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Northern Ireland’s troubled history has long cast a shadow on just how beautiful the region is, and how absolutely amazing the food scene is there. Farm to table is a way of life, with Northern Ireland’s abundant lands providing such a bounty of fresh ingredients to work with (and the butter there, oh my!).
Record numbers of visitors are now coming to Northern Ireland, in part due to movie and TV tourism – both “Game of Thrones” and “The Last Jedi” were filmed there, and the highly anticipated Game of Thrones prequel just wrapped filming there earlier this year.
And those who love to eat – and drink – are in for a real treat as the food scene is exploding with heart and talent. Here are 10 places that are well worth the trip across the Atlantic.
Brunel’s | Newcastle
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Eating dinner at Brunel’s in Newcastle was almost a religious experience. First came duck bon-bons, confit duck slow-cooked with five-spice and fried in panko with black cherry, charred spring onions and olive powder – so incredibly tasty and texturally wonderful.
This was followed by a juicy ribeye topped with Café de Paris butter, served with creamy mash and crisp tobacco onions. It would have been a sin to refuse dessert, and when I tried, the restaurant’s co-director, Fiona Davey told me flatly, “You’re not finished yet,” and brought out panna cotta with baked white chocolate and wood sorrel.
Chef Paul Cunningham takes the very best local ingredients to create impactful dishes, and I only hope that I get to eat his food again some day.
Bakehouse | Bellaghy
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Getting to actually make food with a local is always fun. And when you do one of Bronagh Duffin’s soda bread-making workshops, followed by a gourmet lunch in her home, you feel very lucky indeed.
Her cooking school, Bakehouse, is in her backyard, and is a warm and cozy space complete with open fire. You’ll learn her grandmother’s bread recipe (which includes the instruction to score a cross in the dough “to let the fairies out”) and be treated to a lunch made with local produce and delicious cheeses, accompanied by Duffin’s sparkling personality.
It’s a very cool experience indeed.
Long Meadow Farm | Portadown
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It is a glorious drive past the stonewall-divided farmlands of County Armagh to get to Long Meadow Cider in Portadown. Once there, one of the members of this family-owned cidery will happily take you on a tour of their orchards.
Tours culminate in a tasting of their ciders, both alcoholic and alcohol-free, under the apple trees, accompanied by a thick slab of apple tart made with the same sharp Bramley apples that go into their ciders.
Ardtara Country House | Upperlands
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Staying at grand Ardtara Country House is delightfully old-fashioned and eating in their restaurant is anything but, with plenty of modern flavors making it onto their game-heavy menu. I tried the wood pigeon with foie gras mousse, filberts and cherries to start, then moved on to partridge breast, accompanied by a bowl of beef suet fries.
The custard tart dessert ended my meal perfectly, so creamy and rich, with a dollop of the thickest and most delicious clotted cream I have ever encountered.
Harry’s Shack | Portstewart
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Right on the beach in pretty Portstewart, Harry’s Shack gets everything right, serving fish and chips alongside a range of other amazing fish and seafood dishes, along with delicious starters and a great menu of craft beers.
My fish and chips were especially perfect – crisp buttermilk batter caresses the impeccably cooked haddock fillet, the chips are cut fat and fried in beef suet, and the mushy peas are a sweet delight.
Bushmills Inn | Bushmills
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Walking into the Bushmills Inn, I worried that it was just going to be the usual upscale pub grub that you might expect to find in a tourist-trap town that’s home to the massive Bushmills Distillery. I was so wrong.
Every course was wonderful, from the fresh and bright local oysters, to the amazing brown bread that we spread with so much creamy butter, to lamb three ways (nut-crusted rump, crispy belly, slow-roasted shoulder with black olives). Finishing the meal off with a Guinness and milk chocolate tart did tip me over the edge, but it was so worthwhile.
Ursa Minor Bakehouse | Ballycastle
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Starting out selling their incredible sourdough at the local farmers’ market, Ursa Minor Bakehouse in Ballycastle grew into its current gorgeous space (light, airy, full of mismatched vintage furniture and china) complete with cafe, thanks in part to a crowd-funding campaign.
Locals love their breads, open-faced sandwiches and decadent pastries, and after sampling a thick slab of their tangy sourdough spread with feta, coconut bacon, cherry tomatoes and greens, I could see why the place was so busy. And their croissant-muffin hybrids stuffed with custard are heavenly.
The Muddlers Club | Belfast
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Tucked into a Belfast back alley is this super cool restaurant where chef and owner Gareth McCaughey decides what to feed you. This tasting menu is so good, that even though the idea of six courses seems a bit much going in, you never actually want the experience of eating there to end.
We ate silky and light chicken liver pate on a sliver of homemade cracker; sweet crab with pea and apple on phyllo pastry; lamb with Caesar sauce and lovage; wild halibut curry; a delicate beef dish with foie gras, chanterelles, chestnut and miso; a plum coconut and white chocolate pre-dessert; and then McCaughey’s take on tiramisu.
“We’re all about the big flavors,” chef told us, but that was just part of it – his attention-filled dishes were immaculately presented, texturally divine and every bite incredible.
The Muddlers Club was just awarded a Michelin star this past October (after I ate there).
St George’s Market | Belfast
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Running for more than a century, St George’s Market in Belfast is a treasure trove of local items. Head there for baked goods, local cheeses, seafood, fresh produce and all manner of delicious food that you can eat right there at the stands selling everything from traditional Irish foods to world flavors.
There’s often live music, and local artisans selling fun (non-edible) souvenirs too, so it is well worth a wander.
Mourne Trails and Ales tour | Mourne Mountains
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Just like pretty much everywhere else in the world, craft beer is definitely present in Northern Ireland, and Life Adventure Centre’s Mourne Trails and Ales tour is a super fun way to learn all about it without having to actually visit all the local breweries (I kinda feel like if you’ve seen one brewery, you’ve seen them all).
Instead, you whiz through the Mourne countryside on an e-bike stopping to sample different beers in beautiful places, sat before a stately castle or in the ruins of the Moorish Tower in beautiful Castlewellan Forest Park. They even provide snacks (as well as all the gear you need to enjoy your low-effort biking adventure).
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