The 5 Belfast Food and Drink Spots You’ll Never Forget
When I first arrived in Belfast, I didn’t expect to fall in love with its food scene so quickly. I thought I’d come for the history, the murals, or maybe a pint or two. But more than its charm and historical beauty, Belfast can also feed you, in more ways than one.
The city is enchanting in the way strangers will give you directions and end up recommending their favorite cafe. It’s the smell of coffee beans being ground on Hill Street, the sound of laughter spilling from pub doors, the sight of a chef sprinkling sea salt over a plate that looks like art.
And the best part is that Belfast eats like it lives–warm and proud. If you want to taste what makes this city tick, start here.
1. The Muddler’s Club Restaurant
Media credit: themuddlersclubbelfast
Website: https://themuddlersclubbelfast.com/
Address: 1 Warehouse Ln, Belfast BT1 2DX, United Kingdom
Contact: +44 28 9031 3199
Operating Hours:
- Wednesday to Thursday – 5 to 9:30 PM
- Friday to Saturday – 12:30 to 1 PM, 5 to 9:30 PM
You’ll probably miss the entrance the first time. It’s tucked away down a narrow lane, a spot you’d only find if someone whispered about it to you. Inside, the light is low, the air smells faintly of smoke and butter, and the hum of conversation blends with the clutter from the open kitchen.
This is The Muddlers Club, a Michelin-starred secret that feels too intimate for its own fame. The menu changes constantly, depending on what’s fresh and local that week, but everything that comes out of that kitchen feels personal.
Aged beef so tender it nearly melts, lobster brushed with butter that tastes like the ocean, and chocolate desserts that should come with warning labels.
The staff here know every detail of their dishes: the ingredients, the farms, the stories. They’ll talk to you like they’re proud parents. Which makes it a perfect experience.
| Pro tip: Grab one of the counter seats if you can. Watching the chefs plate each dish feels like being part of a quiet, beautiful performance. |
2. Ox
Media credit: oxbelfast
Website: https://oxbelfast.com/
Address: 1 Oxford St, Belfast BT1 3LA, United Kingdom
Contact: +44 28 9031 4121
Operating Hours:
- Wednesday – 6 to 9:30 PM
- Thursday to Saturday – 12 to 2 PM, 6 to 9:30 PM
If Belfast had a restaurant that could double as a love letter to the seasons, OX would be it. The dining room is simple with bare brick walls, soft light, and windows that let you watch the River Lagan move quietly outside. But then the food arrives, and everything feels heightened.
Venisons, earthy and tender, paired with blackberries and a drizzle of something unique. Carrots–yes, just carrots–transformed into a dish that could make you rethink every vegetable you’ve ever ignored. Even dessert feels like a memory you want to keep replaying.
What makes OX special isn’t just the skill (though there’s plenty of that). It’s the balance of it all. Every dish feels precise but soulful, fine dining with a heartbeat.
| Pro tip: Stop by OX Cave next door for a pre-dinner glass of wine. The sommeliers will happily turn your indecision into a discovery. |
3. Established Coffee
Media credit: establishedcoffee
Website: http://www.established.coffee/
Address: 54 Hill St, Belfast BT1 2LB, United Kingdom
Contact: +44 28 9031 9416
Operating Hours:
- Weekdays – 7 AM to 4:30 PM
- Weekends – 8 AM to 4:30 PM
The first thing that you’ll feel at Established Coffee is the smell–warm, nutty, comforting. The second thing is calm. It’s a cafe where time seems to slow down just enough for you to finish a thought, a book, or a conversation you didn’t know you needed.
Baristas here talk about coffee the way poets talk about words. They’ll tell you where the beans were roasted, what notes to look for, and somehow, it doesn’t feel pretentious. They always sound so passionate that they just draw you in.
Order the scrambled eggs with sourdough or banana bread that’s halfway between breakfast and dessert. Sit by the window, watch people wander past Hill Street’s old brick walls, and let yourself blend in for a while.
| Pro tip: If you’re lucky enough to snag the corner table by the glass window, stay. You’ll understand why regulars never leave. |
4. The Dirty Onion & Yardbird
Media credit: thedirtyonion
Website: https://thedirtyonion.com/
Address: 3 Hill St, Belfast BT1 2LA, United Kingdom
Contact: +44 28 9024 3712
Operating Hours:
- Daily – 12 PM to 1 AM
Walk through the Cathedral Quarter on any night of the week, and you’ll probably hear laughter and live music before you see the glowing sign of The Dirty Onion. It’s a pub that feels alive. Open fires cracking, fiddles playing, friends crammed shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers they just met.
Upstairs, Yardbird serves some of the best rotisserie chicken in Belfast. Golden, juicy, and unapologetically messy. You’ll find yourself licking your fingers and not caring one bit. Pair it with a pint downstairs, or maybe a local whiskey if you’re feeling brave.
The Dirty Onion is where you end up staying longer than you planned, and honestly, you’ll be glad you did.
| Pro tip: Arrive early for dinner and linger for the music. Locals say the best sessions happen when the musicians stop performing and start playing for each other. |
5. Coppi Restaurant
Media credit: coppibelfast
Website: https://www.coppi.co.uk/
Address: Saint Anne’s Square, 11 Edward St, Belfast BT1 2 LR, United Kingdom
Contact: +44 28 9031 1959
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 5 to 9:30 PM
- Friday to Saturday – 12 to 9:30 PM
Tucked into St Anne’s Square, Coppi buzzes with laughter and the smell of fresh pasta. It’s inspired by Venice, but the energy is all Belfast–lively, welcoming, and unpretentious. The food, the people, and the drinks all contribute to the warmth of Coppi.
Their cichetti (Venetian-style small plates) are perfect for sharing: crispy arancini that crack open to reveal creamy risotto, calamari so light it practically disappears, and a tiramisu that could silence an entire table.
Come here when you want to linger over lunch or let dinner stretch into hours. The cocktails are strong, the service is friendly, and the people-watching from the terrace is unbeatable.
| Pro tip: Their espresso martini might just ruin all others for you. |