'A bittersweet moment' as Cork restaurant Iyer's announces its closure
Pic: Denis Minihane
After over a decade of serving up handmade Indian vegan and vegetarian fare, Cork restaurant Iyer's announced its closure on social media on Thursday.
In a statement, Iyer's announced that "it was a bittersweet moment to bid farewell to an incredible journey that has spanned over a decade".
— Iyers cafe (@iyerscafe) July 6, 2023
They thanked the people of the city, former staff, and their children for the stake they took in the cafe's running, and praised them each for their role in the outlet's success. They also encouraged their regulars to continue to support local businesses, and announced future plans, including availabilities for private catering.
The South Indian-style eatery first opened in 2012 and was run by Gautham Iyer, formerly an aeronautical engineer, and his wife Caroline. They had previously announced that they were taking a hiatus in September last year to take stock of the post-covid situation, before a return to business before Christmas.
Specialising in food true to Gautham's own roots, entirely vegetarian and steeped in Ayurvedic tradition, the Pope's Quay establishment kept all ingredients as local and fresh as possible — with a new menu each day, keeping no ingredient in store for longer than 24 hours.
In a restaurant review in 2021, the Irish Examiner's Joe McNamee praised Iyer's for their vegetarian focus. "Eat vegetarian food as delicious and life-sustaining as Gautham Iyer’s and even the greatest carnivore will be truly sated," he wrote.
The closure comes amid a slew of similar ends for pre-pandemic vegan staples in Cork, including comfort-food specialists 143V, and vegan fast-food restaurateurs VeganKO.
