegetables, pulses, grains, fresh herbs or meat. Traditionally, the table fills with a multitude of mezze that everyone dips into as they please, in a spirit of abundance and conviviality rather than individual plates.
What is the difference between a cold and a hot mezze?
Cold mezze are based on purées, salads or marinated preparations, such as hummus, moutabal, tabbouleh or fattoush. Hot mezze include falafel, kibbeh, pastries or small grills. A true Lebanese meal often combines the two to vary the textures and temperatures.
How many mezze should you plan per person?
For a light lunch, three or four mezze shared between two is enough. For a full dinner or a group meal, count five to eight different mezze for the table, completed by grills. As the mezze is made for sharing, it is better to multiply the varieties than the individual portions.
Is the Lebanese mezze suitable for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes. A large part of the mezze is naturally vegetarian and many recipes are vegan: hummus, tabbouleh, moutabal, fattoush, falafel or vine leaves easily make up a full meat-free meal. It is one of the great strengths of the mezze when hosting guests with different diets.
Where can you taste real Lebanese mezze in Lyon?
Layali Beyrouth offers a selection of cold and hot mezze at 38 rue du Dauphiné, in the 3rd arrondissement of Lyon, Monday to Saturday, at lunch and dinner. Produce is chosen fresh each day, and everything can be enjoyed in the restaurant, taken away with Click & Collect or delivered via Uber Eats and Deliveroo.
Can you order mezze for an event in Lyon?
Absolutely. The mezze is one of the formats best suited to events because it makes sharing easy and appeals to varied tastes. Layali Beyrouth offers catering and welcomes groups for birthdays, company meals or private events, with assortments designed according to the number of guests.
Time to sit down
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Book a table
Online booking, from lunch to dinner. Groups up to 30 people on request, with an adapted menu.