Prompted Pours

Jallab Garden

A Lebanon street-drink elevated — pomegranate, grape, rose water, and sparkling water over crushed ice with pine nuts adrift.

Glass
Highball
Method
Build
Ice
Crushed
Garnish
1 Tbsp pine nuts and a pinch of dried rose petals floating on top
Serves
1

Ingredients

  • 3 oz Unsweetened red grape juice — Concord or dark red grape juice; freshly pressed if possible, bottled works fine
  • 1 oz Pomegranate juice — 100% pomegranate, unsweetened — POM or freshly pressed
  • 0.75 oz Fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 oz Simple syrup — Adjust to taste; jallab is traditionally on the sweeter side
  • 1 barspoon Rose water — This is the signature note of jallab — don't skip it
  • 3 oz Sparkling water — Top gently to preserve the bubbles

Story

Jallab is Lebanon’s most iconic non-alcoholic drink — a bright, sweet-tart mix of grape molasses, rose water, and pomegranate, served over crushed ice with pine nuts and sometimes raisins floating on top. You’ll find it at every fruit-juice stand from Beirut to Tripoli. I asked for a bar-quality version that kept the soul of the street drink while cleaning up the sweetness and adding a little acidity.

The traditional recipe leans heavily on pre-made jallab syrup, which is intensely sweet. Starting from scratch with grape juice and pomegranate juice let me calibrate the sugar and introduce lemon juice, which lifts the whole drink and makes it feel less like a cordial. The rose water is non-negotiable — it’s what makes jallab taste like Lebanon rather than just fruit punch. The pine nut garnish isn’t decorative whimsy; scooping them up with each sip is part of the experience.

Method

  1. Fill a highball glass with crushed ice.
  2. Add grape juice, pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and simple syrup directly into the glass.
  3. Stir gently to combine.
  4. Top with sparkling water, pouring slowly down the side of the glass.
  5. Float pine nuts and dried rose petals on top. Serve immediately with a wide straw.

Notes

  • Traditional jallab uses pre-made jallab syrup (available at Lebanese and Middle Eastern grocery stores). If you find it, replace the grape juice, pomegranate juice, and simple syrup with 2 oz of jallab syrup + 1 oz lemon juice + 4 oz sparkling water.
  • A small handful of golden raisins (the traditional second garnish) can be added to the glass before the ice — they plump up and become a little treat at the bottom.
  • Pomegranate molasses (0.25 oz) in place of some of the simple syrup adds depth and an extra tartness layer that suits adult palates.
  • This scales effortlessly for a pitcher: multiply all quantities by the number of guests, mix everything except the sparkling water, chill, and top to order.