The 14 best restaurants in Belfast

Why go? For an imaginative seasonal menu in a sexy space.

Down a cobbled street in Belfast’s historic Cathedral Quarter, it would be easy to miss the cloistered, low-lit, and Michelin-starred Muddlers Club – named after a secret society that once gathered in that spot. 10 years in, chef and owner Gareth McCaughey’s philosophy remains centred on homegrown produce, seasonality, and thrilling flavours. The £95 tasting menu changes regularly but remains expansive – recent plates have featured seared scallop in a pool of punchy XO sauce, wild halibut in a burnt butter sauce, and delicate slices of lamb carpaccio and celeriac scattered with peanuts. A natural wine-focused menu makes the pairing option hard to resist.

Time Out tip: The chicly designed post-industrial space only seats around 55 people, so book in well in advance.

Price: Mid-range

Why go? To experience local produce in good company.

Founded in 2000 by local culinary scene stalwarts Simon and Abby McCance, the award-winning Ginger Bistro has a longstanding relationship with local suppliers that makes its menu sing with quality seafood and produce: think fresh and zesty seabass, elegant cuts of Featherblade steak served with buttery mash, and vibrant salads percolating with generous wedges of local Mike’s Fancy Cheese’s prolific Young Buck Blue. Desserts, like a luxurious chocolate pannacotta, aren’t to be skipped either.

Time Out tip: Situated in the city centre, you can have a convivial three-course dinner at Ginger Bistro and then head out into the night – see some trad music at Kelly’s Cellars, catch a performance at the Opera House, or grab a nightcap at one of Belfast’s oldest pubs the Crown Liquor Saloon, and you’ll have a pretty perfect night on your hands. 

Price: Mid-range

Why go? For a nimble, snack-forward a la carte menu.

A great date night or one-to-one catch up spot, you should go to Roam and order all of the snacks – all well under a tenner: a savoury, moreish choux bun sandwiching a slab of nutty Mount Leinster cheddar and Spalla, hench langoustines, raw beef sheathed in burnt onion. You’ll not want to share one of the imaginative mains either (expect, for most of them, to see a steaming, sumptuous jug of jus poured with panache on your plate), and vegetarians are well catered for. There’s a proud selection of whiskey and the cocktail list is adventurous too, with servers up for the craic and telling you what’s what.

Time Out tip: Try the ‘Biabhóg’ (Irish for rhubarb) cocktail, which uses the must-try Mad March Hare Irish poitin, which is distilled in copper pots using a historical recipe. 

Price: Mid-range

Why go? For ordering everything on the menu as a group.

You could have stepped off the streets of a Barcelona boulevard and into this vibrant, modern European brasserie, which offers tapas-style plates and hulking charcoal oven meats. A sleek industrial space, there’s a line of countertop seats to spectate all the kitchen action from and eat a quick meal of rustic classics with contemporary twists, charcuterie and balshie little potato croquettes. Edō’s definitely a great spot for groups too, with endless sharing combos to discuss. The seafood is the star here: pil pil spiced prawns, harissa octopus, spiced Strangford mussels, but the fermented chilli glazed chicken wings can’t be missed either. A locally beloved crispy aubergine and truffle honey is back on the menu, too.

Price: Mid-range

Why go? For a taste of Asia via Antrim, and inventive lunch specials.

Yugo started out with Belfast curry and bouncy bao buns when it opened in 2016, but has since evolved into an airy, golden lantern-lit space with an assured Asian fusion menu that utilises local ingredients. There’s a vibrant chef’s selection of sushi – with fish that’s come from the lough just downwind – and a delightful trio of dumplings. The desserts are fun and refreshing, making use of matcha, nikka whiskey, and tonka bean. Stop over while out shopping in the city centre for its ‘Asian Idea’ lunch specials, which change weekly, but expect things like zingy crab omelettes, spicy salmon tacos, and a Dexter beef rice bowl.

Time Out tip: Stop in for a matcha latte – Yugo’s is one of the best in the city.

Price: Budget

Why go? Warming bowls to slurp solo, winter or summer. 

This buzzy ramen spot sits proudly in the bustling Cathedral Quarter, making it a great pre-game spot or a warming haven to escape the city’s inevitable rain. The broths are housemade, with solid vegan options and inventive fusion bowls. The ‘Sailor Moon’ noodle bowl, featuring crispy smoked tofu in a vegan coconut tonkotsu broth, could enchant any meat eater. Nab a bowl and add on the spicy J-pop or sticky sweet K-pop karaage chicken thigh or oyster mushroom bite sides. Zingy, sake-based cocktails with popping candy rims can propel you into the busy streets – just around the corner there’s a slew of bars with live music, including The National, White’s, and rowdier The Dirty Onion. Ragin’ Ramen is all available for takeaway too, should a hangover keep you on lockdown.

Price: Budget

Why go? For Instagram grid-worthy plates and sweet treats to go.

Take a stroll through the lush, Victorian-era Botanic Gardens and up the Ormeau Road to the cosy and intimate Idyll for brunch, lunch, and dinner. The seasonal, prettily plated menu changes monthly: start the day with banoffee porridge or a hot honey chicken soda, or swing by for a dinner of playful small plates like potato bread chips with a truffle egg emulsion or a hearty bacon chop – and it’s BYOB! Find yourself at a loose end and grab a cinnamon roll latte and a fluffy, glazed sweet treat from the counter, nestling into a window seat to watch the legions of dog walkers.

Price: Budget

Why go? For authentic Filipino food made with heart. 

KUBO was once a super popular market stall, and now has set up home in the Great Northern Mall. Philippines-born, Toronto-raised chef Nallaine Calvo is KUBO’s founder, with Pampanga’s chef Alvin on the team to create a culinary space that thoughtfully reimagines classic kusina Filipina. It’s as much a sumptuous feast as it is a passionate education in Filipino culture for Belfast. Rick Stein, after visiting KUBO for his TV show Food Stories, fell in love with their sticky, sweet pork belly adobo. A dish like their Dinuguan tells you everything they’re about: a tangy, spicy, hearty stew of pork shoulder simmered in pork broth and blood, with deep historical roots and a reflection of Filipino culture’s commitment to using all of the animal. KUBO also holds classic Filipino Kamayan meals: a communal feast where food is laid on a bed of banana leaves – so much fun for a group. 

Time Out tip: Their crispy adobo potatoes are a must – to be eaten with every single one of their ‘meal enhancers’, from Filipino pickles called atchara to crab fat mayo. 

Price: Budget

Why go? Classic seafood and a fishmonger for perusing.

If you could bring a bag of mussels home in your hand luggage, it would have to come from Tony the fishmonger, who shucks the oysters and fillets the seabass at the entrance of Mourne Seafood. Seafood lovers can pilgrimage to Mourne Seafood for some of the freshest local fare on the island. Get the lunchtime deal of two courses for £24 and add on a half dozen oysters for some true opulence, or pair a classic beer-battered cod and chips with a crisp white wine. There’s also a solid kids menu, should the wee ones tag along on date night.

Time Out tip: Feeling adventurous? Try a blood Mary oyster shot, then head to Kelly’s Cellars next door for some trad music.

Why go? Generational Irish dishes.

Located in the Queen’s Quarter of the city, Holohan’s prides itself as being a restaurant that goes three generations back, and the only boxty house in the city – meaning it has a proud focus on Irish cuisine. Of course, then, you'll have to have Holohan’s pan boxty (a traditional Irish potato cake, using Sabina Holohan’s recipe) served with roast chicken, mushroom, and tarragon cream, or a sumptuous seafood and dill veloute. The restaurant often plays host to local musicians, so expect some fiddle and tinwhistle to accompany your roast of the day or handmade pie, with a slice of the decadent sticky toffee pudding for dessert.

Time Out tip: The children’s menu here is hardy – and kids eat free before 7pm! 

Price: Mid-range.