Attention readers! I have found a true gem in Mar Mikhael. It’s not a cool hipster café, and it’s not one of those new concept bistros that happen to be popping up all over the place. No, Mario e Mario is different; Mario e Mario is a love project.
“Mario e Mario has been a love project in the making for 30 years now. My earliest recollection of watching my father [Mario Haddad] concocting passionately his delectable Italian dishes, dates back to when I was a little boy. It’s been a dream of mine, ever since, to open one day a little restaurant, where our infatuation with traditional home cooked Italian food can be shared with loved ones. This is the place,” – Mario Jr. Haddad.
Mario e Mario, a charming restaurant “trattoria” nestled in a hidden Mar Mikhael alley, lives in a bright yellow house with purple windows, offering exquisite authentic Italian cuisine that just melts your heart and boasts luxurious dining in a sophisticated, yet relaxed atmosphere.
The Trattoria’s Romantic, Laid-Back Appeal
The architecture and interior design need individual praise. Mario e Mario has been recently refurbished. Two spacious floors, the second being a beautiful rooftop terrace straight out of Pinterest – perfect for those cool summer nights (and also perfect for a romantic dinner *wink wink*). What’s more is that you are surrounded by traditional old Lebanese houses.
Once you enter the main floor, you are met with tempting aromas coming from an open kitchen where the chef prepares the specials of the day, and more importantly, your dish!
The interior is breathtaking; high ceilings, white walls adorned with pictures, flower pots, and light wooden tables and chairs on old tiles… there’s a ladder near the bathrooms that I insisted on taking home. Sadly, they needed it to complement their charming design. I’ll settle for the ornate titles hanging on the walls then 😉
Italian Cuisine at Mario e Mario
A revisited menu has me stopping by Mario e Mario with none other than the charming Mario Jr. himself. After a huge revamp to the place, this lovely trattoria is now receiving guests with open arms.
Along with a continuously evolving menu, the day’s specials handwritten on a blackboard are compiled of fresh picks of the day. At Mario e Mario, they emphasize on fresh, high-quality ingredients and source local and organic whenever possible.
Each dish is so beautifully presented that it breaks your heart to dig in – but the aromas make you forget the beauty that is your plate and infatuation takes over.
We started with complimentary Focaccia bread baked in-house, served with olive oil (Adon & Myrrh – my favourite local olive oil) accompanied with white wine from the vast offered Italian wine selection.
Antipasti
You wouldn’t think to order a simple Tuna Beans Salad dish, but Instalata di Tonno e Fagioli (24,000 LBP) at Mario e Mario will change the way you see plain old tuna. The added lemon zest was a nice touch and brought out the flavours of the dish. By the way, they cure and jar their own tuna, and I must say it is marvelous. Next time I visit, I’m taking a few jars of the stuff home!
The Melanzane (26,000 LBP) at Mario e Mario had just the right amount of cheese (i.e. a generous amount of cheese) swimming in the perfect tomato sauce blend. Eggplant hater? You don’t even taste it – I promise you will love this dish. Melanzane is one of my favourite anti-pasti dishes and Mario e Mario nailed it; it’s one of the best Melanzane’s I’ve had to date (another awesome one would be at Provincia Ristorante in Kaslik).
Al Forno
My favourite type of pizza is the traditional Margherita Pizza. I don’t understand why some Lebanese refer to it as “Mankoushet Jebne”! This is the basic Italian pizza you guys, and it’s far from a Mankoushe (which also happens to be a Lebanese favourite of mine and yet you don’t see me comparing it to a Margherita Pizza)!
The wood-oven baked Margherita Pizza (19,000 LBP) at Mario e Mario has the perfect crust. No really, it’s perfect – crispy on the edges with a soft and cheesy bite. The cheese is generous to say the least. I’ll let the picture do the talking.
Primi
The Rigatoni All’Amatricana (27,000 LBP) with pancetta and pecorino cheese in tomato sauce was a favourite on our table, but the flavours were a little too intense for me.
I can still taste and crave their Lobster Linguini (61,000 LBP). The linguini is served al dente, of course, with a generous portion of cooked lobster and the perfect blend of fresh cherry tomato sauce and a touch of garlic. It is the ultimate seafood pasta dish for lovers of the sea.
A pause to mention the well-trained and polite staff, and excellent service; you could say that’s because the owner was present at the time, but rest assured I came back a few weeks later and the service was just as first-rate!
Secondi
Seared medium-well steak, perfectly pink in the middle, came next. Tagliata di Manzo con Patate al Forno (48,000 LBP) comes with salad and potatoes. It’s not a dish I would order at an Italian restaurant, but we had to get some protein in (minus all those yummy carbs).
What followed was Trancio di Spigola al Forno con Patate, Pomodorini e Fagiolini (44,000 LBP) – a succulent seabass baked to perfection, and served with potatoes, cherry tomatoes and green beans.
For both secondis, I would have preferred roast potatoes as opposed to fried crunchy ones, but that’s my preference.
dOLCI
Yes, we ordered dessert! You shouldn’t be surprised by now that we don’t skip the most essential part of any meal.
We ordered the Tiramisu (14,000 LBP) to share (we were four – and admittedly full). It was so decadent that we contemplated ordering another. Reason got the better of us.
A bright yellow house with purple windows in the center of Beirut offering authentic delectable Italian cuisine? Sign me up!
While you’re there check out their daily specials, and for the love of all things food, try the Tiramisu!
Mario e Mario
Address: 39, Patriarche Arida Street, Mar Mikhael, Beirut
Contact: 01 444036 / 76 888036
For opening hours, check out their Facebook page or 
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The place looks cozy and the food is so good-looking!
God Bless!
Jan Limark