Belfast is buzzing and who better to ask for their insider tips of places to see, and where to sip and shop than five residents, who share their Little Black Books. Don’t head north without these recommendations!
Sara O’Neill, stylist and designer of Eadach
My spot: “I love spending time in the Botanic Gardens, with its beautiful Victorian Palm House and Tropical Ravine. After a wander, I usually pop into the Ulster Museum which is next door. The museum acquired my Dreamer collection last year which is currently exhibited as part of the ‘Anything Goes!’ Fashion in the 1920s’ exhibition, so I make any excuse to visit.”
For coffee and brunch: “I love Neighbourhood Café, in the Cathedral Quarter, and highly recommend its Turkish eggs, for breakfast or lunch. It serves Calendar Coffee from Co Galway. Botanic Avenue also has some great places for food and coffee. Favourites include Madame Pho, Falafel, Tzaziki, Kaffe O and Maggie Mays, which is a Belfast institution. Afterwards I might take in a film at the QFT [Queen’s Film Theatre, an art house cinema] or browse the excellent No Alibis bookshop.”
Favourite buildings: “I could spend all day in the Linen Hall Library, the oldest library in Belfast, which also has a good cafe. While you’re in the vicinity, keep an eye out for a couple of gorgeous art deco buildings on Royal Avenue which helped inspire my Dreamer collection. One of these buildings, the old Bank of Ireland, is currently being redeveloped into Belfast Stories, a visitor destination with the charming tagline ‘Belfast Stories are priceless. That’s why we keep them in a bank’. These buildings feature on my Dreamer print, whose main character is Millie, a linen mill worker. She is taken by the glamour and elegance of the art deco architecture and dreams of going to Hollywood. Through selling this Milly print, I raised £10k for the mighty Women’s Aid NI last year. “
Weekend hotspot: “Make a beeline for St George’s Market. It’s a good source for local arts, crafts, collectibles and food. After the buzz of the market I like to walk along the river to Sailortown, where a small but strong community group runs cultural events from St Joseph’s Church.”
For cocktails: “The Observatory bar at The Grand Central Hotel has the most incredible views right across Belfast – apparently it’s the tallest bar in Ireland.”
Favourite festivals: “Recently I attended the launches of Féile an Phobail, Ireland’s biggest community arts festival, and Belfast Tradfest. I’ve been going through the programmes with a marker, an old school-style, and wondering how many of their excellent events I can squeeze in over the summer.”
Follow Sara on Instagram @saraoneillartist.
Aoife Mulvenna, art director and interior architectural designer
Coffee spots: “Established is a Belfast staple for coffee with open, communal tables and lovely staff. Further out of the city centre, 5a Coffee, beside the Lagan towpath, is great for a coffee, sandwiches and a walk with the dog!”
My deli: “La Bottega is an authentic Italian cafe, deli and restaurant run by Francesco, an Italian native. Get the Parma ham pinza with fig glaze and an Aperol spritz.”
My lunch spot: “General Merchants have venues in East and South Belfast. I love their dark timber interiors and delicious lunch menu.”
For dinner: “Yugo Belfast is an Asian Fusion restaurant with a menu of small plates and sake. For special occasions I book the tasting menus at the Michelin-starred Ox or The Muddlers Club restaurants.”
For dates: “Ferine is the latest addition to Belfast’s thriving bar scene. It has chalky dark interiors, perfect for dates, and a menu of small plates and wonderful natural wines.”
For trad lovers: “Down by the docks, The American Bar regularly hosts folk and open trad sessions. Kelly’s Cellars, one of Belfast’s OG Irish pubs, is perfect for creamy pints of Guinness and a lively trad session.”
For a night out: “The Ulster Sports Club is a former social club turned edgy dance institute. I go there for a bop with friends!”
For shopping: “Maven is the best interiors spot in town, now located in a listed bank at the top of the Lisburn Road. Brands include, HAY, &Tradition, Skagerak and more! For fashion, I visit Kindred of Ireland in the Butcher Building for bespoke Irish linen and voluminous dresses. In the same building is Never Never, which is good for men’s streetwear.”
Follow Aoife on Instagram @aoifemulvenna.
Rebekah Mooney, artist
My spots: “I often relax on sunny afternoons in Cranmore Park or Botanic Gardens, sometimes stopping at the Ulster Museum on the way home to check out the different exhibitions they have on. In the centre the MAC [Metropolitan Arts Centre] and Golden Thread galleries always have something wonderful on show. If looking for a cinema, The Strand cinema in East Belfast has an old worldly vibe and plenty of charm.”
For coffee: “On my morning walk through Stranmillis I normally stop at Sinnamon coffee shop – a BT9 staple, serving great coffee and offering some interesting illustrations to look at while you wait. There is plenty of outside seating to catch the morning sun.”
For music: “It’s great to nab concert tickets for the Ulster Hall, which is perfect for size and acoustics! Another great music venue is the Telegraph Building on Library Street.”
For dinner: “I love dinner at Madame Pho on Botanic Avenue for its tasty broths, finished off with a traditional Vietnamese coffee. In the other direction (of Belfast and the world) is Cù on the Lisburn Road, which offers modern Mexican cuisine and delicious cocktails.”
Favourite market: “A new and valuable addition to Belfast is Trademarket, on the Dublin Road. It has a range of different stalls offering cocktails, coffees, world food, and even a few clothing and independent stores. I discovered the clothing brand Outside In, which I adore! The cosy fleeces and headgear are very weather appropriate but are still fashionable and sustainable. The brand has a wonderful message of ‘wear one, share one’ which means that for each item of clothing, they give an item of clothing to those experiencing homelessness.”
For shopping: “I love browsing through the vintage shops in the Cathedral Quarter on a rainy day, or checking out the bookshops and bakeries in College Gardens, where Sawyers delicatessen is located. Selling Belfast coffees and teas and world food products, it’s easy to get lost in time in this Belfast gem!”
Follow Rebekah on Instagram @rmooney_artist.
Carrie Neely, art consultant and founder of Art Loves Carrie
Dining spots: “My offices are in Ballyhackamore, or The Hack to locals. It is so well renowned for its wide selection of restaurants, cafes and bars that it has earned the nickname ‘Ballysnackamore’. Il Pirata does an amazing Sunday roast to share, Bao Bun is great for a Friday lunch treat, Bistro Este has an extensive menu with brilliant vegetarian options, Lottie does a mean steak and you can’t beat the margherita and tacos in Acapulco which is a total hidden gem. Neil’s Hill is a family favourite and with six siblings, we often have family celebrations there. If you don’t mind a queue, The General Merchants is the best place for brunch if you are planning a weekend walk through Stormont Park.
My bars: “Bullhouse East has become a local hipster haven, selling its own beer and woodfired pizza, it has a chilled atmosphere with cards and board games on the tables, plus it’s dog friendly. Horatio Todd’s is the most established ‘local’ and does not seem to have an age range, 18 or 81, it’s the place most people start off or end up on a night out. The Ballyhackamore Working Men’s Club hosts a jazz club every Friday night, with club nights on Saturdays. It also has special events, one of my favourites is the regular Auntie’s Social Club, especially if you’re in the mood for dancing.”
My coffee haunts: “I am a total coffee snob and hate coffee chains. A newcomer on the scene is Moll Bird for coffee, cake and the best locally-made candles and gifts. We also have a brilliant delicatessen, Guillemot, for takeaways and some fabulous pastries. Both Al Gelato and Maud’s Café know how to prepare my short Americano order to a tee.”
For shopping: “My go-to for a last-minute event or night out is Gia Vintage; it sells antique jewellery and pre-loved vintage and designer clothes, shoes and handbags.”
For interesting events: “Banana Block is a flexible space that hosts so many pop-ups, exhibitions, markets and club nights from Annie Mac to David Holmes, it’s worth having them on your radar. It’s also great place to source plants, vinyl at Sound Advice, coffee and bagels.”
For exercise: “I walk around Stormont Park as many evenings as I can – the bonus is it’s free. I also attend the Yoga Quarter which has classes for every ability, and you can just drop in! They also offer events, teaching training and retreats. I have just booked to go to Portugal with them in September and I cannot wait!”
Follow Carrie on Instagram @artlovescarrie.
Anna McKeever, artist
My hood: “My studio and art gallery is on the Ormeau Road, a very bohemian, artsy neighbourhood ten minutes from the city centre. I really like the Nordic style coffee from Kaffeo, and the sourdough from Bread and Banjo bakery has locals queuing down the street. There’s also a really nice restaurant Stove Bistro – which has amazing food and uses crockery made by a local ceramicist.”
My bars: “The Sunflower Bar is a little off the beaten track but still in the city centre. It’s a very low-key corner pub, free of gimmicks or egos. There is some really interesting graffiti worth checking out in the surrounding area and to top it off it has live, local music most evenings. I’m not really into clubs, but Rattlebag is great for chilled late-night cocktails.”
New discovery: “The Titanic Distillery has just opened. It’s in a beautiful building and is the newest addition to the bustling Titanic Quarter. It’s worth doing a tour to discover some lesser-known history of the docks. The Titanic Hotel is just next door and is packed with history; also reflected through its beautifully designed rooms.”
Follow Anna on Instagram @anna_mckeever.