5 reasons Belfast tastes amazing

1. The restaurants

Over the last decade or so, Belfast’s food scene has been going from strength to strength, fuelled by a wave of buzzy restaurant openings, ambitious chefs and a growing focus on exceptional local produce. Drawing on the riches of the surrounding landscape, from Mourne Mountain lamb to Carlingford oysters, the city’s culinary identity is firmly rooted in place, and whether you’re after a relaxed lunch or an upscale dinner, there’s no shortage of great places to eat.

At the top end of the dining scene, both Ox and The Muddler’s Club have Michelin Stars, while there’s creative cooking at a more affordable price to be found at Bib Gourmand-awarded spots such as Edo, Beau, Deans at Queens and Home. For something more casual, the Dirty Onion and Yardbird in the hip Cathedral Quarter is a consistent go-to and boasts one of the biggest beer gardens in Belfast. Near Queen’s University, Molly’s Yard has a welcoming neighbourhood vibe and seasonal dishes.

If you like your food with a view, head to Stock Kitchen and Bar, with balcony seating overlooking St George’s Market and locally sourced produce, including Thornhill duck, Strangford Lough mussels and Young Buck Blue Cheese. Or try Roam, with a menu packed with local ingredients including Scraggy Bay IPA bread, Kilkeel crab, and Ardglass scallops – it doesn’t get better than that.

2. The produce

We firmly believe that one reason food in Belfast tastes SO great is the incredible natural produce available. And it’s not just us. According to National Geographic Travel, "Belfast’s easy access to top-notch food products keeps the local culinary scene buzzing.” As food writer Jay Rayner noted in The Guardian, Belfast’s menus “come embossed with lyric poems about the quality of ingredients available on the island of Ireland, and rightly so. The rain falls. The pasture is lush. They have the good stuff.”

On your visit to the city, keep an eye out for Glenarm Shorthorn beef, Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil, Baronscourt Sika deer venison, Ballylisk Cheese, as well as local whiskeys, gins and craft beers.

3. The food market

A good market reflects a city’s attitude to its food, and St George’s Market is one of the best around. Step inside on a Saturday and you’ll be bowled over by the array of incredible local produce. The sights, sounds, smells and tastes of this place put it up there with the best on the planet – it’s like an endless gastronomic adventure. Join the award-winning Belfast Food Tour, which kicks off from the market doors and sets off across the city to meet the innovative producers behind the market's delicious creations. Whether you have a bit of a sweet tooth or love savoury flavours, this tour has something for everyone.

If you’re visiting St George’s Market under your own steam, start off with a bap from the Belfast Bap Company, traditional fresh breads filled with bacon, sausage, egg and soda farls and check out the great local produce at Hillstown Farm Shop and Mullan’s Organic Farm stalls. It’s a place you could spend all day in.

4. The fish and chips

Okay, lots of places can claim to have the best fish and chips in the world, but Belfast really does. Incredible fresh local fish from the waters around Northern Ireland is turned into the stuff of magic at old-school chippies such as John Long’s, a favourite of visiting celebs and local characters alike. It’s been here for over a hundred years, so it’s got to be doing something right.

Other go-to spots such as Brown's Fish & Chips and Café Fish are also casual favourites, but if you’re after something a little more upscale, try Fish City, the Mourne Seafood Bar or the Wolff Grill at the Titanic Hotel.

5. The breakfast

This is not just breakfast – this is one of the most delicious, most tasty, most satisfying breakfasts you’re ever going to eat. The traditional cooked breakfast known as the Ulster Fry is a morning delight that will set you up for the whole day. We’re talking eggs, sausages, bacon and the essential components that give it a distinctive Northern Ireland character – soda farls and potato farls. Other ingredients such as black and white pudding, tomatoes, mushrooms and baked beans are added at the discretion of the cook.

Of course, the proof is in the eating, and you’re spoiled for choice on this one. For your breakfast of champions in Belfast, make your way to Maggie May’s, Harlem and Doorsteps on the Lisburn Road.