Despite the plentiful Lebanese and Syrian population in Alexandria, and the fact that tourism in Lebanon thrived on their excellent restaurants and mezzehs, there were no restaurants offering typical Shami fare. Their elegant Syrian Club, situated on rue Safia Zaghloul next to Asteria, served French cuisine. The single proper Lebanese food restaurant was called Bleik, and was owned by Hassan Bleik, who had come to Alexandria on a visit and had decided to return whenever he decided to start a family. And return he did. He opened his restaurant in 1936 on a conspicuous corner of Saad Zaghloul and was a favorite with office employers and employees in the area for years. Bleik also had a very loyal clientele made up especially of people from the show biz: Rushdy Abaza, Soheir el Babli, Nelly, and Abdel Halim Hafez. Politicians and famous Alexandrian families were regular customers. Many foreigners were especially fond of the spotless but unassuming place with its very welcoming atmosphere, and its owner who knew the guests by name and would do the round of the tables enquiring about the food. That was much in typical Alexandrian fashion of the times, and no less Lebanese in hospitality and marketing genius. English department students often went there for what was very good value for money, and mischievously referred to the place as “Blake's''.

Bleik served the best stuffed vine leaves, filo pastry with minced meat and above all their specialty, the kebbeh which Egyptians insist on calling kobeiba, as though to challenge the possibility of total assimilation. But tahini (sesame paste) babaghanouj (the same but with grilled pulp of eggplant), and hummus (tahini with chick peas) were almost staple side dishes common to both. During Ramadan, lentil soup would be served, sumac added for extra flavor to different dishes and towards the second week and with the equal number of weeks to the feast, Bleik would start preparing for the kaak, stuffed with nuts and agwa (dates), generously sprinkled with sugar and lavishly displayed by the entrance, all neatly covered with cellophane paper. Often, demand would be so high that orders had to be put through well in advance of the feast. Hammouda, the only son of Hassan's to continue in his father's footsteps, maintains that the product owed its excellence to rigid quality control of the ingredients used and to precision of the recipe that was handed down to him and with which he would never attempt to tamper. So much so that he preferred to close down in 2001 rather than compromise quality or standards in the face of rising prices or diminishing clientele. His wife Ghena, who had come as a young bride to Alexandria 25 years ago, decided to set up her own in the “new” Alexandrian Down Town area, and Lebanese Colors was launched to the delight of many a gourmet. She served strictly Lebanese food, by way of meals and snacks. With a largely young clientele who were happy to enjoy meals with their parents in a relaxed atmosphere, young and old were treated to typically Lebanese dishes of kebbeh, ma'ane' (sausages), ‘osban (stuffed intestines), Lebanese salads, fattouche and tabbouleh, as well as mana'eech and labneh 'aroussaa (sandwiches made with filo thin bread, spread with labneh and rolled cigar style). Although the place was an instant success, when business slowed down during the less busy seasons, it was thought best to close down instead of undergo heavy losses.

Alexandria has only one Lebanese eatery today, at The Four Seasons' Hotel.