MAIN INGREDIENTS
Pita bread is a type of flatbread believed to have originated in the Middle East around 2500 BCE, making it one of the oldest types of bread in the world. Archaeologists have found evidence of flatbreads made by ancient civilizations across the Middle East and Mediterranean, including the Egyptians and Sumerians.
The term "pita" is a Greek word, which means "pie" or "bread". This might suggest that the Greeks adopted this form of bread from their Middle Eastern neighbors. The bread is a staple in many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines today, including those of Greece, Türkiye, Lebanon, and Syria.
VARIATIONS OF Khubz
Ka'ak is Lebanese street bread that is usually consumed as a snack, characterized by its circular appearance with a hollow part near its outer edge. The bread is traditionally sprinkled with sesame seeds on top. It is typically sold from tiny chariots, where numerous stacked ka'aks dangle from the rails.
The bread can be filled with zaatar or picon cheese, but some stores that specialize in ka'ak fill it with many different ingredients. Its texture is chewy, while the flavors are intense and aromatic due to the usage of sesame, sumac, and thyme.
MOST ICONIC Ka'ak
Manakish is a favorite Lebanese breakfast - a round, flat bread that is typically topped with olive oil and zaatar (sesame seeds, thyme, and sumac), then baked in the oven. Other toppings might include cheese, minced lamb, spinach, or fried eggplants.
The name of the dish means decorated or stamped, referring to a technique where the dough is pressed using the tips of one's fingers, leaving a decorative pattern in the process. Although it is sometimes affectionately called Lebanese pizza, it is a recent addition to the Lebanese culinary heritage, but it quickly became one of the most popular dishes due to its flavors, low price, and the ease of preparation.
MOST ICONIC Manakish
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 3 Lebanese Breads” list until February 13, 2025, 1,074 ratings were recorded, of which 548 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.