A Guide to Eating and Drinking in Belfast

  Irish Soda Bread

Although Belfast is not especially renowned for its cuisine, the city now boasts an impressive selection of restaurants offering a range of menus from Michelin-star standard to affordable international or Celtic fare.

Meat and potatoes dominate traditional dishes, with the hearty ‘Ulster fry’ (even heavier than the English fry-up) representative of Belfast’s budget cuisine. Other homely Irish food (such as potato farls) can be found in the cafés and bakeries in the central cathedral quarter of St. Anne’s.

Many of the city’s best bars and restaurants are located to the south of the city along the area known as the ‘Golden Mile’, which stretches from Belfast City Hall to the university. The most affordable places here tend to be ethnic eateries offering everything from pizzas to Thai dishes.

Thanks to recent regeneration schemes in the city, there are two large shopping malls – central Victoria Square and the newer Odyssey riverside complex – which contain a variety of chain restaurants and bars offering good quality meals for a reasonable price.

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