The city centre of Belfast offers a wealth of remarkable restaurants and cafes for you to enjoy amazing cuisine. But when choosing where to eat in Belfast, sometimes it pays to venture beyond the city centre and go a just little further. East Belfast, particularly Belmont Road, Upper Newtownards Road and Ballyhackamore, are highly rated hidden gems favoured by locals for their top quality food served away from the hustle and bustle of the city. From lazy, casual brunches to finer dining, the East of the city is fast catching up with the incredible restaurants of the city centre. It’s not only tasty restaurants on offer in the East. There’s plenty of other things to do and places to explore while there. Why not stop off at Stormont Estate? This spectacular building is home of the devolved government of Northern Ireland and is an impressive sight. A stroll around the grounds of the estate offers the perfect opportunity to work up an appetite, or work off the delights you might have already sampled!
Alfred St Apartment, Cathedral Quarter, Self Catering Accommodation Belfast, 18 City Gate Apartment, 19 Winter Gardens, 54 Citygate, Alfred St Apartment, Belfast Apartment, Belfast City Centre Apartment, Belfast Self Catering Apartment, Central Belfast Apartment,
On a surprisingly sunny Winter’s afternoon, we ventured out the city centre to East Belfast to try Baker Street Belfast. I’d been eager to visit this restaurant ever since sampling some of what their menu had to offer at one of the Twilight Markets at St George’s Market. And my anticipation did not lead to disappointment!
Upon arrival, Baker Street Belfast impresses with its modern décor. Decked out with dark, reclaimed wooden floors exposed brick walls and steel beams, the industrial, contemporary style is softened with lashings of fairy lights, touches of copper and black and white chevron tiles. Bright light spills in through tall windows, helping to create a spacious feel. The décor was definitely on par with the trendy eateries found in the city centre. As a self-proclaimed dessert and sweet treat addict, I was overjoyed to be welcomed into Baker Street Belfast by a very tempting patisserie counter. Showcasing a variety of delights, it was a reminder to all visitors to ensure they left room for dessert!
Baker Street Belfast’s menu promised to showcase the “best of local produce to create fresh and honest food”, and it did just that! Some favourite local produce that featured on the menu included Clonakilty Black Pudding, Ballymaloe Relish and Walter Ewing’s Smoked Salmon. We particularly enjoyed the map outlining the local producers: it’s amazing to see the variety of quality produce on offer from our wee country!
We were ordering off the main menu, and it offered a wide range of delectable delights! From small plates to share, house classics and items from the grill, there is something to satisfy even the pickiest of eaters. Our problem? How would we only pick a few delicious dishes from such a varied and tempting menu?! In the end, we opted for some small plates to share as a starter before our main courses. We decided upon Pork Belly Bites, Popcorn Mussels, Duck Sausage Roll and Goats Cheese Donuts. The Goats Cheese Donuts were a no-brainer for me: a magical combination of two of my favourite things. It was a dream come true. And they didn’t disappoint! A crispy outside with a soft, cheesy middle, I could quite easily have eaten at least another 3 portions! Our other choices were just as tasty: Dave was full of praise for the Pork Belly Bites. According to him, they were the best pork belly he’d ever eaten
With our spectacular small plates devoured, it was onto our main courses: Pappardelle Pasta with Braised Beef Cheek and the Baker Street Burger with Rarebit and all the ‘traditional’ trimmings. For me, picking a main course was tough with so many mouth-watering dishes to choose from! But it was the unusual addition of Rarebit to the Baker Street Burger that piqued my interest. The burger was delicious: the Rarebit made it stand out as just that little bit different to your average burger. The generous portion also made Dave’s day as it ensured he got to tackle what I was unable to finish. Win-win for him! The pasta, with its unusual cut of meat, went down a storm with Dave. After a taste myself, I would definitely order this on another visit!
Unfortunately, we were too full for desserts much to my disappointment. The lure of the patisserie counter at the entrance that I had been so eager to try would have to wait until another visit. The main menu also presented some tempting treats including mini donuts and sticky toffee pudding. Next time, I will be getting those donuts! Any fans of French Village on Botanic Avenue or Lisburn Road will be delighted to know that desserts are handcrafted by them for Baker Street Belfast daily.
The bar menu looked just as delicious as the food, with the local produce on offer at Baker Street Belfast even extending to the drinks! There’s Jawbox Gin and Shortcross Gin, produced locally in County Down. If beer is more your drink of choice, you could try Yardsman or Hillstown, both brewed right here in Northern Ireland! The cocktail list also offers favourites such as the Old Fashioned, Bramble and Mojito. Baker Street Belfast even offer an extensive Gin menu, perfect to satisfy all you Gin lovers!
Our trip to Baker Street Belfast certainly didn’t disappoint. In fact, I wish we’d gone there sooner! We’ll be back very soon to try their delicious brunch menu.
Baker Street Belfast is definitely proof that venturing just a little beyond the city limits pays off!