In Gloucester, Massachusetts, a small café specializing in traditional Lebanese flatbread markouk has become a local favorite among both the Lebanese community and the broader North Shore area. Markouk, a thin, flexible flatbread baked on a dome-shaped griddle called a saj, serves as the foundation for a variety of authentic Lebanese dishes featured at the café.
The business was founded in 2012 by Jabba, a 62-year-old immigrant from Deir El Ahmar in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. Having learned the craft of making markouk from her mother, Jabba brought her expertise to the United States after settling in Gloucester with her husband, Richard, whose family also hails from the same Lebanese village. Initially making the bread for her family, the couple started selling it at the Cape Ann Farmers’ Market after discovering a vendor cooking on a similar griddle during a camping trip in New Hampshire.
Markouk is made from a simple dough of flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt, and a touch of oil, which is stretched until nearly translucent and cooked quickly on a hot saj. The flatbread’s history dates back centuries in the Middle East and North Africa, valued for its portability and versatility. Maureen Abood, author of “Lebanese Baking,” notes that markouk’s thin, flexible structure made it popular among nomads as both a meal and a functional utensil.
The café, now located on Gloucester’s Main Street, offers a menu centered on markouk, including wraps filled with spiced lamb kofte or falafel, and other traditional offerings such as crispy kibbeh, hummus, muhammara, grape leaves, and buttery baklava. The tabbouleh features a distinctive bright flavor, enhanced with sumac and garlic powder. The menu also includes home-style Lebanese dishes like hashweh, a cinnamon- and cardamom-infused lamb and rice stuffing, and mujadara, a hearty lentil and rice dish with caramelized onions, which Jabba prepares upon request for customers seeking flavors from their family heritage.
Despite the café’s growing popularity, Jabba runs the operation nearly single-handedly, with occasional assistance from her son’s friends, who often help with prep. The physical toll of stretching and slapping dough on the saj has caused strain on her arm and shoulder, limiting the volume of daily production. While customers often request to purchase plain markouk bread, Jabba prefers to sell it only when topped or filled to ensure quality and freshness.
The business is known for its intimate setting, with only a handful of seats and a steady takeout clientele. Jabba prioritizes maintaining manageable hours to reserve weekends for family, except during the busy summer season. She remains committed to preserving the traditional methods and flavors of Lebanese cooking, describing freshly made markouk with a smile as “home.”
Markouk Bread Café can be found at 338 Main St. in Gloucester, offering a menu with wraps and flatbreads ranging from $10 to $18, dinners priced $18 to $22, and various sides and desserts between $6 and $13.