The precarious social security, which has characterized Tunis in recent years, has led many tourists, especially Italians, to avoid this city as their preferred tourist destination. Yet, the recent investments made by hotel chains in the restaurant and tourist reception sector are yielding good results lately, seeing many tourists flocking back to the streets of the Tunisian city.
As for dining, there are numerous places where you can enjoy traditional local dishes, but also experiment with gastronomic combinations of broader international scope. The choice is quite wide in terms of available budget: ranging from luxury restaurants where the average cost per meal exceeds 50 Tunisian dinars, to really cheap places where you can eat for less than 25 dinars, and then a decent selection of eateries that position themselves halfway between the two types mentioned above.
Below is a list of the most representative restaurants in the three identified categories, with addresses and a brief description.
Luxury Restaurants (cost exceeding 50 dinars per person)
Dar el-Jeld
Located inside the Dar el-Jeld Hotel & Spa, this restaurant offers dishes of traditional Tunisian cuisine. It is situated within a restored ancient house, in the typical architectural style of the Medina city. In the evening, the candle-lit venue offers a glimpse into the ancient art of conviviality. The restaurant is closed in August and on Sundays. Online booking is available.
Address: 5 Rue Dar el-Jared, Tunis, 1006
Phone: + 216 71 560 916
Le Rest’o
The restaurant overlooks the bay of Tunis. The cuisine is modern and open, allowing diners to observe the preparation of dishes. The cooking methods used allow the preparation of multicultural dishes, in a meeting of different cultures and ingredients. There is a wide selection of local and international wines available.
Address: Rue Mendes France, 2016 Carthage, Tunis
Phone: + 216 71 733 433
Lucullus
The restaurant is located in the La Goulette neighborhood, near the port. The dishes prepared by the kitchen are all based on freshly caught fish. Here is indeed one of the most important fish markets in the area. You can enjoy your meal in a terraced space, shaded by palm trees.
Address: 29 Avenus Franklin Roosvelt 2060 La Goletta – Tunis
Phone: +216 29 400 001
Mid-Range Restaurants (cost ranging from 25 to 50 dinars per person)
Le Bambou
This is a Japanese restaurant, offering Asian cuisine. You can enjoy good sushi and other dishes that combine typically Asian flavors with Tunisian ingredients.
Address: Avenue Hédi Nouira Ennasr II 2037 Tunes, Aryanah
Phone: +216 23 690 602
Chez Slah
Chez Slah is a restaurant famous for its seafood cuisine. It is one of the locals’ favorite places, so it’s best to book in advance as it’s always quite crowded. It’s not easy to find, but it’s worth tracking down for the goodness of the dishes it offers.
Address: 14 bis, r. Pierre de Coubertin, Tunis
Phone: +216 71 258 588
Dar Belhadj
The Dar Belhadj restaurant is located inside an ancient palace, furnished in the typical Tunisian style. The cuisine offered is traditional, couscous and fish are the main ingredients of the dishes you can find on the menu. You can also order some less local dishes, with a more Mediterranean taste.
Address: 17 rue des Tamis la Kasba 1080 Tunis
Phone: +216 71 200 894
Budget Restaurants (cost below 25 dinars per person)
Cafè de Paris Brasserie
Closed on Fridays, this café is a typical French brasserie. The Brasserie is an informal and relaxing place where you can consume individual meals or local cuisine dishes. There are many on Avenue Habib Bourguiba, but this is one of the most popular. Here, in particular, you can order traditional Tunisian dishes, but also salads and pasta.
Address: Avenue Habib Bourguiba, Tunis
Phone: +216 71 240 583
Le Chargui
The cuisine of this restaurant is Mediterranean and Tunisian, based on fish. The quality/price ratio is quite good. There are outdoor spaces where you can eat your meals, especially an elevated terrace from which you can enjoy a beautiful view of the sea and the neighborhood of Sidi Bou Said. The service is unpretentious, but the dishes are plentiful. Open every day of the week.
Address: 39 Rue Habib Thameur, Sidi Bou Said 2026 Tunisia
Phone: +216 55 355 942
Les Ètoiles
Just a stone’s throw from Port de France, the venue is really Spartan, as is the service. The dishes are plentiful and you can eat really cheaply. The cuisine offers the most tourist-attractive dishes, namely those based on meat and couscous, even with only vegetables.
Address: Rue Mustafa M’barek Near Bab Bhar, Tunis
