Home to a series of restaurants on and off for decades - and handier to the city centre than it first appears - this attractive venue is near Elizabeth Fort (17th-century star fort) and alnost literally under the spires of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, so it's a great place for visitors to know about in this historic corner of Cork City.
It's a new venture for well known hospitality team Marianne Delaney and Denis O'Mullane (of Café Gusto and The Liberty Grill), and Pat Browne (formerly of Ballymaloe Cookery School) who refurbished the premises with style and opened in stages, beginning with the Garden Terrace in summer 2023 and following with chic indoor dining in the autumn - initially daytime only, but with evening menus to follow soon.
As would be anticipated from this experienced and dedicated team, you can expect fresh, seasonal, and healthy food made from scratch at this friendly place, with a focus on their shared passion for a sustainable future. Although (unlike Café Gusto) there is no specific sourcing policy or supplier list, the philosphy is clear and the quality is evident on the plate.
Menus are short yet wide-ranging, offering dishes inspired by cuisines from Europe to Asia, including spicy breakfast favourites such as Saffron Poached Pear Porridge and Harissa eggs.
There's a strong leaning towards plant-based dishes and most are offered with vegetarian or vegan options - soup of the day will be vegetarian, for example, and the accompanying sandwich combo can be either (eg harissa chicken or roasted vegetable). That Poached Pear Porridge does very nicely for a vegan breakfast, while a tasty dish of Sweet Potato & Black Bean Fritters is both vegan and gluten-free.
An outstanding quiche will be vegetarian, as are brunch dishes such as Field mushrooms & feta toast or the Coconut French toast. But, with a dish like Featherblade On Sourdough on offer (O'Mahony's beef, horseradish cream, watercress & roasties), non-vegetarians will also be happy out. With its seriously delicious steak, terrifc roasties and an inviting salad (the watercress is just one element but it is an inspired one) plus the all-important horseradish cream, it's sure to get the thumbs-up from the most dedicated carnivore.
Great coffee is another draw (perhaps to enjoy with a freshly-baked pastry or a slice of cake) and there's a short wine list offering one rosé, one white, one red and one Prosecco - all available by the glass, carafe and bottle except the Prosecco, which is by the bottle only.
All menus are offered in-house or click & collect too, so there's something for everyone on Proby’s Quay.
