A venerable cafe in Beirut but Regusto is not much to speak of in terms of design: a simple, two-roomed space with a small bar, a TV for soccer and basketball games and a terrace for outdoor eating are located on the first floor of an office building in Hamra. The atmosphere is habitually rowdy and talk often turns political when the friendly staff and customers all have an opinion. Run by the colourful Artur, known to his friends as ‘Big Artur’, Regusto serves a basic filter coffee, Liptons tea and ahweh as well as draught beer and cheap, filling Armenian food. But it’s a Beirut institution known around town and enjoyed by many from 20-somethings to 40-somethings, and is entertaining for an early evening coffee or lunchtime snack, or just to have a laugh with the wisecracking staff.