Place de L’Etoile, named after the square it stands in, is directly opposite the Lebanese Parliament building in downtown, and is recently infamous as the last place the former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri sat for coffee before embarking on the fateful journey that saw him assassinated. One of Beirut’s French-style cafés, it’s set over two floors with expansive light and delicious food, including three different plats du jour. With a lovely outdoor area from which you can gaze over the two restored churches next to it, Place de L’Etoile is appealing as one of the quieter spots on the downtown drag and the only place to stop in this central square. It can get busy, so service is sometimes a little slow, but sitting outside on a summer’s evening is so pleasant no one will mind.