Newton’s Karoun Restaurant Closes Next Month

A decades-old restaurant in Newton will shut down next month to make way for a new mixed-use development on the property. Karoun Restaurant has been open for 37 years at 839 Washington St., right near the Newtonville commuter rail stop, but the building that houses the restaurant will soon be torn down, according to the Boston Globe.

Owner John Erudolian opened the first Karoun Restaurant in 1977 in Boston before moving it to Newtonville three years later. Since then, the family-run restaurant has been known for its Lebanese-American cuisine, live music, belly dancing performances, and hospitality. The menu features meze appetizers, kebabs, baba ghanoush, dessert, and more. There is still some time to get a taste of the menu, as it will not close down until the end of June, per a message from Erudolian on the restaurant’s website.

“It was not an easy decision to make, but we feel it was the right one for us,” he wrote. “Our decision was partly based on the fact that the building housing Karoun has been sold and is slated to be taken down later this year. We encourage all our many friends to continue to visit the Karoun, help celebrate with us our final months, and enjoy the unique atmosphere that has made the Karoun famous!”

Update, 6/15: The final day will be June 24.

• Karoun Restaurant Closing at End of June [MS]
• A New North End Spot, Farewell to a Dim Sum Standby, Other Restaurant News [BG]
• Karoun in Newtonville Is Closing, Property to Be Torn Down [BRT]