With culinary traditions going back for millennia, Damascus is just the place for a good meal. Most restaurants in town serve Syrian food in all its variety – from delicious streetside shawarma rolls to intricate restaurant meals that take hours to prepare. 

In the Old Town, dining is an immersive experience within traditional courtyard house restaurants; in these "gardens within walls", you can enjoy mezze appetisers under the shade of bitter orange trees, accompanied by the sound of a fountain.

To the northwest, the modern districts of Shaalan and Abu Rummaneh are where you'll find the city's contemporary foodie scene, with modern restaurants, even some international ones, and speciality coffee shops and bakeries.