Somewhere between a boutique hotel and a private home in aesthetic, restaurateur Liza Asseily’s brightly lit eaterie is set in the 19th-century former Abdallah Bustros Palace. The interiors, by Maria Ousseimi, feature bespoke wallpaper by Italian-born artist Idarica Gazzoni, light fixtures by Hubert Fattal and Annabel Karim-Kassar, and carved wooden furniture from the likes of Bokja and Orient 499. The corner bar, showcasing artist Karim Chaya’s medley of polished brass, creamy marble and mirrors, channels old Beirut, while blown-up images of Marilyn Massoud and Rasha Nawam’s ceramic cityscapes echo its contemporary chaos. Like its classic mezze-based menu, Liza is a love letter to Lebanon.
