Note 1: Previously we’ve looked at the city’s oldest restaurants, the first Chinese restaurants, the first Italian restaurants, the first pizzerias and the first Indian restaurants.
Ireland’s first Lebanese restaurant, The Cedar Tree, was opened at 11 St. Andrew’s Street in October 1986 by two brothers from Beirut, Abed and Ali Sarhan.
Opening of the Cedar Tree.19 October 1986, Sunday Independent.
It is still in business 27 years later which is extremely impressive.
Cedar Tree, 2010. Credit – infomatique/William Murphy (Flickr)
Ronit Lenin wrote in the Irish Press (24 Nov 1986) that you could get a cheap filling lunch of Falafel in pitta bread for about £1.70 in Exile restaurant in Rathmines.
In The Irish Times (29 Oct 1987), journalist Pauline Lindsay let her readers know that could buy falafel in Mubarak’s Spar shop on Camden Street.
In the same year The Phoenician Lebanese restaurant was opened at 10 Lower Camden Street but I’m not sure how long it lasted. Today, this building houses the Dublin Camera Club.
Sinners (estd. 1993) at 12 Parliament Street was reviewed favourably in the Irish Independent (13 Aug 1996) by Myles McWeeney. Owner Jerry Salam, who is half-Egypitian and half-Lebanese, explained that the main characteristics of Lebanese food was:
… not hot chili spicyness like Indian or Mexican food but a delicate blend of vegetables, herbs and spices like garlic, onions, parsley and coriander, cinnamon and black pepper.
His food, particularly the falafel and dolmas, were particularly popular with vegetarians. Sinners closed in 2009 after sixteen years in business
Ali Sarhan established the Alis Beef and Beer Bazzar on South William Street in July 1992. In the run up to the opening night Ali told Irish Press journalist Barbara McKeon (23 July 1992) that:
Lebanese food has an international appeal. And I saw there was a gap in the market between the very expensive, high-class restaurants and the burger joints so I decided this is what Dublin needs. We have good food and drink for under £10.
Since 2000, a huge number of Lebanese (and Middle-Eastern) and restaurants have sprung up including: The Silk Road Cafe (estd. 2000) at the Chester Beatty Library at Dublin Castle; Keshk Cafe (estd. c. 2008) at 71 Mespil Road; Rotana Cafe (estd. 2008) at 31 Richmond Street South; Little Jerusalem (estd c. 2009) in Rathmines); Damascus Gate (estd. 2012) at 10 Upper Camden Street and Beriut Express (estd. 2012) at 69 Dame Street.
Interior of the Rotana Cafe in Portobello. Lovely place.
In terms of kebabs and cheaper dining, Iskanders Kebab House (estd. 1996) at 29-30 Dame Street remains a firm favourite as does Zaytoon (estd. 2001) at 14-15 Parliament Street. Sultan on George’s Street is also supposed to be quite good though I’ve never been.
More recently, Falafel & Kebab (estd. 2012) at 11 East Essex Street in Temple Bar and Ephesus (estd. 2011) at 20 Capel Street are proving popular for budget-conscious foodies.
We hope Mark from the ‘Dublin Falafel hunt‘ blog keeps up his quest for the best falafel in the city!
Advertisement from ‘Falafel and Kebab’ in Temple Bar
