The Best Restaurants in Belfast

British food gets an unfair rap for being a bit heavy, or worse, boring. However, the blossoming restaurant scene in Belfast is set to change all of that. Northern Ireland’s capital has undergone a culinary rebirth and is now full of bold new eateries.

01 of 08

Best for Breakfast: Established Coffee

modern coffee counter — Courtesy of Established Coffee

Address

54 Hill Street, Belfast BT1 2LB, UK

Get directions

Phone +44 28 9031 9416

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Known for its minimalist industrial design and its incredible coffee, Establish Coffee is the best place for a morning meal in Queen’s Quarter. The modern coffee shop serves specialty brews roasted in Ireland and beyond, but you can also grab a seat at the long communal table to dig into the locally-inspired menu. From porridge to perfectly poached eggs, and a surprisingly tasty take on huevos rancheros, the hip coffee stop has incredible breakfast options available at a great value. There are also fresh baked goods like apple pie for a sweet start or a treat at any time of day.

02 of 08

Best for Seafood: Mourne Seafood Bar

fish dish on a white plate atop a black table — Courtesy of Mourne Seafood Bar

Address

34-36 Bank Street, Belfast BT1 1HL, UK

Get directions

Phone +44 28 9024 8544

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Belfast is surrounded by water so it's only right to make room in your dining schedule to sample the best seafood in the city. Mourne Seafood Bar, right next to City Hall, is dedicated to letting the flavors of local fish and shellfish shine through on the menu. To ensure the very best quality, the restaurant even keeps its own shellfish beds in Carlingford Lough. The oysters here are outstanding (and a steal at 10 pounds for half a dozen), but the seafood chowder is famous beyond the city limits. For mains, the hake and salmon are both local specialties and the scallop linguine is an absolute dream.

03 of 08

Best for Fish and Chips: John Long’s

Belfast pasties with chips — Courtesy of John Long's Fish & Chips

Address

39 Athol Street, Belfast BT12 4GX, UK

Get directions

Phone +44 28 9032 1848

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You can’t leave Belfast without trying fish and chips, and John Long’s remains the city’s most beloved chipper. The fast-food style joint first opened in 1914 and has stayed in business for more than a century thanks to its perfectly fried fish and salty, satisfying chips. Or for a hometown treat, try a pastie (sausage meat and potato fried into a patty). Expect the booths to be full at mealtimes, so show up early to snag a seat.

04 of 08

Best for Meat: Flame

gourmet burger with cup of fries — Courtesy of Flame

Address

46 Howard Street, Belfast BT1 6PG, UK

Get directions

Phone +44 28 9033 2121

Web Visit website

As the name suggests, this busy Belfast restaurant lets fire be the star of the kitchen. The eatery features a 10-foot-long Argentinian asador grill as well as tandoor ovens for chargrilling beef, chicken, and fish with a variety of spices in the open dining room. The steaks are legendary, but there is also always at least one vegan-friendly dish on the menu like beetroot risotto. Flame also serves traditional breakfast Monday through Saturday until 11 a.m.

Continue to 5 of 8 below.

05 of 08

Best for Pizza: Pizza Punks

pizza on a table with a cocktail — Courtesy of Pizza Punks

Address

20-22 Waring Street, Belfast BT1 2ES, UK

Get directions

Phone +44 28 9031 4110

Web Visit website

For the best gourmet, wood-fired pizza in Belfast head straight to Pizza Punks. The anti-establishment pizza place believes that pizzas should come with unlimited toppings for one low price. Build your own pie with a custom combination of over 50 ingredients, or try a pie from the staff picks menu like the delicious Super Thai Guy, topped with burnt chili sauce, mozzarella, sticky pork belly, and zesty lime ricotta. The cocktails are also excellent but you can’t go wrong with a cold craft beer on the side.

06 of 08

Best for Lunch: Made in Belfast

steak and chips with a wine glass that says Hey Darling — Courtesy of Made in Belfast

Address

25 Talbot Street, Belfast BT1 2LD, UK

Get directions

Phone +44 28 9031 9426

Designed to look a little bit like your grandmother’s favorite diner, Made in Belfast is the ideal spot for lunch the Cathedral Quarter. The restaurant focuses on locally sourced ingredients and transforms the produce and meat into modern takes on classic dishes. Start with the sustainable seafood chowder served with homemade Guinness bread, but save room for the pan-seared Thornhill duck breast with gingerbread stuffing and local greens. The seasonal menu changes so it is always worth another visit if you have been out of town for a while. There is a second location next to City Hall, as well.

07 of 08

Best for a Chicken Dinner: Yardbird

restaurant interior with exposed brick — Courtesy of Yardbird

Address

3 Hill Street, Belfast BT1 2LA, UK

Get directions

Phone +44 28 9024 3712

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Located above the Dirty Onion pub, Yardbird is renowned for its free-range rotisserie chicken. The pared-down menu features dry-rubbed chicken, wings and ribs, but what you really need to order is the roast chicken. It's marinated for 24 hours in buttermilk, lemon, and paprika so it comes out unbelievably juicy every time. Order a full bird, half, or quarter but be sure to get the sweet potato fries and avocado salad on the side.

08 of 08

Best for Fine Dining: OX

Interior of fine dining restaurant with bright natural light — Courtesy of OX

Address

1 Oxford Street, Belfast BT1 3LA, UK

Get directions

Phone +44 28 9031 4121

Web Visit website

Few gourmet restaurants have excited Belfast as much as OX on Oxford Street. The fine-dining eatery has earned a coveted Michelin star for its refined but unfussy approach to food. The waterfront restaurant serves a seasonal menu that changes based on the best available produce. This is where to splurge for a multi-course tasting menu to sample as many of the chef’s creations as possible. Expect creative pairings like cured sea trout, with mussels and pickled chervil root, or Jerusalem artichoke, with lemon, chicken skin, and soy. End the meal with a selection of three kinds of Irish cheese, though the desserts are also in a league of their own.