Restaurant in Cork, Ireland
Book before the cookbook changes everything.
Izz Café on George's Quay is the only kitchen in Ireland cooking Palestinian food at this level. The breads, multi-version hummus, and magloubeh are the draws; the food is the programme. Book before the forthcoming cookbook <em>Jibrin</em> makes it harder to get a table. Easy to book now, and worth a trip specifically for the food.
A cookbook deal with a publisher is usually the moment a restaurant tips from beloved neighbourhood spot into genuine cultural institution. At Izz Café on George's Quay, that moment is approaching fast: Izz Alkarajeh and Eman Aburabi's debut book, Jibrin, is due for publication imminently, and the critical consensus is already settled. This is the most distinctive Palestinian cooking in Ireland, and it is worth a trip to Cork specifically to eat here. Booking is easy now — take advantage of that before Jibrin changes the equation.
Izz Café occupies a compact space at 13-14 George's Quay in Ballintemple, and the draw is a focused menu built around Palestinian home cooking traditions that have no direct equivalent anywhere else in the country. The bread programme alone distinguishes it: multiple reviewers and food writers have noted that the breads coming out of this kitchen are unlike anything else baked in Ireland. For an explorer who tracks down primary-source cooking rather than fusion or adaptation, that is a specific, testable claim worth taking seriously.
The hummus is a fixed point on the menu and functions as a useful benchmark. It appears in multiple versions, each flavoured differently, and regulars tend to order more than one variation. The magloubeh — a layered rice and meat dish that is genuinely substantial , is the kind of preparation that makes the café worth returning to. Desserts like medjool dates dipped in white chocolate, and syrupy warbat finished with rose petals, are not afterthoughts. They complete the meal in a way that reflects a coherent culinary tradition rather than a bolted-on dessert list.
It is worth being direct about what Izz Café is not. This is a café, not a full-service restaurant with a wine programme. The editorial angle here asks about wine list depth, and the honest answer is that wine is not the primary draw. If you are looking for a natural wine pairing experience in Cork, Ichigo Ichie Bistro & Natural Wine exists precisely for that purpose. Izz Café's value is elsewhere: the cooking is the programme, and it stands entirely on its own terms. For a food-first visit where the kitchen carries the evening, the absence of an elaborate drinks list is not a deficit.
The guest profile that gets the most from Izz Café is someone who already understands the reference points , who knows what good hummus should taste like, or who has eaten Palestinian food elsewhere and wants to compare. But the café draws younger diners and first-timers just as effectively. The food communicates without context. That crossover appeal is part of why the place has built the following it has.
For broader Cork context, see our full Cork restaurants guide, and if you are planning a longer stay, our Cork hotels guide, bars guide, and experiences guide have current picks. Elsewhere in Ireland, dede in Baltimore is the closest comparison point for serious Middle Eastern-influenced cooking in Munster, though the style and setting differ significantly. For high-end occasion dining in Cork or beyond, Terre in Castlemartyr and Liath in Blackrock are the reference points, and Patrick Guilbaud in Dublin anchors the leading end nationally.
Booking difficulty is currently rated easy. Walk-ins are likely manageable, but given the momentum building around the Jibrin publication, it is sensible to call ahead or check availability before making a special trip. No online booking link is listed in the available data, so contacting the café directly is the advised approach. George's Quay is accessible from Cork city centre without difficulty.
Quick reference: Palestinian café, George's Quay Cork, booking easy, food-first visit, no dedicated wine programme.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Izz Café | If you were to take a vox pop of young food lovers, say those of the tweeny age who are just developing a taste for enjoying restaurants, those tweens would give Izz Café a five-star rating every time. So what do the youngsters — and, truth be told, those who are no longer tweens — love about Izz Alkarajeh and Eman Aburabi’s Palestinian cooking? The incredible breads, of course, which are quite unlike anything else baked in Ireland. And the unique house hummus, flavoured in multifarious ways. And maybe the magloubeh, the mighty rice and meat treat, and maybe some medjool dates dipped in white chocolate, or the syrupy warbat with rose petals. Everything is a winner, every time. Alkarajeh and Aburabi’s first book, Jibrin, will be published in the summer, and good luck getting a seat in Izz after that. | Easy | — | |
| Goldie | Seafood | Unknown | — | |
| Ichigo Ichie Bistro & Natural Wine | Japanese | Unknown | — | |
| da Mirco | Italian | Unknown | — | |
| The Glass Curtain | Modern Cuisine | Unknown | — | |
| 51 Cornmarket | Unknown | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
Start with the bread and the house hummus — the hummus comes in multiple flavour variations and is unlike anything else produced in Ireland. From there, the magloubeh (a rice and meat dish) is the main event. Finish with medjool dates dipped in white chocolate or the warbat with rose petals. Everything on the menu at Izz Café has a strong track record, so ordering broadly is a reasonable strategy.
The menu is built around Palestinian home cooking, which naturally features plant-forward dishes like hummus and flatbreads alongside meat-centred plates like magloubeh. Specific allergen and dietary accommodation details are not documented in available data, so contact the café directly at 13-14 George's Quay, Ballintemple, Cork before visiting if you have strict requirements.
Izz Café is a compact neighbourhood café in Ballintemple, not a fine-dining room. Come as you are — casual clothes are entirely appropriate. There is no dress code pressure here.
It works well for a low-key celebration where the food is the centrepiece rather than the setting. The Palestinian cooking at Izz — particularly the breads, hummus variations, and magloubeh — gives a meal genuine distinction. For a formal occasion requiring private dining or an extensive wine list, look elsewhere in Cork; Izz is the right call when you want a meal that is genuinely memorable for what is on the plate.
For a special-occasion splurge, Ichigo Ichie Bistro & Natural Wine is the obvious move — it operates at a different price point and formality level entirely. Goldie is the comparison for casual but ingredient-led cooking, focused on Irish seafood rather than Middle Eastern tradition. If you want something in between, The Glass Curtain offers a more polished room while staying accessible. None of them replicate what Izz does with Palestinian home cooking, which currently has no direct Cork rival.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
