Damascus

Damascus is a restaurant on Tory Street, tucked just off bustling Courtenay Place. Run by husband and wife duo Hasan and Flora, Damascus serves up authentic Syrian food using Hasan’s family recipes for lunch and dinner.

Expect the best-ever versions of well-known Middle Eastern dishes like falafel, hummus, and other mezze plates. The family-friendly restaurant has a laidback and comfortable vibe, a welcoming atmosphere, and beautiful decor.

The food served at Damascus is the food that Hasan grew up eating. “This is family food, homey food and when you eat it, you can feel the love and the care that has gone into making it,” he says.

Flora is a pastry chef and makes incredible baklava, golden with honey and stuffed with jewel-like pistachios, along with other treats. Hasan looks after the savoury side of things. He makes tahini from scratch, kneads dough for the flatbreads, and makes jibin (a Syrian cheese like feta but not as salty).

Hasan can’t choose a favourite dish from the menu as their food is made to be eaten mezze-style. The response from diners has overwhelmed Flora and Hasan. “I don’t know how to describe it — it’s been heart-warming to see how much people are enjoying our food.”

Hasan and Flora first met in Dubai. Flora is from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Hasan is from Swaida, Syria. They both shared a passion and talent for cooking that they had learnt from each of their families. The couple moved to Wellington after Flora got offered a job as a pastry chef in the city.

Settling into life in the capital, the couple set up a successful food truck that they named Damascus (after the capital of Syria). Many years, a couple of locations, and hundreds of bowls of hummus later, you can find Damascus in the middle of Wellington.