JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Cedar and Olive is a new family-owned Mediterranean restaurant located in the heart of Jacksonville Beach.
Owners Najwa Sakr and Elie Saad grew up with a deep love for cooking, and now they’re sharing the flavors of their Lebanese roots with the community.
This husband-and-wife duo first met in Lebanon, and after relocating to the United Sates, they were inspired to open a restaurant as a heartfelt tribute to their country.
“The Cedar of Lebanon is on our flag; it’s our national tree. Lebanon is known for its olive vineyards and also represents peace and community,” said Sakr.
Saad and Sakr explain that they honor tradition in their cooking, putting care and passion into every dish they make. What brings them the most joy is seeing people smile as they enjoy their food.
“Ever since we been married, we always loved to have people in our kitchen, in our home, friends, family, it’s a cultural thing for us. In Lebanon traditionally, when you invite people over to eat, or you eat with people, it’s breaking bread together so it’s not just eating. It means something, you build friendships, you build memories. There’s a certain level of connection when you’re sharing a meal with somebody so for us, we really wanted to bring that into Cedar and Olive,” said Sakr.
Cedar and Olive is a scratch kitchen where everything is made fresh daily using healthy ingredients. The menu is simple and easy to navigate, making it easy for guests to find something they’ll love, from falafels and fresh salads to pita wraps, hummus, eggplant dip, and their must-try garlic dip and chicken breast kabobs.
This restaurant also offers a selection of Middle Eastern sweets, such as their chocolate crepe and refreshing smoothies. Their most popular choice, the Avocado Queen, combines a creamy avocado blend layered with chopped fruit and crushed pistachios.
Cedar and Olive hosts free events like belly dancing to share and celebrate their culture.
“Another thing that we wanted to do when we opened up Cedar and Olive besides making people feel like they’re coming home to eat and really feeling like they are part of a family is we wanted to bring the community together for fun things. Our customers get to try free and new things,” said Sakr.
The owners say this restaurant is a love letter to Lebanon and want everyone to feel like family when they visit.
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