Bedivere Tavern & Eatery

Off of Hamra main, near the Jean D’Arc and Makdissi intersection is Bedivere, a neighbourhood taverna that draws its inspiration from the owner Jihad’s passion for all things King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table. The eatery is, after all, called Bedivere (pronounced BED-I-VERE not  BEL-VE-DERE) after the knight who returned Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake (and not the mispronouncing, daft eponymous kanigget from Monty Python and The Holy Grail). 

The medieval themed permeates the entire place from the thematic interior decor (the likes of weapons, seals, armour and other paraphernalia), to the potions  usually served in metal goblets and named after characters in the Arthurian legend. Make sure to try the Merlin and Sir Ector de Maris, preferably during Happy Hour (50% off from 5–8PM daily) because you will want more than one jovial-making brew…well honestly, more than two or three especially if you mix it up and gorge on some yum appetisers (also 20% off during HH), a juicy burger or generous sandwich (made on fresh bread to boot). Ambiance aside, this unassuming pub actually serves a variety of great food, all the day long, starting with a hearty breakfast menu (we’re talking eggs, sausage and potatoes) followed by a 10$ dish of the day with a side salad and dessert. Mussels and fries are served on Mondays and Thursdays, and big boy ribs on Wednesdays (both meals are rarities in the city of Beirut). Yes, hair-growing, Neanderthal making, man food (steaks are also on the menu) take over, but they also have really amazing and fresh full-meal salads for the dames. 

As low-key as it may seem, Bedivere is also full-on weird and quirky. Maya the Bee, Grandizer, The Pink Panther and Benny Hill (yes half-naked women running around in heels and loosing bras) usually play on the telly, if 80s and 90s music videos aren’t blaring on. Perhaps the best kept secret (not anymore!) is the magnifying glass at groin level in the men’s bathroom (a humbling growth elixir for the best of them). Needless to say Bedivere is not your Sword in the Stone Disney cartoon family special, thought in all honesty, the pub is just as warm and inviting. Bedivere prides itself on having its guest socialise and interact (that’s what tends to happen with a u-shaped bar). Want 10% of your bill? Then leave your (not so) smart phone with the boys*. The chivalrous neo-knights clad in tattoo armour and riding metal steeds give the place heart and valour generally lacking in most bars across town. They might not know your name, but their honest welcoming grunts keeps you coming back for “lore”. 

*This gimmick made Bedivere famous with mentions on the Ellen Degeneres Show, LBC International, E!, CNN, Time, and more than 170 international articles and blogs.