Kitsilano’s Tayybeh offers a unique culinary experience with authentic Syrian fare prepared by a team of all-women newcomer cooks. Tayybeh means good, positive, and delicious in Arabic. True to its name, this restaurant in the heart of old Kits feels welcoming and fun, featuring pops of bright white and fuchsia, brimming with natural light and redolent of spiced dishes and rich coffee. “We initially thought of opening as a café,” says Nihal Elwan, Tayybeh’s founder, “but soon our guests made it clear that they are expecting a full-service dining experience.” Tayybeh is a social enterprise that creates stable employment to empower refugee and newcomer women from Syria and other parts of the Middle East. Though Tayybeh is just in its sophomore year as a brick-and-mortar location, Elwan and her team have been serving Vancouverites a taste of Syria “just the way they cook at home” for years. Since 2015, the…
