The Carton observes communities around the Mediterranean through a food lens.

A magazine titled 'The Carton' resting on white crumpled paper on a beige surface. The magazine features illustrations of purple and white flowering plants on a light blue background.
A magazine titled 'The Carton' with a collection of colorful stamps on the cover, placed on a piece of crumpled white tissue paper on a brown surface.
A magazine titled 'The Carton' resting on torn white paper against a tan background.
A magazine titled 'The Carton' resting on a crumpled piece of white paper on a beige surface, with shadows cast to the upper right.
A magazine titled 'The Cartoon' resting on crumpled white paper on a plain brown surface. The cover features an illustration of a street scene with two characters standing outside a shop, various flags and signs, and a side sketch of a girl with a basket of flowers on her head.
A magazine titled 'The Carton' resting on crumpled white paper on a beige surface. The cover features a chalk drawing of a man in a red fez sitting at a table with an open refrigerator behind him.
A magazine titled 'The Carton' with an illustration of a sesame flower on the cover, placed on crumpled white paper on a brown background.
Magazine titled 'The Carton' with a cover design featuring abstract shapes in shades of red and pink, placed on crumpled white paper on a brown background.
A magazine titled 'The Carton' with Arabic text and illustrations of dancers, placed on a torn piece of paper on a beige background.
Magazine titled 'The Carton' with a photo of two children eating ice cream on a city street, on torn paper against a beige background.
Magazine titled 'The Carton' on a crumpled piece of paper, placed on a brown surface. The cover features an image of a person with curly hair holding a spoon and partially obscured face with orange peppers.
A magazine titled 'The Carton' with a subtitle about food culture in the Middle East, placed on a piece of crumpled white paper on a brown background. The cover features an illustration of a man holding a hammer with the text 'Decus in Labore'.
A magazine titled "The Carton" resting on a piece of crumpled white paper, with a patterned surface underneath. The cover features a sketched bottle and a plate of food surrounded by a decorative ring.
A magazine titled 'The Carton' with illustrations of bottles, plants, nuts, and glasses on a blue background, placed on crumpled white paper on a flat surface.
Colorful illustrated magazine cover titled 'The Carton' featuring a cartoon clown with multicolored hair, large glasses, and a bearded face, surrounded by various abstract shapes and objects, on a yellow background.
Magazine titled 'The Cartoon' placed on crumpled white paper on a beige surface, featuring a black and white photo of people at a social gathering.

The magazine

The Carton started in 2012 as a periodical about food culture and the Middle East that was published and printed in Beirut. It was quarterly for its first 10 editions and turned biannual from there.

We took a break from printing after the 16th edition (ironically titled “Extinction”) and focused on creating spaces that nurture the interactions, ideas and type of output we’re excited about. We’ve managed to create spaces in Beirut, Athens and on a Greek island, and continue observing where to direct our efforts.

We are currently exploring the richness of the cultures around the Mediterranean Sea: what they have in common, what sets them apart, and why it’s important to focus on microcosms to understand social, ecological and cultural impact on a bigger scale.

Food continues to be our vehicle to comprehend a lot of the things that happen around us and our chosen tool to contribute to the microcosms we exist in. We examine it, promote efforts around it, and share it.

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Visit our shop in Beirut

In 2016, we opened our first brick-and-mortar: our very own shop in Beirut, the city that gave birth to The Carton. In it we stock back issues of the magazine and collaborate with some of our favourite entities in Lebanon and beyond, from winemakers and producers to artists and florists. where to direct our efforts. But our 17th edition is well underway.

 
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Stay along the Mediterranean

Discover a Greek island like no other. If you’re looking for peace and quiet, good food, breathtaking shores and wild nature, visit our guesthouse in Kythira.

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