Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Wednesday, July 9, 2025
    961
    Instagram Facebook LinkedIn TikTok
    • Breaking News
    • Guides
    • Food & Drink
    • Listicles
    • Join the Team
    • Whatsapp
      • 961
      • 961 News
    Advertise with Us Get the App
    961
    Home»Heritage
    blog/ nevermindthehummus
    2 Mins Read

    The Story Behind One Of The Most Famous Restaurants That Graced Beirut

    By Karine KeuchkerianFebruary 24, 2022
    Facebook WhatsApp Copy Link

    There in Beirut, in Phoenicia street behind the seafront, an old and rusted signage still stands against all odds to claim its place in the memories of those who had lived the golden age of the Lebanese capital.

    That abandoned place is one of the most nostalgic ruins in Beirut, once a glorious Italian restaurant that hosted the elite: The Quo Vadis.

    The name, which means “Where are you going?” was the title of an old film about the Roman Empire, not that it reflected Lebanon’s status at the time. Beirut wasn’t going anywhere. It was at its peak.

    Tarek Chemaly

    The Quo Vadis was one the most elegant restaurants in Lebanon, hosting the Lebanese elite of the social and political scenes, as well as diplomats and local and regional celebrities. It was a hub for refined Italian cuisine and hospitality, managed by a lady called Anna Banzato.

    Up to the 1980s when it had to close down, Quo Vadis reigns in Beirut’s most famous hotel district that boasted back then the wildest Beirut nightlife and dining scene.

    The place served several specialties like a pasta dish called Gigetto, a version of carbonara.

    In an archived article (late 1975) of Aramco World Magazine, a Texas subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, the writer Donald Aspinwall Allan wrote under the title “This Was Beirut” that “The best food in Beirut, of course, is Lebanese.”

    He also cited that Italian restaurants in Beirut “rank among the city’s finest.”

    He mentioned Quo Vadis in particular, saying that “Quo Vadis on Phoenicia Street imports its beef, veal, and clams for Vongole sauce and uses Italian pasta for its Fettucine al Alfredo and other delights.”

    Like many things in Beirut that have changed or disappeared, Quo Vadis is still one of the most prominent in the minds of people who experienced the golden age of Lebanon.

    This nostalgic side of Beirut will always be present, even as a ruin, to keep Beirut’s old scene alive amid the ruins of time.

    Lebanon
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email

    For You

    caracalla one thousand and one nights

    Caracalla Just Added More Dates For “One Thousand and One Nights” & You Def Don’t Want To Miss It!

    Low-Cost Lebanese Airline 961

    We Might Finally Be Getting A Low-Cost Lebanese Airline – Here’s What We Know

    lebanon jounieh cyprus by ferry 961

    You’ll Soon Be Able To Travel Between Lebanon & Cyprus By Ferry

    lebanese beer brands almaza beirut beer 961

    Lebanese Beer Brands Are Publicly Throwing Shade, And It’s Getting Frothy

    lufthansa beirut 961

    You Can Now Fly To Beirut Again On Lufthansa & Swiss Airlines

    saint levant aub outdoors 2025 961

    Saint Levant Is Officially Headlining AUB Outdoors 2025!

    lebanon jounieh cyprus by ferry 961

    You’ll Soon Be Able To Travel Between Lebanon & Cyprus By Ferry

    20 Celebrities You Probably Didn’t Know Had Lebanese Roots

    April 22, 2019
    caracalla one thousand and one nights

    Caracalla Just Added More Dates For “One Thousand and One Nights” & You Def Don’t Want To Miss It!

    July 5, 2025

    Lebanon’s Shawarma Is Going Viral in The Philippines

    April 21, 2019
    Low-Cost Lebanese Airline 961

    We Might Finally Be Getting A Low-Cost Lebanese Airline – Here’s What We Know

    June 18, 2025
    Lebanese boutiques

    25 Boutiques In Lebanon To Find Your Dream Evening Dress This Wedding Season

    June 9, 2024

    20 Typical Lebanese Slang Expressions

    April 21, 2020
    lebanese beer brands almaza beirut beer 961

    Lebanese Beer Brands Are Publicly Throwing Shade, And It’s Getting Frothy

    June 7, 2025
    lebanon cybergames 2025 hacking 961

    Lebanon Just Won A Global Hacking Competition

    June 10, 2025
    DJ

    10 Lebanese DJs You Need To Check Out This Summer

    August 7, 2024
    961 Logo
    Facebook WhatsApp TikTok Instagram

    Popular Topics

    • Guides
    • Eat & Drink
    • Listicles
    • Lebanon News
    • Diaspora
    • Explained

    961

    • About
    • WhatsApp Channel
    • News WhatsApp Channel
    • Corrections Policy
    • Ownership & Funding

    Services

    • Advertise
    • Careers
    • App Waitlist
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletter
    961™ | All Rights Reserved ©2025
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Okay