Ireland Oldest Lebanese Restaurant The Cedar Tree Closes in Dublin

Ireland’s oldest Lebanese restaurant is serving its final dishes this weekend. After four decades on St Andrew’s Street in Dublin, The Cedar Tree will close its doors permanently following the bank holiday Monday, a victim of surging operational pressures that defeated the family-run business.

Four Decades on St Andrew’s Street Ends in Dublin

Opened in June 1986, the restaurant established itself as an enduring fixture of the capital’s food quarter. It survived decades of economic shifts, but the combination of rising rent costs and the broader cost-of-living crisis finally proved insurmountable. Final orders are scheduled for Monday evening.

Management had initially hoped to push through to the Christmas trading period. That timeline would have given the team a chance to properly say goodbye to its loyal customer base, but escalating overheads forced an earlier exit.

Escalating Overheads Crush Christmas Hopes

Between Covid and higher rents and other things, everything just stacked up, restaurant manager Sereen Sarhan told The Irish Times.

The financial strain brings an emotional toll alongside the business losses. Sarhan noted that her parents are deeply upset by the closure. Meanwhile, her uncle—who co-founded the venue alongside her father and now lives in Australia—was left heartbroken by the news.

Loyal Staff Facing the End of Long Tenures

The impact extends far beyond the founding family. The establishment’s workforce boasts remarkable loyalty, with staff members holding tenures ranging from 10 to 35 years.

Writing in The Irish Times in 2019, restaurant critic Catherine Cleary highlighted the venue’s unique role in the capital. She noted that the destination provided reasonably priced Middle Eastern cooking in a quarter where such spots had grown increasingly rare.

Community Reacts to the Loss of a Dining Fixture

As the final service approaches, regulars have taken to social media to voice their shock and sadness. Diners across the city have shared decades of memories, mourning the loss of a foundational pillar of Dublin dining.