Stereo Kitchen restaurant - Beirut, Lebanon

The latest project by architect Paul Kaloustian - a dramatic rooftop bar and restaurant overlooking central Beirut, the port and beyond - is a place to see and be seen. Stereo Kitchen is divided into two areas: an indoor space ringed by gently tiered concrete seats or dividers and an outdoor wraparound terrace. Inside is loud and energetic while outside is quiet and contemplative. Lighting by local outfit PSLAB offsets Chef Fouad Kassab’s mezze-style menu of international trends, from mini-burgers with caramelised foie gras to white-fish ceviche. The restaurant caters to voyeurs and wallfowers alike; the deliberately tight tiers make interaction imperative, while the panoramic views of the Eastern Mediterranean will compel even the modest to feel godly.