Tartus is a city that rewards eating well. Whether you want fresh fish pulled from the Mediterranean that morning, traditional Syrian home cooking by the sea, or something entirely unexpected, the city delivers. Here are the restaurants worth planning a stop around.
Nara Restaurant
Nara Restaurant is located within Jounada Resort directly on the beach — and it is widely considered one of the best Syrian cuisine restaurants on the entire coast. The menu is a thorough representation of the traditional Syrian kitchen: shakrıyya (yogurt-braised lamb), kibbeh in multiple preparations, haraq isba’u (tamarind lentil pasta), and nearly every other classic of the Syrian table — alongside a full selection of Western dishes for those who want them.
All of this is served on a beachfront terrace in an atmosphere that combines genuine quality with a relaxed coastal setting. The restaurant’s most celebrated period is Ramadan, when Nara hosts nightly iftar and suhoor open buffets throughout the month — one of the most popular dining traditions on the Syrian coast.
Al-Yam Restaurant
Al-Yam is the second branch of one of Damascus’s most respected seafood restaurants — a name that built its reputation inland, then decided to open its next location closer to the source. The Tartus branch sits directly on the beach within Jounada Resort, where the Mediterranean is visible from every table.
The menu reads like an inventory of the Mediterranean’s edible offerings — every variety of fish, shellfish, and seafood available on the Syrian coast, prepared across a range of recipes, alongside an extensive spread of Eastern mezze. For a proper seafood meal with the sea in front of you, Al-Yam is the reference address in Tartus.
Al-Sabah Restaurant
Opposite the Arwad Island ferry dock in the old city of Tartus, Al-Sabah is a popular institution that has been serving fresh fish for decades. Walking in feels like entering a living museum: ancient stone walls, intersecting vaulted ceilings, a high ceiling that opens the space despite its modest footprint, and a small central fountain that gives the interior an unexpectedly atmospheric quality.
The restaurant’s approach is direct and unadorned — fresh fish are displayed whole at the entrance for you to choose from, then prepared to order with the flavors specific to Tartus’s coastal cooking tradition. There is no performance here, only the food. It is the most honest fish meal you will find in the city.
Pelican Restaurant
On the Tartus corniche, extending into the sea on a small natural peninsula, Pelican Restaurant occupies one of the most distinctive positions of any restaurant on the Syrian coast. The building itself feels like it belongs to the water.
What makes Pelican genuinely unusual is its menu: Swedish-inspired dishes — including Swedish meatballs and rhubarb pie — alongside Eastern and seafood options, all served in a wooden-interior dining room with full sea views on three sides. A children’s play area makes it a practical as well as enjoyable choice for families. It is the most unexpected dining experience in Tartus, and entirely worth seeking out.
Farouj Abu Ali
No visit to Tartus is complete without a shawarma from Farouj Abu Ali — the city’s most iconic fast food institution, located on Ghamqa Roundabout. The restaurant has been operating for years with a simple and consistent commitment to quality, long enough that in Tartus, shawarma and grilled chicken are practically synonymous with the Abu Ali name.
The menu covers the full range of Syrian and Western chicken dishes, mixed grills, and pizza — but the shawarma remains the reason people make the stop. Simple, local, and exactly what it should be.
