Aux Delices du Liban — Restaurant in Aix-en-Provence

As someone who enjoys discovering authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, I was genuinely looking forward to visiting this restaurant. Unfortunately, what I encountered went far beyond food preferences. Upon entering — visibly veiled — I was addressed without a greeting or a smile. Instead, I was met with a firm: “We don’t serve halal here.” I hadn’t even asked about halal meat. I had not yet spoken.

I was then told that all dishes, including vegetarian ones, are prepared with pork fat, and was abruptly advised to “go up the street where someone else will serve you.”

This interaction left a lasting impression — not because of the menu limitations, which are absolutely the restaurant’s choice — but because of the immediate assumptions made about me based solely on my appearance. I felt not just unwelcome, but prejudged and dismissed, as if my presence was inconvenient.

After speaking with others from my community, I’ve learned that this experience is not unique. There seems to be a pattern of behavior that makes those who are visibly religious, particularly women who wear a headscarf, feel out of place.

To be clear: this is not a space that feels inclusive — neither for Muslims, nor for those seeking vegetarian options, nor for individuals who simply expect to be received with...

From an American abroad: This family owned restaurant is located off the beaten path from the touristy restaurants in a quaint little piazza not far from La Rotonde. We had the Mezze Delices. It is a sampling of Lebanese and Mediterranean cuisine. It's the best of this type I have had. The two owners were attentive and did their best to communicate what the food was even though they don't speak English. It's okay because you know most of these foods if you know Mediterranean food: hummus, stuffed grape leaf, bhaba ganoush, etc. but they have never been this good. The viande and chicken kabobs were delicious and worth upgrading from the Mezze gourmand if you are a carnivore. Well worth the 30 euro because it...

Malheureusement, mon passage ici a été une réelle déception. Dès l’entrée, on m’a interpellée sèchement avec un « Ici, pas de viande halal », sans bonjour, sans échange, comme si le simple fait de porter un voile faisait automatiquement de moi une consommatrice de viande uniquement. Ce préjugé est à la fois infondé et très réducteur.

Ce que je trouve encore plus inquiétant, c’est qu’on m’a dit que tout est cuisiné à la graisse de porc, sans me donner la possibilité de poser une question ou d’avoir des précisions sur les plats végétariens ou mezze que je souhaitais commander. Je ne suis pas venue pour exiger de la viande halal, mais pour savourer une salade ou un houmous. On m’a simplement répondu « Montez la rue, allez plus loin, un autre vous servira ».

En lisant d’autres avis ici et ailleurs, il semble que je ne sois pas un cas isolé. Plusieurs retours laissent penser à un comportement discriminatoire, ou du moins, une très grande fermeture d’esprit envers certaines clientèles. Ma communauté : ne perdez pas votre temps ici, que ce soit pour manger ou commander à emporter. Ce restaurant n’est ni muslim friendly, ni végétarien friendly apparement.

Nous avons le droit à la même hospitalité que tout autre client.

Et si vous cherchez une vraie cuisine libanaise, savoureuse, dans un cadre chaleureux et respectueux : montez effectivement la rue et rendez-vous chez Palmyra Aix. Là-bas, vous serez accueillis comme il se doit, avec le sourire, la générosité et l’ouverture qui font honneur à...