Falafels. Chicken Kabobs. Gyros. Turkish Coffee. Next time a slice of pizza or sub fails to excite your appetite, look no further than Byblos Mediterranean Café in downtown Syracuse. Serving a wide variety of homemade Lebanese cuisine, this family-run business offers an exotic and ethnic twist for your culinary consumption. Vegetarians will love Byblos for its abundance of meat-free meals, but don't let that deter the meat lovers. The restaurant has several meaty dishes for its non-vegetarians, too.
When to Go: Byblos Mediterranean Café is closed Sunday and Monday, but is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Saturday, it is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant can hold, at most, about 20 people. It is a rather small space, so if you’d like to catch a seat, avoid the rush at lunch and dinner. Lunch rush is usually between noon and 2 p.m., while Saturday dinners are popular. Byblos does offer outdoor seating. Bottom Line: Don’t come starving on a Saturday night and expect to get seated right away. Plan ahead and come to enjoy what Byblos has to offer.
On Tap: While alcohol is not an option at Byblos, you can come try their Turkish coffee, which is a very popular drink. Turkish coffee is a very strong coffee and traditional to Lebanese cuisine. Not a coffee person? Byblos offers hot herbal teas. They also have your standard beverages of bottled juices, soda, water, iced tea and serve a Lebanese Yogurt Drink. Bottom Line: Don’t come here for alcohol, come here for the coffee.
Blue Plate Special: Easy. The Super Samplers, which are served after 5 p.m. But it’s hard to choose between the Byblos Meat Lovers Super Sampler at $23.95 and the Vegetarian Super Sampler at $21.95. Both cater to two different appetites, but both are very affordable for looking to serve a party of two. The Meat Lovers selection features items like Kabobs (beef, chicken and kafta) served over a bed of rice pilaf with grilled vegetables among other items. The vegetarian option is just as mouthwatering, featuring six falafel patties, served over diced tomatoes, parsley, radish and tahini sauce among other items. Bottom Line: Bring a friend or a loved one and enjoy a meaty or a veggie meal packed full of ethnic items.
The Scene: Byblos is quite small, though they are looking to expand. There are two tables inside and a few more outside, but Byblos quickly feels cozy. Eighties music plays in the background while the aroma of whatever the Byblos family is making fills the space. Bottom Line: Byblos is a great place to hold a conversation. Customers can easily talk and listen to one another without worrying about being drowned out by music or hordes of people.
The Crew: Byblos is a family-run business: a wife-husband duo make up the talented chefs at the restaurant. A friendly waitress greets customers as they walk in, and customers may catch the cooks' son who is just as pleasant and friendly. Though Byblos is family run, a staff is employed to help around with other matters. Bottom Line: Eating here feels like eating mom’s homemade meals. The staff are very friendly and it’s easy to feel like you’re in mom’s kitchen, not a restaurant.
The Crowd: Byblos has customers of all ages and ethnicities. It sees a lot of individuals from the medical profession (doctors, residents) who come in from nearby hospitals (like St. Joseph’s Health Center). It caters to a lot of students, who enjoy items from the grill like the Chicken Kabob with its homemade garlic sauce (two skewers, $11.95), the Meat Pie ($4.95) and pizzas like the Za’atar “Mankoushe” ($3.95), a popular herb pizza. Byblos also sees a lot of international students from the SU community, so the diners are quite diverse. Bottom Line: An eclectic mix of customers.
The Deets: Byblos offers a very affordable meal for customers. The pita wraps are between $4.50 and $6.95, and you’re only adding an extra $2 to make it a Deluxe Meal, which means you get a choice of a side and beverage. Appetizers, Soups, and Salads do not exceed $5.75. Even entrees are affordable for most budgets, and the Super Samplers aside, the most expensive dish is the Kabob Combination at $14.95. Byblos also now proudly offers Shawarma (Lebanese wrap) at $6.99 or as an entrée for $12.99. And if you have a sweet tooth, their Baklava is super yummy and affordable, especially for its size ($2.50). Byblos caters seven days a week and delivers for a $25 minimum order (delivery charge of $2). It is handicap accessible, has Wi-Fi and accepts cash and all major credit cards. They even have a hookah! Bottom Line: An affordable, original and fun way to experience a new cuisine with friends.
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