At Dirty Lemon, Ruba Khoury, winner of Top Chef Middle East, unveils refined cocktails, adventurous tapas, and a hidden club!

Right next to Saint-Ambroise, there’s an unpredictable spot that morphs with the mood. One evening we swing by for an intimate, dimly lit, laid-back vibe, where quiet conversations blend into the chill playlist that fills the space. The next night, it’s a party: we can’t quite say how it started, but an improvised dance floor had everyone on their feet.

Here you are at Dirty Lemon, a spot that blends the convivial spirit of neighborhood gems with the finesse of gourmet haunts and the unpredictability of third spaces. Behind this address is Ruba Khoury, a chef passionate about gastronomy since childhood who views cooking as a language of love and kindness. Here she wanted to create a place that reflects her, resulting in a venue with refined flavors, a welcoming vibe, and plenty of surprises.

You can come here as easily to eat as to toast: the place is flexible. The catch? You have to be ready to embrace spontaneity and follow the spirit of culinary exploration. In short, if the idea of trying offbeat creations makes you wary and you’d rather stick with the classics, you’ll miss one of the standout strengths of this spot.

Here you’ll discover a menu crafted with finesse and, quite unusually for this kind of address, the kitchen stays open until 1 a.m. At Dirty Lemon, there aren’t solid courses but shareable plates. For those who prefer tapas to be ordered separately, we’d suggest two to three plates depending on your appetite. The late kitchen hours also let you order as the evening unfolds if you feel like a late-night drink. Think of this place not as a traditional restaurant but as a gourmet grazing venue—a wine-cellar dining experience where you savor an apéro with bites.

On the tapas front, Ruba brings Palestinian gastronomy to the fore, proudly showcasing its roots. Notable among the offerings is a particularly lush hummus topped with ground meat and eggplant. And since this is a place that thrives on the unexpected, you may well encounter a four-hands chef collaboration or a pop-up menu from a chef-in-residence during your visit. This is how we got to sample the cuisine of chef Ibrahim Kattan, also Palestinian, who served inventive, high-flame dishes inspired by worldwide influences — including a charred cabbage finished with a white miso–tahini–chili combo, and blistered leeks resting on a fairly spicy red-pepper muhamarra.

On the dessert front, we enjoyed an olive oil pavlova with lemon cream and fresh oregano—a creation that would especially appeal to fans of lemon meringue pie: the bright citrus notes and the meringue’s sweetness balance each other, while the olive oil, with its grassy hue, lends a bold, characterful finish to the whole.

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From the plates to the glasses and all the way to dessert, the same rigor is on display. And driven by a spirit of challenge, Ruba Khoury has decided to participate in the ninth season of Top Chef in the Middle East. "There is no one who can be tougher on me than I am on myself," she tells us. She will set off with the curiosity to see how far she can go. She will come out as the winner.

We lay to rest the old mojito and Moscow Mule classics: on the cocktail front, the Dirty Lemon follows in the footsteps of spots like Copperbay or l'Arbane, two places renowned for creations that are at once inventive and precisely crafted. A team of passionate mixologists push the boundaries to serve signature and seasonal cocktails, with surprising combinations that sometimes conjure images and emotions. Exhibit A: the "Cigarette after s*x", with smoky, spicy notes and a hint of vanilla, which overall evokes with notable precision the sensuality it embodies, featuring a recipe built around mezcal, dark skinos, ers sous, and syrup infused with Armenian paper.

The "Morning After" cocktail, built on coriander-infused tsipouro with Greek yogurt, pico de Gallo cordial, lime, and celery bitters, brings a bright, tangy, high-energy freshness. More decadent is the Top Me, a drink that’s meant to be eaten as much as sipped, as Pauline—the mixologist who crafted the menu—explains. It features Bourbon, banana oil with cloves and cinnamon, a honey sesame mousse, and Turkish tobacco bitters, and can be enjoyed by the spoonful, stirred, or both.

The Dirty Lemon also pulses to a rhythm of events, with no fixed lineup. One day it's an ephemeral art gallery, the next a DJ set, and sometimes both in one night. "I say yes a lot when people ask me to do something, except when it clashes with my principles," says Ruba, and perhaps it’s this spontaneity that gives the venue its vibe—living in the moment with a decidedly positive spirit.

So head to the Dirty Lemon with an open mind: you’ll rarely be sure of the exact vibe you’ll find there. The start of the week tends to be quieter, while as the weekend approaches it’s best to book for four people or more. For events, you’ll need to check the Instagram page to see what’s in the works. The address is fairly small, though there is a private space tucked away in its secret room. In fact, Dirty Lemon is gearing up to open its hidden club in the basement by September, in that vaulted cellar. So this is one to watch!

Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, please drink responsibly.

This test was conducted as part of a professional invitation. If your experience differs from ours, please let us know.