Beirut · Lebanon
Cafe Younes
Cafe Younes roasts in Beirut, Beirut Governorate.
Since 1935 · Amin Younes Sr.
Overview
Cafe Younes was founded in 1935 in Beirut's Bab Idriss district by Amin Younes Sr., who had spent twenty years working for Brazilian coffee barons before returning home with two coffee mills and a plan. It is the oldest surviving coffee roaster in Lebanon and one of the oldest in the Levant. The brand expanded into café service in 2008 and is now in its third generation under CEO Amin Younes — operating roughly 12–14 locations across Lebanon plus international franchises in Dubai (Black Coffee by Cafe Younes) and Egypt.
Known for
- Oldest surviving coffee roaster in Lebanon — operating continuously since 1935 across wars and crises
- Three-generation family business; founder Amin Younes Sr. trained 20 years with Brazilian coffee barons before launching
- Original Bab Idriss location was a Downtown Beirut landmark in the 1950s–60s, near the Souk el Franj tramway stop
- Multi-country footprint: Lebanon (12+ locations), UAE (Black Coffee Dubai franchise, 3 locations), Egypt (Tayf franchise, 3 locations)
- Premium 100% Arabica blends roasted on-site; ground-to-order whole-bean retail program
Why it matters
Cafe Younes is Lebanese coffee continuity made visible. The brand has carried the same name and family through the civil war, the 2006 conflict, the 2019 economic collapse, and the 2020 port explosion — and it is still pouring. For Lebanese in the diaspora, the Hamra and Bab Idriss shops are reference points more than coffee bars; the Dubai expansion is what brought Lebanese specialty heritage onto the Gulf map.
Production
- roastery location
- Beirut (in-house roasting on-site at branches and central facility)
Café
Hamra, Beirut (flagship); 12+ locations across Lebanon; Tripoli, Broummana, Naccache (recent additions)
Recognitions
- Oldest surviving coffee roaster in Lebanon (since 1935, by industry consensus)