Taste of Ards and North Down is a collection of individual experiences which celebrate delicious local food and drink, showcasing some of the borough’s finest eateries and breweries. Combined with farmers’ markets and a chance to savour the tastes of our region as local restaurants feature their signature dish throughout the month.

Borough Harvest Markets

Bangor | McKee Clock Arena Saturday 26 September 2020, 10am – 4pm
Comber | The Square, Comber Farmers’ Market Thursday 1 October 9am – 1pm
Newtownards | Conway Square: Saturday 17 October, 8am – 5pm
Weekly markets are a tradition, a fixture in Newtownards and Bangor for almost a century. Strangford Lough seafood, local vegetables, plants, homewares and traditional breads that are baked as you wait are available for you to buy. Harvest Markets offers all that and more, showcasing the very best of the borough weekly markets and bringing to you some wonderful new artisan stalls to stock up on the freshest selection of goods from the area. Don’t forget the borough weekly and monthly markets will also be running during the period.

Foodie Experiences

*Please note when booking the NI Executive guidance from 21 September 2020: The maximum table size is six and is to be composed by a maximum of two households.

Ulster Scots Food and Culture Night in Donaghadee (18+)
8 October 2020, 7pm
A night to celebrate the heritage, culture and food traditions of Donaghadee and the surrounding areas.  Four fantastic restaurants that have elevated the town to the status of a leading foodie destination have come together for one night.  The Bull & Claw, Grace Neills, The Lighthouse Bar & Grill and Pier 36 have created a three course culinary delight from local ingredients that offers a flavour of the very best Ulster-Scots foodie traditions.

The Bull & Claw 028 9188 2262	£45 pp	Read Menu Book now
Grace Neills 028 9188 4595	£35 pp	Read Menu Book now
The Lighthouse Bar and Grill 028 9188 4316	£35 pp	Read Menu Book now
Pier 36 028 9188 4466	£38.50 pp	Read Menu Book now

Should you have any dietary or access requirements we recommend that you contact the restaurant directly before booking to ensure that your requirements can be met.  The venues will endeavour to accommodate as far as possible. Tickets released 11/09/2020

Surf & Turf at the Brig
Saltwater Brig, Kircubbin (16+)
10 October 2020, 12noon – 3pm 

A whistle stop food and drink tour of the Ards Peninsula all under the roof of the historic Saltwater Brig just outside the village of Kircubbin on the eastern shores of stunning Strangford Lough. Guests will get to try local Angus beef burgers and steaks from Greyabbey alongside superb Strangford Lough langoustines and a special whiskey cocktail from Echlinville.  You’ll hear the stories of the food and drink that you are tasting and get to know the story of the Brig and current proprietors, the McCarthys.
Find out more and Book now

Local Food and Drink Showcases (18+)
A showcase of local talent through wonderful foodie experiences across the borough towns; Donaghadee, Comber and Newtownards.
Harbour and Company, Donaghadee: 15 October 2020, 7pm
The Bull & Claw, Newtownards: 21 October 2020, 7pm
No 14 at The Georgian House, Comber: 22 October 2020, 7pm
Find out more and Book now

Local Dish Month

Ards and North Down is the home to the finest and freshest ingredients, sourced in abundance and here to be discovered in delicious dishes served in our award-winning borough restaurants.
Find out more

Please Note: All events are strictly over 18’s only with the exception of the Surf &Turf at the Brig 16+. Booking essential. (Drinks are not included in the ticket price unless stated in the menu). Details subject to change.

Terms and Conditions and Cancellation Policy applies

Snacking brand Forest Feast has announced the launch of a new Signature Chocolate Nut range, tapping into the growth in demand for premium and indulgent snacks.

The new range is handcrafted inhouse, using oven roasted nuts coated in real Belgian chocolate.

Bronagh Clarke, Marketing Director at Forest Feast said: “Take-home chocolate is currently growing 15% YoY, with 98% penetration*, and we are seeing between 150-250% growth in our own chocolate ranges. We wanted to bring something different to the confectionery category for consumers by reconciling the goodness of nuts with the indulgence of Belgian chocolate.

“With more people spending time together at home, the range is well primed to meet demand from  the current trend of in-home snacking. Each one has its own unique ingredient twist and they are all oven-roasted with their skin-on to give real depth of flavour”.

Launching with three variants, the range includes:

• Sea Salted Dark Chocolate Almonds. Oven roasted skin-on almonds, drenched in Belgian dark chocolate, with a sprinkling of salt and dusting of cocoa. A rich, intense sweet-salty experience. (Gluten Free, Vegan)
• Belgian Milk Chocolate Brazils. Sustainable Amazonian brazil nuts generously drenched in creamy Belgian milk chocolate for a classic, delicious combination. (Gluten Free, Vegetarian.
• Cookies & Cream Almonds. Oven roasted almonds dunked in delicious Belgian white chocolate & studded with crunchy chocolate cookie crumb. (Vegetarian)

Forest Feast Signature Chocolate Nuts are available now with an RRSP of £3.00/120g.

Craft brewer Ryan McCracken is gearing up to grow sales of his beers especially in markets outside Northern Ireland through an investment that will triple production at his small brewery in Portadown.

Ryan, the founder and managing director of McCracken’sReal Ale, had invested in the brewery before lockdown and continued to keep the small operation alive through off-sales and on-line business particularly in Britain.

While the relaxation of the regulations on bars serving foodhelped sales, he admits that “we are still a long way off from where we should have been by this stage”.

He continues: “Times are really tough for craft breweries with limited resources. The lockdown came as we were exploringbusiness in Britain and were developing our network of hospitality customers across Northern Ireland. Everything was looking good for our beers. Lockdown hit the sector really hard,” he says.

“Thankfully we are still growing and gaining new outlets,” he says.  “However, I’ve found there is still a lot of apprehension particularly in restaurants about taking new ranges on in case they are forced to close again and are left with a lot of stock they cannot do anything with.  The continuing closure of the so called ‘wet’ bars is another serious problem for smaller breweries.

“We had invested in a new kegging line prior to lockdown and are finding the continued restrictions with ‘wet’ pubs have had a considerable impact on growth in this area,” he adds.

The planned upgrade of his systems, he continues, “will essentially triple our production and allow us to expand into other markets and minimise any potential risk in certain sectors of having to close down again”.  He hopes to be able to hire an additional three people in brewery. “Once we begin producing to our maximum volume we will be able to offer further opportunities. We just need some certainty in the market. Opening the wet pubs would be an important step in the right direction for the industry,” he adds.

Many wet pubs have long been an important springboard for Northern Ireland’s enterprising craft beer industry, offering opportunities and feedback to more than 40 small breweries producing a broad range of beers, many of which have won awards in national competitions. Several, including McCracken’s, have also achieved worthwhile sales abroad.

Ryan’s first business in Britain was in fact secured in the early stages of the lockdown with help from Rademon Estate, one of our craft distilleries and the producer of the multi-award winning Shortcross Gin.

Ryan, who founded the brewery in September 2018, responded to an offer from Shortcross to include craft beers and other beverages on its successful e-commerce site.

He explains: “I contacted Shortcross in response to an offer from the distillery to include smaller drink producers on their e-commerce shop during what was a very challenging time for us all. It was a very generous gesture and I was delighted when they subsequently put my seven strong range of beers on-line. This was a tremendous boost at a time when my sales to local hotels, restaurants and bars had stopped because of the lockdown.

“Unfortunately, licensing laws in Northern Ireland don’t allow craft brewers to sell on-line or to callers at the breweries. This approach is inhibiting the industry’s growth. The listing on the Shortcross e-commerce shop was a real breakthrough for us,” he adds.

“I received firm orders from beer lovers throughout the UKand the Republic of Ireland,” he continues. “This was very encouraging because I had been planning a trip to Britain to help me to pinpoint potential distributors.

“The Shortcross shop linked to my website which provides more detailed information about my business and the beers. It was great to see cash starting to flow again at such an early stage of the lockdown,” adds Ryan. Contacts made in Britain have continued to place orders.

Ryan, an IT manager, set up the brewery in a specially converted building at the home he shares with wife Nicola and family. He began brewing as a hobby in 2014 when Nicola gave him a home brew kit as a Christmas present!

The brewery has a broad range of bottled-conditioned ales and had begun supplying ale in cask and keg form. He has also extended the range hand crafted in the brewery with his four-strong team to include an American Pale Ale and a German Hefeweizen. They will all be showcased during Armagh’s Food and Drink festival on 19th September.

It was immeasurably encouraging to hear of generous comments for two of our innovative dairy companies, Abernethy Butter in Dromara and Bangor’s Clandeboye Yoghurt, from two culinary experts, both well-known and respected television personalities.

Nigella Lawson opted for Abernethy’s dulse butter as her best flavoured butter, while celebrity chef Yotam Ottolengi, the owner of six delis and restaurants in London, expressed his preference for Clandeboye Yoghurt when in Northern Ireland.Clandeboye, I was delighted to hear, has also just announced investment in a new building to meet the growing demand for its exceptional yoghurt.

Such endorsements are exceptionally important as food and drink companies endeavour to recoup sales in Britain. The lockdown, due to coronavirus, has impacted on hospitality and temporarily reduced that market for many of our local talented food and drink companies.  There have been so many painstaking weeks, months and years, spent by the individuals in these companies innovating to meet the rigorous standards of high-end chefs and retailers all over the UK.

Thankfully Northern Ireland’s reputation as a source of excellent food has been building in recent years and hasbenefited enormously from the support of many top chefs, restaurateurs and retail buyers. Among the most supportive has been Ewan Ventners, the managing director of the iconic Fortnum & Mason in London’s Piccadilly, who has just announced he’s moving on to another post outside the retailer.

Many of our producers have gained business with the high-end store during his time at the helm in which he has revolutionised its food and drink offering. He was instrumental in two major food and drink promotions involving dozens of smaller businesses from Northern Ireland showcasing their talents at the iconic store.

Among companies to achieve listing in Fortnum & Mason are Hannan Meats in Moira, now a key supplier of beef and bacon to the store, Glenarm Organic Salmon, Abernethy Butter, Ballylisk of Armagh Cheese from Tandragee and gin producers Echlinville of Kircubbin and Crossgar’s Shortcross. Mr Ventners will be missed. He became a very close friend of our own Peter Hannan, who regularly hosted visits to Northern Ireland by Mr Ventners and members of his food and drink buying team

I’d also wish to extend congratulations to local meat producers which have been successful in the recent Meat Management Industry Awards. Linden Foods in Dungannon, gained two major category awards for products developed in collaboration with top retailer Marks and Spencer. The awards were for Britain’s Best Meat Pie for its M&S MMMummy Meat Loaf and Best Beef Product for its M&S British Duke of Beef.

The awards are an excellent example of the commitment, versatility and flexibility of our leading processors in creatinginnovative foods that meet the exacting requirements of buyers in major retailers and appeal to consumers across the UK and Ireland. They also demonstrate, the outstanding quality of raw materials produced by our excellent farmersespecially in dairy and meat. We have some of the best farm produce available anywhere in the world.

The endorsements from celebrity chefs, food writers and in major national competitions coincided with the first Back British Farmers Day last week.

The day was held to showcase the amazing contribution to the UK economy at a time when concern is growing again about the likely adverse impact on the agri-food industry from the trade negotiations with the US, which is demanding unfettered access to the UK marketplace. Over one million signed up to the campaign supporting food produced to world leading standards.

The Prime Minister and many of his Conservative Party colleagues conspicuously wore wheatsheafs in their lapels to show their support for our farmers and their role in feeding the nation, especially during the recent initial lockdown. I wonder has this administration woken up to the importance of high-quality food since the Prime Minister suffered with coronavirus. The campaign is wake-up call about the importance of food which is the foundation of health and a strong immune system. One can only hope.

Clandeboye Estate, home to Clandeboye Yoghurt, has announced it will invest over £2million to expand its yoghurt business and create 13 new jobs.

The Bangor SME is building a new factory on the grounds of Clandeboye Estate, which will help it to increase the production of its multi award winning yoghurt, and grow sales in international markets.

Making the announcement, John Hood, Director of Food and Drink at Invest Northern Ireland, said: “Over the last twelve years, Clandeboye Estate has built its farm based artisan yoghurt brand into a premium offering. Our support over the years has helped it to grow in ROI and now GB, with major retailers such as Aldi, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda stocking its products. We are delighted to continue to support Clandeboye with this new investment, which will assist it to quadruple its production capacity and double its workforce in the Ards & North Down area. 

“Last year, food and drink companies generated over £5billion for the Northern Ireland economy. The sector has remained resilient throughout COVID-19 and it continues to be a major contributor to our local economy. It is great to see companies like Clandeboye focusing on innovation to remain competitive and continuing to expand and invest.”

 Invest NI has offered the company £470,000 support towards the new factory and machinery. The support towards the expansion will also enable the company to expand its team with an additional 13 jobs across a range of production and management roles.

Bryan Boggs, General Manager of Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt, said: “As the only yoghurt manufacturer in Northern Ireland, our mission is to grow Clandeboye Yoghurt as sustainably as possible and to maintain the high quality of our natural yoghurt offering. Everything from grazing to production takes place within the Clandeboye Estate, with milk sourced from the Clandeboye herd and local producers – a complete ‘farm to spoon’ journey.

“Over the last twelve years, Invest NI’s ongoing guidance has been invaluable to the growth of our company. Its support is enabling us to build a new factory and invest in specialist machinery. This will give us the capacity to produce up to 80 tonnes of yoghurt per week, over four times what we normally produce.  All of this combined will help us to increase our export sales and expand in the GB market.”

 

This project is part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth and Jobs Programme 2014-2020.