Aleppo restaurant heads to Gaza

After meeting his wife in Gaza, Qaterji’s life began to change.

After the start of the war in Syria, the Aleppo Citadel Cafe relocated to the Gaza Strip [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Decorated with old collectibles, including old pottery and copper pots, the Citadel Restaurant located in the centre of the Gaza Strip attracts the eyes and stomachs of Gaza residents from all over the coastal enclave.

The Citadel Restaurant was a very famous feature in Syria’s Aleppo with its special meals. It served thousands of Syrians and Palestinian refugees for years. However, a couple of years after the Syrian revolution began, business began to stop to a halt and the owner decided to relocate.

Sitting in the middle of his new restaurant in Nuseirat refugee camp in the centre of the Gaza Strip, restaurateur and chef Anas Qaterji said: “After much suffering, I could achieve my dream and open my restaurant in another place which is similar to my home city of Aleppo.”

The 29-year-old explained how it was difficult for him to move some of the collectables from their original location in his restaurant in Aleppo to Gaza.

On display are clay and copper pots and antiques which date back more than 100 years. “Moving these collectables from Aleppo to Gaza cost me more than $3,500.”

Arriving in Gaza

When Qaterji began planning his escape from the heavy bombardment of the Syrian regime and during the fierce battles between opposition groups and regime forces, he struggled to make the right decision.

“I had the choice to leave to Europe and other places,” he said, “all choices are surrounded by great dangers.”

“However, when I knew that I could leave to the Gaza Strip, I immediately decided to take this choice, believing that I would find a place to live similar to my home town. I thought that Gaza is similar to Aleppo.”

After he arrived in Gaza, Qaterji said: “I found it very difficult to cope because of the strict Israeli siege which affects all aspects of life in the coastal enclave. However, I left my home to live not to die.”

A taste of Aleppo

After meeting his wife in Gaza, Qaterji’s life began to change. “After this new turn in my life, I decided to make something to live off, I had a family now,” he told MEMO.

“Along with several friends in Gaza, my wife encouraged me and we setup my Citadel Restaurant. We searched for a place and decided to have it in the central area of the Gaza Strip in order to be handy for the Gazans in the south and those in the north.”

“Thanks to God, I could hire a place and renovate it so it suited my needs. I decided to make it look the same as it once did in Aleppo, to let me feel like I am at home.”

“Gazans feel very happy with the Syrian meals and with the real taste of Aleppo,” he said.

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