10 Great Restaurants in Belfast

The Great Room Restaurant at The Merchant Hotel is exactly what you’d imagine for a special night out in Belfast. Its grandiose Victorian décor immediately lets you know you’re in for a treat. The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner, making it great for any occasion. 

Menus make the most of high-quality seasonal ingredients and have been awarded 2 AA rosettes. A la carte options might include poached native lobster or Irish beef fillet, sometimes even whimsical swan-shaped profiteroles.

OX is a modern restaurant that serves dishes in a sophisticated yet creative style. The simple wood-and-brick design and large windows make the restaurant feel spacious and welcoming.

OX is committed to its relationship with local suppliers, which results in top-quality meat and fish, alongside seasonal vegetables. The menu changes seasonally, keeping things interesting for loyal diners. Do ask for wine pairings, as OX's drinks list features local breweries and up-and-coming wineries.

James St is a modern bistro specialising in char-grilled and aged steaks. The atmosphere is not in the least bit pretentious, but still creates the air of a special night out in Belfast. 

Its charcoal grill takes the spotlight, on which expert chefs cook up Northern Irish prime cuts as well as other meats, fish, and seasonal vegetables. James St offers a set menu and a la carte menu, paired with delicious treats like brownies, and panna cotta.

The Muddlers Club gets its name from a 200-year-old secret society, but its delicious food and drinks are widely known among Belfast locals. The industrial aesthetic and dark décor make a great setting for its creative and modern European cuisine.

The restaurant prides itself on using top-quality ingredients, mainly from Ireland. There are only 2 menus: tasting and vegetarian. Make sure you have room for dessert as the head chef creates a wide range of elegant pastries. 

Coppi is a chic Italian restaurant decorated with dark wood and white tiles, plus intimate booths and large tables. The restaurant specialises in Venetian-style tapas known as cicchetti using local Belfast produce and flavours wherever possible.

The menu caters to all kinds of preferences and restrictions. Expect a full vegan menu and gluten-free options, alongside various fish and meat dishes. Coppi has a regular dinner menu, with lunch available only on weekends. There's even a Sunday roast, featuring the likes of Sicilian roast lamb and roast porchetta. Round off your meal with a glass of wine or an expertly crafted cocktail.

Yügo is an Asian fusion, Michelin-starred restaurant with an elegant interior and dishes to match. Take a seat at the counter and watch the chefs do their magic, or at the tables under the atmospheric decorations. 

The menu consists of small dishes similar to tapas, making it great for sharing. Its Iberico ham with Japanese shishito peppers is a popular choice. But if you’re feeling something more substantial, Yügo has larger plates like massaman curry. Don't miss out on its Asian-inspired cocktails.

Deanes Love Fish is one of 3 award-winning restaurants in Belfast, each of which specialises in a different cuisine. As its name suggests, this particular eatery serves some of the best seafood dishes in the city. It has a conservatory-style roof that lets in a lot of light, making for a bright and cheery meal that might remind you of a day on the beach.

Deanes Love Fish consists of lunch, dinner, and vegetarian menus. You can expect decadent dishes like salt and chilli squid or tempura prawns, as well as a lunchtime dish of the day. There are a few desserts, cocktails and wines to round off your meal.

Il Pirata’s warehouse-style exterior and quirky décor set you up for a fun and laidback evening of Michelin-starred cuisine. With dishes like pizzetti (pizza spaghetti casserole), spiced venison meatballs, and arancini, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to Italy. 

Its wine list includes both Italian and imported wines, making sure you have ample choice to complement your meal. Not a fan of meat? Check out Il Pirata’s decadent vegan options. 

Stock Kitchen and Bar is the place to go if you are looking for some seriously good Irish food in Belfast. The airy brasserie is set inside St George’s Market, which is part of what makes it welcoming and easy to visit. 

The restaurant works to make memorable dishes using high-quality Irish ingredients. Its 'sourbake' pizza is a longstanding favourite, but come for dinner to enjoy delicious takes on classics like cote de boef (rib steak) with proper chips or roast duck breast with potato gnocchi. 

Holohan’s Pantry is a family-owned restaurant with a tasteful atmosphere and homely Irish food to match. Its attentive staff pride themselves on their great hospitality, treating every diner as they would a guest in their own home. 

Seasonality is an important part of its menu, where you can find modernised Irish recipes. Alongside seasonal ingredients, there are some mainstays like potato boxty. Also, it almost wouldn’t be right to miss out on sticky toffee pudding, a speciality of Holohan’s Pantry.