Must-see restaurants in Belfast

  • Pasta with shrimps

    Mourne Seafood Bar

    Belfast

    Hugely popular, this informal, pub-like place is all red brick and dark wood with old oil lamps dangling from the ceiling. On the menu are oysters,…

  • Eipic

    Belfast

    The finest, seasonal local ingredients are given a creative twist at the flagship restaurant in Michael Deane's portfolio, the Michelin-starred Eipic…

  • Muddlers Club

    Belfast

    Industrial-style decor, friendly service and rustic dishes that allow fresh local ingredients to shine are a winning combination at one of Belfast's best…

  • Holohan's at the Barge

    Belfast

    Aboard the Belfast Barge, Holohan's is a sensational find for inspired twists on seafood and superb cooking of traditional Irish recipes such as…

  • Saphyre

    Belfast

    Spectacularly set inside the 1924 Ulsterville Presbyterian Church (behind an interior-design showroom), Saphyre serves some of the most sophisticated…

  • Noble

    Belfast

    You'll need to book ahead to secure a table at this tiny restaurant that serves exceptional food. The menu of modern Irish dishes is nothing revolutionary…

  • Bia Rebel

    Belfast

    It's worth searching out this understated noodle bar that fuses Japanese ramen with locally sourced Irish ingredients. It takes 36 hours to create a bowl…

  • Yügo

    Belfast

    The contemporary styling at this compact restaurant – exposed brick walls, sleek industrial furniture and bamboo lanterns – sets the scene for fusion…

  • French Village Patisserie & Brasserie

    Belfast

    There's an air of sophistication at this excellent brasserie, serving plates like salmon nicoise and pea and shallot ravioli; the home-baked breads are…

  • Il Pirata

    Belfast

    This rustic Italian restaurant is a firm favourite among Belfast's foodies for its flavoursome dishes like duck ragu with gnocchi and Portavogie prawn…

  • OX

    Belfast

    A high-ceilinged space with cream-painted brick and warm golden wood creates a theatre-like ambience for the open, Michelin-starred kitchen at the back,…

  • Tribal Burger

    Belfast

    There's a youthful vibe to this burger joint, with industrial-style decor and spray-painted walls. As well as 6 oz burgers, made fresh daily using local…

  • John Long's

    Belfast

    A wonderfully down-to-earth Belfast institution, this 1914-opened chippie is hidden in an inconspicuous red-brick building adjoining a car park, and is…

  • Deanes at Queen's

    Belfast

    A chilled-out bar and grill from Belfast's top chef, Michael Deane, in what was once Queen's University's staff club. The menu focuses on what can be…

  • James St

    Belfast

    St James' informal but elegant dining room is the perfect stage for a sophisticated but low-key menu of local meat and seafood dishes. The highlights are…

  • Jumon

    Belfast

    Everything on the menu at Jumon is vegan or vegetarian (vegetarian dishes can be adapted for vegans). The flavour-packed dishes like jackfruit curry and…

  • Home

    Belfast

    After beginning life as a pop-up restaurant that took the city's food scene by storm, Home moved into permanent premises where it continues to win fans…

  • Curated Kitchen

    Belfast

    As well as serving excellent coffee and brunches, this cafe takes a different cookbook as inspiration for its changing weekly lunch menu; check the…

  • Acapulco

    Belfast

    Popular with politicians and parliamentary staffers from nearby Stormont (when it's not dormant, that is), this sparingly but colourfully decorated place…

  • Pablos

    Belfast

    In the heart of Belfast's city-centre nightlife is this wickedly good burger bar serving quality, salt-aged Glenarm Shorthorn beef patties, five types of…

  • Cuffs Bar & Grill

    Belfast

    The arched and pillared basement of the Crumlin Road Gaol has been transformed into a sophisticated dining room, with romantic lighting and decorative…

  • Maggie May's

    Belfast

    This is a classic little cafe with cosy wooden booths, murals of old Belfast and a host of hungover students wolfing down huge Ulster fry-ups. The all-day…

  • Scullery & Linen Lounge

    Belfast

    During term time, catering students put their skills into practice at the Scullery & Linen Lounge restaurant. Its location on the ground floor of Belfast…

  • Molly's Yard

    Belfast

    A restored Victorian stables courtyard is the setting for this charming restaurant, with a cosy bar-bistro on the ground floor, outdoor tables in the yard…

  • Tribal Burger

    Belfast

    Quality 6oz burgers, made fresh daily using local beef, are the star of the show at this informal place. Chose from a range or toppings and wash it down…

  • Great Room

    Belfast

    Set in the former banking hall of the Ulster Bank head office within the Merchant Hotel, the Great Room is a jaw-dropping extravaganza of gilded stucco,…

  • Wolff Grill

    Belfast

    The Titanic Hotel's fine-dining restaurant exudes a sense of history. Expect sophisticated plates featuring unusual combinations, such as duck with pear,…

  • Bobbin Coffee Shop

    Belfast

    The elegant cafe inside Belfast's City Hall is run by the social enterprise and catering company Loaf, which provides training and work experience for…

  • Café Conor

    Belfast

    Set in the glass-roofed former studio of Belfast artist William Conor, this light-filled, laid-back bistro offers a range of pastas, salads and burgers,…

  • French Village Cafe & Bistro

    Belfast

    Popular for its breakfasts (buttermilk pancakes, brioche French toast, and posh Ulster fries, served until 2pm), this busy cafe also does good burgers,…

  • Barking Dog

    Belfast

    Chunky hardwood, bare brick, candlelight and modern design create the atmosphere of a stylishly restored farmhouse. The menu completes the feeling of…

  • Sawers Deli

    Belfast

    This excellent deli sells gut-busting sandwiches, bagels and wraps made with produce from the store's charcuterie and cheese counter, available to eat in…

  • Coppi

    Belfast

    In a buzzy dining room with high ceilings and leather booths, Coppi serves modern Italian dishes like Tuscan goat pappardelle and roast wild hake. The…

  • Maggie May's

    Belfast

    A newer branch of the classic cafe on Botanic Ave, this place has the same menu (Ulster fry-ups, all-day breakfast menu, soups, sandwiches, burgers) but a…

  • Henry's

    Belfast

    Buried in the ancient, narrow passageway of Joy's Entry, Henry's is an unexpectedly contemporary, bare-brick, loft-style space that's great for a cocktail…

  • Deanes Deli Bistro

    Belfast

    Enjoy top-notch nosh at this relaxed and informal bistro, with gourmet burgers and posh fish and chips on the menu. The attached Deanes Vin Cafe is a cafe…

  • Shu

    Belfast

    Lording it over fashionable Lisburn Rd since 2000, Shu is the granddaddy of Belfast chic, and is still winning plaudits for its French-influenced food:…

  • Ginger Bistro

    Belfast

    Ginger's flame-haired owner/chef (hence the restaurant's name) really knows what he's doing, sourcing top-quality Irish produce and creating exquisite…

  • Bia

    Belfast

    Inside the Irish-language and arts centre Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, Bia (meaning 'food') serves home-cooked stews, soups, roasts, steaks, burgers and…

  • Morning Star

    Belfast

    Historic pub Morning Star is famed for screening horse racing, its lunchtime buffet (11.30am to 5pm) and for its in-house butcher producing home-made…

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