The best restaurants in Belfast
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Belfast may not be considered a world-renowned culinary capital, but it certainly can't be overlooked: the fine dining scene is very much thriving, with Michelin-starred OX and EIPIC the undisputed marquee names. Slightly lower on the price meter are up-and-comers EDŌ and The Muddlers Club, which is so good, a Michelin star may very well be in its future.
Then there's the delicious and affordable seafood: thanks to the depth and cold temperatures of the Northern Irish seas, the city enjoys an abundance supply of fresh fish; some might even argue that it has world's best fish and chips.
City Centre
EIPIC
Michael Deane has three restaurants in his flagship city centre building: Michelin-starred EIPIC, Meat Locker for grills and Love Fish for seafood. In EIPIC, the calm grey interior sets the stage for food – a symphony of subtle elegance and delicate counterpoints, from the bread with Abernethy butter to the pudding selection, which may be a curlicue of chocolate mousse on an egg of pistachio ice cream. Exquisite. Wines range from £23 to £3,000 for a nice 1983 Pomerol. There are no tasting notes, so ask sommelier Didier Nyeceront for recommendations, whose descriptions are an art form in themselves.
Contact: 028 9033 1134; deaneseipic.com
Opening times: Mon-Sat, 12pm-3pm, 5.30pm-10pm
Nearest bus stop: Queen Street
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: £££
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EDŌ
Head chef Jonny Elliott opened EDŌ after working with Gordon Ramsay and a stint cooking on a Russian billionaire’s yacht in the Mediterranean. The region’s influence shines through in the food, cooked in a Bertha oven using peat, apple and pear wood to give it a gloriously distinctive flavour. The tapas are great, but the slow-roasted ham hock and salt-aged beef cheek are divine. Finish with the churros – if you have any space left.
Contact: 028 9031 3054; edorestaurant.co.uk
Nearest bus stop: Wellington Place
Opening times: Tue-Sat, 12pm-3pm, 5pm-9.15pm
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: ££
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OX
OX, opened by head chef Stephen Toman and Brittany-born maître d’ Alain Kerloc’h, secured a Michelin star three years after its opening. The interior is Gustavian in its simplicity and the food is understated, yet elegant. Dinner might start with scallops and beetroot and segue gracefully into a John Dory with broccoli and black olive, a succulent Chateaubriand and a chocolate, blackberry and malt ice-cream pudding, which tastes as good as it looks.
Contact:028 9031 4121; oxbelfast.com
Opening times: Tue-Fri, 12pm-2.30pm, 6pm-9.30pm; Sat, 1pm-2.30pm, 6pm-9.30pm
Nearest bus stop: Queen Street
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: £££
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Long’s Fish & Chips Restaurant
Long’s is on a semi-derelict street, with its windows protected by steel security mesh – proving that you can’t judge a book by its cover. Inside, the tables are covered with Formica. Yet ever since John Long converted part of his grocery shop into a chippie in 1914, it’s been serving the best fish and chips in not only Belfast, but possibly the known universe. Eamonn Holmes once said that if he had only a couple of days to live, he'd choose Long's for his last meal.
Contact: 028 9032 1848; johnlongs.com
Opening times: Mon-Fri, 11.45am-6:30pm; Sat, 11.45-5.45pm
Nearest bus stop: Queen Street
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Payment type: Cash only
Prices: £
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The Muddlers Club
A Michelin star could be in the offing for this trendy restaurant, opened by former OX chef Gareth McCaughey. Highlights include trout with miso, a salt-aged steak so perfect it can move you to tears, and a lemon, coconut and pistachio meringue that feels a dancing angel on your taste buds. Those who’d rather hug cows than eat them will rave about the vegetarian options. The young waiters here are well-versed in food, wine and charm.
Contact: 028 9031 3199; themuddlersclubbelfast.com
Opening times: Tue-Sat, 12pm-2.45pm, 5.30pm-10pm
Nearest bus stop: Lower Donegal Street
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: ££
Best table: The circular one in the far corner by the window, to watch both the action inside and the world go by outside
Muriel’s Café Bar
If there is ever a triumph of atmosphere over cutting-edge cuisine, it’s Muriel’s. The décor is what you’d expect from a former Victorian dressmaker and bordello, with a bar ceiling downstairs decorated with lingerie and assorted mismatching armchairs and sofas upstairs. It’s invariably packed for either dinner or brunches, the perfect way to make Sundays disappear into a happy haze. The food is hearty and consistently good, and the cupcakes are the best in Belfast. Staff are endlessly friendly.
Contact: 028 9033 2445; facebook.com/muriels.cafebar
Opening times: See facebook page
Nearest bus stop: Queen Street
Reservations: Essential
Prices: £
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Mourne Seafood Bar
Chef-patron Andy Rae’s winning formula is simple: fresh fish dishes in rustic surroundings at reasonable prices. You’ll die a happy person after the ceviche and the crab and chorizo risotto, and there are daily specials such as hake, monkfish, sea bream and more, plus steak for non-pescaphiles. The bad news: you’ll be lucky to get a dinner booking at short notice, though the extra space created by an oyster bar upstairs has made grabbing a table slightly easier. If you want to take your chances earlier in the day, lunch is first come, first served.
Contact:028 9024 8544; mourneseafood.com/belfast
Opening times: Mon-Thu, 12pm-4pm, 5pm-9.30pm; Fri, Sat, 12pm-3.30pm, 5pm-10pm; Sun, 1pm-4pm, 5pm-9pm
Nearest bus stop: Queen Street
Reservations: Essential for dinner; walk-ins only for lunch
Prices: ££
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South Belfast
Shu
Shu has twice been named Northern Ireland’s best restaurant in the National Restaurant Awards, and head chef Brian McCann, maître d’ Julian Henry and their team of well-informed waiting staff make eating here a joy. Memorable dishes from recent visits include a smoked eel with salt-baked beetroot for starters, and Jacob lamb with wild garlic gnocchi and shiitake marmalade for a main course. A major makeover transformed the restaurant’s look from light and airy to dark wood and leather, but the food has been left untouched. Hurrah. The 3-8-3 lunch, named after the prices, is great value.
Contact: 028 9038 1655; shu-restaurant.com
Opening times: Mon-Sat, 12pm-2.30pm, 5.30pm-9.30pm
Nearest bus stop: Malone Avenue
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: ££
Best table: By the window, to watch the bustling Lisburn Road outside
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The Barking Dog
The Barking Dog is characterised by its bare brick walls, scrubbed wooden tables, witty waiting staff and Michael O’Connor’s inspired cooking. The ham hock terrine with celeriac remoulade and the seared queen scallops with black pudding are excellent, but don’t overlook the beef dishes, either: highlights include the steak tartare with raw egg yolk, Worcester sauce and chives, plus the signature beef shin burger, a thing of beauty that takes three days to prepare. Kick off the evening with an Amaretto sour, and leave with your tail wagging.
Contact:028 9066 1885; barkingdogbelfast.com
Opening times: Mon-Thu, 12pm-3pm, 5.30pm-10pm; Fri, Sat, 12pm-3pm, 5.30pm-11pm; Sun, 12pm-9pm
Nearest bus stop: Eglantine Avenue
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: ££
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Molly’s Yard
This restaurant, set in a beautifully restored Victorian stables and courtyard in the leafy University Quarter, is a must for both beer and food lovers – it's home to Belfast’s only microbrewery. A dozen delicious brews are served (such as Belfast Blonde and Headless Dog) either in the bistro downstairs or upstairs in the cosy Victorian-styled restaurant. Tuck into generous portions of seared scallops, Finnebrogue venison, smoked salmon on potato cakes and spring lamb, followed by bread and butter pudding and apple crumble. It’s like returning to childhood, but with a wine list.
Contact: 028 9032 2600; mollysyard.co.uk
Opening times: Mon-Sat, 12pm-9:30pm
Nearest bus stop: Upper Crescent
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: ££
