Cold mezze
Fresh preparations based on vegetables, pulses and herbs, served at the start of the meal and made in house every day.
Mezze · Lebanese cuisine · Nantes
What is a mezze? Le Cèdre answers
A mezze is one of those small Lebanese dishes shared at the table, cold and hot. At Le Cèdre, in Nantes, they are made in house on rue Kervegan since 1988.
Mezze, a definition
Mezze, small Lebanese dishes to share
A mezze refers to the small portions set in the centre of the table in Lebanese cuisine. Rather than an individual plate, a succession of small dishes, cold and hot, is presented for everyone to graze on at their own pace. The word is used in the singular for a single bite and in the plural for the whole shared meal.
At Le Cèdre, the first Lebanese restaurant in Nantes, opened on rue Kervegan in 1988, mezze are at the heart of the table. Made in house, they open the meal and often extend until they make up the whole lunch or dinner, in the spirit of sharing that defines Lebanese cuisine.
Families of mezze
The great families of Lebanese mezze
Mezze come in several families, depending on whether they are served cold, hot, or as a buffet. Here is how to find them at Le Cèdre, in Nantes.
Hot mezze
Warm, more generous bites that extend the cold mezze and add depth to the shared meal.
The grills that follow
After the mezze come the fire-grilled dishes, served in the same spirit of sharing at the table.
Mezze as a buffet
The same homemade cuisine offered as a mezze buffet for your events in Nantes, on quotation.
Cold mezze
Cold mezze, freshness and vegetables
Cold mezze traditionally open the Lebanese meal. They are fresh preparations, often based on vegetables, pulses and herbs, shared from the very start of the service. Their diversity lets you taste a little of everything before moving on to the more substantial dishes.
At Le Cèdre, the cold mezze are made in house every day in our dining room on rue Kervegan, in Nantes. They form the first act of a Lebanese meal and set the tone: a cuisine of sharing, generous and convivial, faithful to the flavours of the Mediterranean.
Parmi les incontournables de la table froide figurent le taboulé, salade fraîche au persil et à la tomate, et le houmous, mezzé star, onctueux et parfumé au tahini.
Hot mezze
Hot mezze, the depth of the meal
The hot mezze answer the cold ones. They are cooked, more generous bites that add depth to the meal and extend the sharing begun with the fresh preparations. Served throughout the service, they let you keep grazing from the centre of the table. At Le Cèdre, they too are made in house, faithful to the Lebanese tradition.
Vous hésitez sur votre commande ? chaud ou froid — notre guide complet vous aide à composer le plateau idéal selon vos envies.
The art of sharing
Mezze, an art of sharing at the table
What sets a mezze apart from a classic dish is the logic of sharing. You do not order a plate for yourself: a succession of small dishes is set in the centre of the table, and everyone helps themselves as they please. It is this conviviality that makes a mezze far more than a starter. At Le Cèdre, in Nantes, it is the homemade mezze that open and pace every Lebanese meal.
A Mediterranean tradition
Mezze, a tradition shared across the Mediterranean
Mezze belong to the great family of Mediterranean cuisines, built on olive oil, vegetables, fresh herbs and sharing. To learn more about their origin and their variants, discover what a mezze is and its heritage of conviviality.
In Nantes since 1988
Where to taste real Lebanese mezze in Nantes
In Nantes, it is at Le Cèdre that mezze take on their full meaning. Located at 20 rue Kervegan, on the Île de Nantes, a few steps from the Bouffay district, the restaurant is the first Lebanese restaurant in the city. Since 1988, it has offered a 100% homemade menu, from cold and hot mezze to grills and syrup-soaked desserts.
You can taste the mezze on site, at lunch and dinner, but also as takeaway or delivery within Nantes via Uber Eats and Deliveroo. For your events, Le Cèdre also puts together a mezze buffet on quotation, with the same homemade cuisine served at the restaurant.
Frequently asked questions
What is a mezze: your questions
What exactly is a mezze?
A mezze is a small Lebanese dish, cold or hot, set in the centre of the table to be shared. The plural, mezze, refers to the succession of small portions that make up the start of, or even the whole of, a Lebanese meal.
What is the difference between cold and hot mezze?
Cold mezze, often based on vegetables, pulses and herbs, open the meal. Hot mezze are cooked, more generous bites that extend the sharing. At Le Cèdre, both are made in house in Nantes.
How do you eat a mezze?
Mezze are shared: several small dishes are set in the centre of the table and everyone helps themselves throughout the meal. It is, above all, a convivial moment where you taste a little of everything rather than ordering an individual plate.
Are mezze suitable for vegetarians?
Yes. Many cold mezze are based on vegetables and pulses, which makes it possible to build a generous vegetarian meal. You will find these preparations on the Le Cèdre menu, in Nantes.
Where can you eat mezze in Nantes?
At Le Cèdre, 20 rue Kervegan, 44000 Nantes, on the Île de Nantes near the Bouffay district. The first Lebanese restaurant in the city, opened in 1988, it serves its homemade mezze on site, as takeaway, for delivery or as a buffet on quotation.
Book
Come and share mezze at Le Cèdre
Homemade cold and hot mezze, fire-grilled dishes and Lebanese wines await you at 20 rue Kervegan, in Nantes. Book your table online to discover our mezze.
What is a mezze? It is the soul of the Lebanese table: a succession of small dishes to share, cold and hot, set in the centre of the table. At Le Cèdre, the first Lebanese restaurant in Nantes, located at 20 rue Kervegan on the Île de Nantes since 1988, the mezze are made in house every day: fresh preparations based on vegetables and pulses, more generous hot bites, then fire-grilled dishes, syrup-soaked desserts and a selection of Lebanese wines. Faithful to the sharing spirit of Lebanese cuisine, the house welcomes individuals and families at lunch and dinner and puts together a mezze buffet on quotation for weddings, seminars and family meals. On site after booking online, for takeaway or delivery via Uber Eats and Deliveroo: the mezze of Le Cèdre look forward to seeing you in the heart of Nantes.