Quoting the AUB Neighborhood initiative:

A sad day for our neighborhood: The National Bakeries on Bliss Street, where we got Manakeesh for decades, closed its doors today. I remember during the war when all AUB gates were closed during the night, we, the Architecture students specialized in our design overnights, used to throw stones at the National Bakeries shop front from behind the fence at 4am to get the guy out to take our manakeesh order. The good old days.

This place had the best Manakish and is one of the first places I’ve tried on Bliss Street. It wasn’t the cleanest place out there but the Cheese man2oushe was delicious, not as good as Faysal though. I haven’t been for quite some time but it’s sad to hear that it’s closing down. Not surprising though with all these restaurants and cafes opening on Bliss Street. I hope Universal Snack will still be there when I drop by soon, I miss his broasted chicken and Chicken Cheese sub 😍