I am an American here in Belfast and would like to try Norn Iron food. Anybody have recommendations in town?

Question

I would like to also visit a bakery, try Irish stew and the like. I want to go where the locals go not the tourists. Thanks.

Answer 1

queens inn , queens arcade is an excellent restaurant/bar their pies are to die for, irish stew mighn't be available at this time of yr it's basically a winter food and don't forget to watch the twelfth of july parade! have fun lol

Answer 2

"Norn Iron!" Sounding very local!

Well there are lots of places in the city centre. Most cafes and luch places serve stew, but its more popular in the winter months. You could try Brights in castle Street in town. They do lots of things and is very popular with the locals! However the queues are mad at lunch time, so either go for an early lunch or a late lunch. Also, near Brights is a place called O'Briens (Irish sandwhich bar). They usually have vegetable soup.

I recommend getting a good old Ulster fry while you're here. I suggest Divines on the lower Antrim Road or La Cuisine on the Antrim Road near Glengormley. Oh! Go to La Cuisine! They are bound to have loads to choose from and they have a brilliant bakery aswell!! However, this place is extremely busy so i suggest going at breakfast time for a fry (with potato bread and soda bread!) and a nice big cup of tea. Be sure to have tea, a fry is not complete without tea!

Please do try and go here becuase this really is where a lot of locals go!

http://www.nifoodreview.com/la-cuisine-a...

But don't go between 12pm and 2pm because you probably won't get in and i don't want you missing out! But if you go after 2pm there won't be any food left so please go for breakfast!

To get more info and more details on where places are and the best places to eat, you could pop into the tourist office and i'm sure they would tell you some nice places to eat and places to get traditional irish food.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?sourceid=n...

Their phone number: (in the box to the left)

http://uk.local.yahoo.com/Northern_Irela...

Hope this helps and have fun in Belfast!

Answer 3

Find a cafe on one of the main roads such as the Shankhill or Falls and get an Ulster Fry.

Answer 4

As my husband is american and he came to live in Northern Ireland for a year I can tell you all the places and things he loved.

Firstly for Irish stew, Ulster fry, Sausage Soda etc I would recommend Maggie Mays in Botanic. Its a great little place and in a good area to hang out in.

Secondly...sausage rolls.  My husband became totally addicted to them and his fave place to get them was in the little bakery in Queen Arcade (Its the covered street that runs along side Boots in the city center). If you go in there and just get one to take out they are delicious.

Also, a great option is St Georges Market on a saturday monring.  There are tons of people there who bake stuff at home and then bring it to the market to sell.  There is one lady whose stall is called 'wee buns' who does the best wheaten breads and cakes.  

The Mourne Seafood bar is also great for local seafood. Don't go to the one in Belfast, take the drive (or bus) out to the original branch in Dromore, Co. Down. They have great local crab claws...which are much different to their American counterparts (much harder to crack!)

Then you also have to try food from the local chippie (fish and chip shop). If you go out into any of the suburbs you will find decent ones.  Battered Sausages, Pasties, Fish Suppers are all Norn Iron classics

Us Irish also have a strange approach to eating Chinese food.  Go to any chinese takeaway and ask for a 'curry split' (you can also get a gravy split).  This is basically a combination of two of the following three: Fried rice, lo-mein noodles or chips (big fat french fries) which are then doused with the best curry sauce you have ever tasted. This is a MUST HAVE!

Enjoy.