3 Best Restaurants in Northern Ireland

Great-value portions of burgers, steaks, lamb shank, fish, and Caesar salads are dinner favorites at this popular city-center brasserie that has chalked up over a quarter century satisfying the Derry palate—it's rumored that the first cappuccino in the city was served here. The lunch dishes may include seafood chowder or the delectable chicken melter, made up of cheese, tobacco onions, and bacon with Mexican spices. Fitzroy's frequently has specials, including half-price meals on Monday and Tuesday (excluding bank holidays) and 30% off the rest of the week on all food and drink—check the website for the latest offers.

If you feel like a treat, several dozen colorful flavors of ice cream including chocolate, honeycomb, mint, and Ferrero Rocher are available at Joe Jackon's bustling city center café. Belgian waffles, crepes, muffins, apple tart, and other snacks are served during the day along with shakes, smoothies, or sundaes such as the Shoeless Joe or MoJoe.

Lavazza Italian coffee comes with a free mini cone.

Creative, moderately priced fare, alongside panoramic views in an elegant setting, attract locals and tourists to this popular restaurant and wine bar complex with multiple venues. The light-filled Mermaid Kitchen and Bar, serving seafood, conjures up a beachside feel evocative of coastal Maine, except you're looking out on Portrush's West Strand (although admittedly Belfast is only 100 km [60 miles] south); the more informal Harbour Bistro serves wood-fired steaks and burgers; Neptune and Prawn, on the other side of the harbor, serves Asian-inspired fare; and the Tourist Restaurant has a Mexican theme with burritos, nachos, and tacos and specializes in pizzas and burgers. At Mermaid Kitchen and Bar, the bountiful produce of the sea stars on the menu, with seven different types of grilled fish including sea bass, halibut, and turbot—all delicious, especially when washed down with a steely Sancerre and accompanied by a North Coast sunset. The best place for views though is their newly opened Basalt, a Spanish tapas restaurant with an outdoor roof terrazza. Its menu name-drops patata bravas, artichoke salad, gold crispy tacos, and even a steak foie gras burger.