21 Incredible Things To Eat In Belfast Right Now

It's not just about the Ulster Fry. But that is a large part of it.

1. Mac 'n' Cheese Nugget Burgers at Le Coop

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Le Coop entices you in promising some delicious juicy chicken, and trust me the rotisserie chicken delivers. However, there's also a lot of joy to be found in their Mac 'n' Cheese burger, and Le Coqtails, topped with mischievous garnishes like glazed bacon and popping candy. You might say it's clucking fabulous.

2. Wood fired ribs at John Henry's

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JH specialises in South American-style slow-cooked meats, including roast chicken, pulled pork, and bourbon beef. JH is still a pretty new kid on the block, battling off the likes of a certain famous Mexican neighbour...

3. Burritos at Boojum

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Boojum doesn't even need an introduction. In fact, people went dressed as little Boojums on Halloween this year. They have outlets in Belfast, Dublin, and Galway, where they serve up their tasty Mexican fare. It's essentially a burrito bar where you choose between the form (wrap/taco/bowl), the filling (meats/beans/rice) and the extras (sour cream/salsa/guac). So many tasty combinations. So little stomach space.

4. Piri piri prawns at Made in Belfast

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As you might of guessed from the name, Made in Belfast specialise in "Irish cuisine" – but they spice it up a bit. Think local potted crab with Guinness wheaten bread, Irish venison pie with blue cheese butter, and Belfast baps with a fried Irish duck egg (I know, what?!).

5. Bumper fry at Maggie Mays

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Now for something very Irish. The Ulster Fry is an ultimate carbfest of bacon, sausages, tomatoes, potato bread, soda bread, hash browns, beans, mushrooms, chips, and eggs, that has been scientifically proven* to beat any hangover. And Maggie Mays do it rather well.

*based on personal experience

6. Veggie fry at Maggie Mays

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#AllTheCarbs but with a nice veggie sausage instead (we thought this list was looking a bit carnivorous).

7. Ropa Vieja at Cuban Sandwich Factory

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That's a pulled beef sandwich to you or me, and it's awesome. You can find the Cuban Sandwich Factory (and a selection of other Cuban sarnies) at St George's Market on Saturdays and Sundays.

8. Belfast bap at Belfast Bap Co

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OK, we told you there were other sarnies available at St George's Market, and this is one of them. You can choose from a bap, soda bread, or a potato farl, to be filled with bacon, sausage, eggs, and your choice of toppings. If you want to go really Irish, get champ in it (mashed potato).

9. Oysters at St George's Market

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It doesn't really get fresher than this. Every weekend the markets fill up with fresh fish and meat from around Northern Ireland, ready for you to take home and cook as you so desire.

10. Oysters au Naturel at Mourne Seafood Bar

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If you don't fancy prepping your own oysters, you can enjoy a plate of them fresh from Mourne Seafood Bar. They purchase their seafood from Annalong and Kilkeel every day, so you know the langoustines, the mussels, the oysters, and the other lush seafood dishes are super fresh. Make sure you reserve a table here, as it's always packed.

11. Bento box at Obento Japanese

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Carrying on with the theme of raw fish, Obento is one of the few Asian restaurants in Belfast to get it very right. Their menu is simple, serving up classics like sashimi, California rolls, and chicken katsu (it's a step up from Wagamama).

12. Hanging skewers at Cloth Ear

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Order the chorizo chicken or the surf 'n' turf skewer with fries, and you won't be disappointed. However, it's worth coming here for the interiors alone – the stuffed deer heads and sheet music adorning the walls make it feel like like a very kitsch establishment.

13. Burgers 'n' dogs at Alley Cat

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They serve up chilli dogs that make you want to crawl inside the bun and just nest in the cheesy chilli goodness, and chilli-cheese fries that can only be described as otherworldly. In fact, you could feast on the sides alone here. You might suffer a heart attack mid chicken wing, but you know it's kind of worth it. Especially when served with one of their alcoholic teapots.

14. Steak on the stone at Stix & Stones

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This ^ is the steak on the stone. You cook it yourself, using the hot stone slab, and it's served with wild mushrooms and truffle ragu, beetroot relish, and slow-roasted tomato and a choice of whiskey-peppered sauce, garlic & tarragon butter, Béarnaise, or rich pan jus. To make it even better, they make sure all of their steaks are produced in Ireland, with 100% traceability.

15. Little Winger workshops at Little Wing Pizzeria

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Although this isn't really an option for grown-ups (cry), Little Winger workshops are great fun for kids, who get to go into the kitchens and make their own pizzas with a chef – cute. Adults should try one of the indulgent calzones, or the 24-inch pizzas *Homer drool*. They're not trying to reinvent the light bulb at Little Wing, they're just very good at old-fashioned Italian fare.

16. Penna alla Norma at Speranza

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We thought the list had gone a little meaty again, so here's a hideout that serves up good vegetarian pizzas and pastas. Speranza gets extra points for having gluten-free options available, and if their dinner menu looks a bit pricey, check out their lunchtime deals.

17. Cichetti at Coppi

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"Cichetti" are smaller dishes, typically served in Bacari bars in Venice to accompany one or five glasses of wine. They're also known as the fancy nibbles served in Coppi, in St Anne's Square. It is a slightly fancier area, hence dishes such as Sicilian Braised Goat Crostini and Polenta Fritti & Candied Fennel. Keep it simple with their antipasti boards and a good bottle of red wine – you can't really go wrong.

18. Belgian waffles at Cafe Mauds

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Here we fall right down the elegance scale and end up in chocolate sauce and crushed oreos at Cafe Mauds on the Lisburn Road. If you didn't already know, Mauds is a Northern Irish brand of ice cream, so once again it's local and tasty grub. However, the cafe goes a step further with waffles, brownies, and mix-ins with optional extras like fruit, hot fudge sauce, cookie pieces, smarties and more. It's perfect when it hits 8pm, and you know you want to have dessert for dinner – no one's judging you here.

19. French toast at French Village

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You can also have dessert for dinner at French Village on Botanic. This is arguably one of the best breakfasting spots in the university area, serving up fries and baked goods as well as this buttery, maple-soaked dish. Make sure to have it with one of their coffees or shakes.

(BTW, Boojum, French Village, John Henry's and Maggie Mays are all on the same street, so it's one of the best places to be if everyone wants different things.)

20. Cookie Butter Cupcakes at Lily Pink Bakery

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Lily Pink Bakery source as many local, free trade, and natural ingredients as they can for their cupcakes, which we love. But we kind of love the Dulce de Leche filling in these caramel cupcakes even more. Hunt them down at St George's Markets on the weekend.

21. Rainbow Cakes at Lily Pink Bakery

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We don't know how much of this is "natural". The only thing we do know is that we are impressed by the fact it looks like they've mixed rainbows, unicorns, and glitter into a cupcake. Well done, Lily Pink Bakery.

22. Teatime treats at Avoca Belfast

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Avoca, on Arthur Street, is the perfect pitstop during shopping hours. They do raspberry prosecco, homemade lemonade, and an array of tasty treats to keep your sugar levels up mid shopping session. Coffee fiends can also get their fix here.

23. Macarons at Patisserie Mimi

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Patisserie Mimi doesn't get enough love considering the standard of their bakes. It is a one-stop shop for pastries, and there's no place you'd rather get your Sunday morning croissants (if you're staying in the city centre). They also supply the aforementioned Little Wing Pizzeria.