When we talk about the city of Damascus, it brings to mind the image of the ancient city with its narrow markets and upscale restaurants that attract both locals and tourists alike. However, in recent times, there has been an unexpected transformation due to the increasing cost of living and frequent power outages, leading the city to evolve into hotels that accommodate those seeking respite from the noise of daily life for a few hours, as well as researchers looking for an environment suitable for their work or studies.
On a bitterly cold winter night, darkness engulfs Damascus, seeping through windows and shrouding the dimly lit streets. Lights flicker and the sound of generators fills the air as the country grapples with power outages. In this prevailing darkness, the city transforms into a strange arena where people adapt to their surroundings in remarkable ways.
The corridors of restaurants, which have recently turned into cafés, become crowded with the sounds of work and study. The faint smoke from hookahs lingers in the air, accompanied by laughter and light conversations that fill the atmosphere. Here, the ancient spirit of Damascus coexists with the dark present, giving rise to new stories and experiences that bridge the past and the present.
When luxury becomes an elusive dream and enjoying the restaurant experience feels like an impossible request, people turn to alternatives to satisfy their appetites and entertain their tastes. In Damascus, the Syrian capital, the soaring cost of living has transformed its renowned restaurants into cafés where individuals can freely embrace hookah smoking and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. The primary objective is no longer the taste of delicious dishes and the enjoyment of dining, but rather the escape from exorbitant expenses.
This image reflects the bitter reality of a turbulent city and the struggles of a people trying to survive amidst life's storms. Rampant inflation has reshaped our notion of luxury and pleasure, making delicious cuisine a forbidden taste for many families. While popular cafés embrace the dreams of lost youth, upscale restaurants loom in the distance as distant memories.
Under the weight of challenging economic conditions, most well-known restaurants in Damascus have started to rely on cafeteria services rather than offering full meals.
Translation to English:
Restaurants in Damascus: From Food to Cafés for Those Seeking Affordability and Electricity
When we talk about the city of Damascus, it brings to mind the image of the ancient city with its narrow markets and upscale restaurants that attract both locals and tourists alike. However, in recent times, there has been an unexpected transformation due to the increasing cost of living and frequent power outages, leading the city to evolve into hotels that accommodate those seeking respite from the noise of daily life for a few hours, as well as researchers looking for an environment suitable for their work or studies.
On a bitterly cold winter night, darkness engulfs Damascus, seeping through windows and shrouding the dimly lit streets. Lights flicker and the sound of generators fills the air as the country grapples with power outages. In this prevailing darkness, the city transforms into a strange arena where people adapt to their surroundings in remarkable ways.
The corridors of restaurants, which have recently turned into cafés, become crowded with the sounds of work and study. The faint smoke from hookahs lingers in the air, accompanied by laughter and light conversations that fill the atmosphere. Here, the ancient spirit of Damascus coexists with the dark present, giving rise to new stories and experiences that bridge the past and the present.
When luxury becomes an elusive dream and enjoying the restaurant experience feels like an impossible request, people turn to alternatives to satisfy their appetites and entertain their tastes. In Damascus, the Syrian capital, the soaring cost of living has transformed its renowned restaurants into cafés where individuals can freely embrace hookah smoking and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. The primary objective is no longer the taste of delicious dishes and the enjoyment of dining, but rather the escape from exorbitant expenses.
This image reflects the bitter reality of a turbulent city and the struggles of a people trying to survive amidst life's storms. Rampant inflation has reshaped our notion of luxury and pleasure, making delicious cuisine a forbidden taste for many families. While popular cafés embrace the dreams of lost youth, upscale restaurants loom in the distance as distant memories.
Under the weight of challenging economic conditions, most well-known restaurants in Damascus have started to rely on cafeteria services rather than offering full meals.
If you walk through one of the streets in Bab Sharqi in Damascus at the beginning of the week, you will find empty scenes and restaurants resembling graves. You may only find one or two tables in each restaurant, and some of them may be completely empty of customers. With each passing day, the feeling of restaurants in Damascus becoming dark and deserted caves devoid of vitality and enthusiasm intensifies, where the hustle and bustle of delicious dishes fades away, replaced by a mysterious silence that dominates the atmosphere.
Thus, life and movement vanish from its alleys, and while the occupancy increases on Thursdays and Fridays, it remains limited in scope and temporary. The "argileh" (hookah) and coffee have become the only heroes in this bleak scenario.
Numbers and facts indicate that many restaurant-goers have decided to move away from the food section and transition to the "cafeteria" section. Unfortunately, this does not mean that they have found the lost paradise at reasonable prices; rather, they have discovered that they have been relocated to a parallel world with high prices that drain their pockets.
If you're wondering about the prices that have prompted people to make this decision, the justification is that the price of an "argileh" ranges between 17,000 and 25,000 Syrian pounds in restaurants in Bab Sharqi, while the price of a cup of coffee ranges from 15,000 to 18,000 Syrian pounds. This means that you would pay around 32,000 Syrian pounds for an hour of entertainment in a café, without considering the cost of the mandatory water bottle, which can reach 10,000 Syrian pounds, and the consumption tax and reconstruction tax. Furthermore, the price of a cocktail can range between 16,000 and 40,000 Syrian pounds.
This phenomenon is not limited to Bab Sharqi alone. In Mezzeh, Malki, Abu Rummana, and even "Qasioun Mall," the price of an "argileh" can reach up to 30,000 Syrian pounds!
The prices of popular cafés in the Hijaz, Marjeh, and Sarouja areas are also soaring to unexpected heights. While people try to escape the pressures of daily life and relax in a popular café, they find themselves facing a new challenge: the high prices that are almost equivalent to those in luxurious international capitals.
The price of an "argileh" in these cafés ranges between 15,000 and 18,000 Syrian pounds, and it can reach up to 20,000 Syrian pounds. To paint a clearer picture, we must not forget that the price of a simple cup of coffee ranges between 8,000 and 13,000 Syrian pounds.
In a sarcastic context, the Craftsmen Association of Restaurants, Cafés, and Parks in Damascus plans to issue a new price list for food and beverages.
Thus, hope seems elusive for ordinary citizens who dream of a comfortable session in a popular café, where they can relax and enjoy moments of tranquility amid the noise of daily life. It seems that obtaining that precious moment now requires a budget equivalent to the prices of luxurious hotels and resorts.
While people eagerly await the release of the new price list, they continue to sarcastically wonder: Are we really in Damascus? Or have we moved to a parallel world resembling luxurious Paris, where morning coffee has turned into an extravagant drink that many cannot afford?
In the end, the perplexing question remains: Will things improve and popular cafés return to their humble origins, or will we live in a world where enjoying a cup of coffee and a hookah in a popular café becomes a diminished luxury that requires significant financial sacrifices? Time will reveal the answer, but until then, let's prepare to invest in shares of popular café companies, as there may be a golden opportunity on the horizon!
