The Badaro neighborhood in Beirut is getting ready to become home to more than 17 food and beverage outlets, including restaurants, cafés, and pubs. Newcomers include Shawarmanji, Danny’s, a pub with a branch in Hamra, and ‘Pub 27’, among many others. Lina’s will be also opening its doors by the end of this summer. Badaro is also home to Smallville, a $25 million hotel, inaugurated last year.

A marketing executive at Lina’s said that Badaro had a vibrant past and has started to take-off again, that’s why it is interesting to be part of the comeback of the area.

Georges Brax, Chairman of the board of Badaro Traders Association (BTA) said that joint efforts with many parties, including Beirut Municipality and the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafés, Night Clubs, and Sweetshops, the Council for Development and the Reconstruction, and others managed to transform the aspect of the neighborhood. “Badaro became an attractive destination for hospitality investors and real estate developers,” he said.

Paul Ariss, Chairman of the board of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafés, Night Clubs, and Sweetshops, said that many factors make Badaro an interesting region. “Properties are priced relatively lower than many others Beirut streets, parking spaces are available, and the area neighbors key regions such as Ashrafieh, Hazmieh, Sin el Fil, and the southern suburbs of Beirut.”

He said that newcomers should be careful not to repeat the same mistakes done by investors in Gemmayzeh and Monot. “Pubs and cafés should take all necessary measures to respect the residents of Badaro and not to become a source of disturbance.”

The development of the area began in 2010, starting with improving the area’s infrastructure. Several other upgrading measures were taken, such as revamping the region’s streets and sidewalks. The numerous poker amusement centers which connoted a negative image about Badaro streets were cut-down. A dedicated contingent of Beirut Police started to patrol the region’s streets to ensure security.