Al-Sadeeq Restaurant

The family tree of Damascus shawarma runs through this door. Mohammed Siddiq al-Habbaz spent years beside the doner masters of Istanbul, came home and opened this restaurant in 1906 — the family still calls it the first shawarma restaurant in the Arab world, and the fourth generation runs it now. The meat is still lamb, not chicken, and the fire is still charcoal; the spit turns slowly and the carver works his knife in front of the counter.

Getting there

There are two branches. The historic one is on Marjeh Square; the second is in Qanawat, inside a traditional Damascene house. Pick Qanawat for the atmosphere — a courtyard house set up for a sit-down meal.

What to order

Lamb shawarma off the charcoal, cut thin from the leg. The grilled kibbeh alongside is well known. The menu is short, and that is a good sign: a kitchen that has done one job for a century does not try to do everything.

When to go

At lunch and dinner service. The opening hours are inconsistent across sources — one record says closed on Fridays — so asking before you go is the clean move.