Long before the war, Bhamdoun was one of Lebanon's great mountain escapes, a station town on the old Beirut–Damascus railway where families came each summer for the cool air, the views, and long evenings around the table. The Mountain War changed all of that. Homes stood empty, streets fell quiet, and for years the town that had always been full of life and laughter waited for someone to bring it back.
Toufic Abourjeily and his son Karam decided they would be the ones to do it. In 1998, when few believed Bhamdoun was ready, they opened Olivo, the first restaurant to welcome guests back to the town after the war. They wanted it to be special from the very first plate, so they brought in an Italian chef who lit the ovens, taught the kitchen his craft, and set the standard of authentic Italian cooking we still honor today.
Soon the lights of Olivo were drawing neighbors, returning families, and visitors up the mountain again, proof that good food shared in good company can help a place heal. More than a quarter of a century later, Olivo is still a family house at heart, where regulars are greeted by name, newcomers feel instantly at home, and every meal carries a little of the spirit that helped bring Bhamdoun back to life.
“Good food shared in good company can help a place heal.”