This place takes its name from the listed building it calls home. Robinson and Cleaver was a famous Belfast department store, now that name is synonymous with great local food in both casual and more formal settings.
Upstairs in the light, airy Terrace restaurant at lunchtime you can feast on daily platters, burgers, sandwiches and pasta. Desserts are good with offerings like walnut brownies with milk ice-cream. At night, they turn it up a notch with Antrim wood pigeon, Crossgar chicken and Fermanagh pork chops all getting the gourmet treatment. The menu changes seasonally but you will always find interesting combinations that will make you lick your lips. The views of City Hall are stunning, especially from the Terrace.
Downstairs the Urban Deli informal sit-in space they serve soups, salads, sandwiches and sweet bites both in-house and from stellar local suppliers. Just like the original department store, there’s something for everyone.
OPENING TIMES Lunch Mon-Sat 12.00-14.45. Dinner Thurs-Sat 17.00-21.00 Urban Deli Mon-Sat 8.00-16.30
Who says a café has to be made of bricks and mortar? John Hasson’s is a 1973 Citroën HY van. Just before coming to Northern Ireland, it was used to ferry grape-pickers around a vineyard in the champagne region of Reims in France.
He had a van, next he had to find the right coffee. John says he’s always had a passion for the bean, so he visited a few roasters before finally settling on Bailies Coffee which is roasted in Belfast. The particular blend he uses is called Silvio Espresso, which is really smooth with a marzipan sweetness.
The name Livanto means “a well-rounded espresso”, but all of the coffee is made the Italian way, not just those little adrenaline shots of caffeine. To add to the Cafe Livanto experience he added a broad selection of Suki Teas, which are also blended in Belfast. To sweeten things up, he uses a local Ormeau Road bakery called Bread & Banjo for delicious cakes. After all, a drink’s too wet without something sweet, don’t you agree?
Deli Creightons is housed within an Eurospar supermarket in the Finaghy area of South Belfast. It’s something of a neighbourhood institution. We love its commitment to Northern Ireland produce like Just Live a Little granola which is one of their bestsellers. It joins other goodies like scones from Fluffy Meringue and Suki Tea on the groaning shelves. Twice a year they do Customer Appreciation Weeks where their 40 + local suppliers come in to do tastings.
At the deli counter, they’re similarly committed to using local where possible in their hot and cold savoury offerings. The meat for their super-popular burger comes from the multi-award winning Cloughbane Farm in Tyrone. They get their potato and soda breads from Country Kitchen Bakery in Lisburn and they make all their pre-packed sandwiches, cottage pies and lasagnes fresh on site every day.
All that and they’re open round the clock, seven days a week. We like!
This is top-notch fresh produce from a local farm- the family farm, in fact. The Horner family have been working their land in Comber for over 300 years. They specialize in new Comber potato production. Varieties grown include Homeguard, British Queens, Dunbar Standards, Pentland Squires, Maris Piper, Pinks, Blues and Golden Wonders.
They also keep 250 free range hens on the farm. The farm shop is stocked with their own potatoes and free-range hen’s and duck eggs. They also grow and sell cauliflower, broccoli, Hispi and Savoy cabbages, pamphrey, carrots, parsnips, scallions, lettuce and turnips. They source fruit locally too.
Another element to Horner’s business is the supply of potatoes to the retail and wholesale trade. They sell to chip shops, restaurants, other farm shops, greengrocers and many other retailers. This is fresh produce at wholesale prices. The potatoes come in 25kg bags and the minimum order is 20 bags. Sample prices are £7 per bag for British Queens and £5 per bag for Casablanca.They can package in 2.5kg bags for an additional cost of £2 per 25 kilos.
The clue is in the name. The Halfway House is halfway between Belfast and Newry. It’s a very welcome stop-off point on the A1 which is easily visible and accessible from the main road, but it’s also uber-popular with locals.
They go for the food sourced from Carnbrooke Meats, Quail’s Fine Foods, Carnreagh Cottage Farm, Glastry Farm Ice Cream and Kettyle Meats. Such fine ingredients are given the care and attention they deserve. The menu is exciting, but there are also plenty of traditional favourites in there as well as an excellent drinks selection.
Last time we were there we had Three Little Piggies of Crisp Rare Bread Pork Belly, Kettyle Cured Pork Medallions & Quails Award-Winning Sausages, Pont Neuf Potatoes, Crisp Greens, Soft Hen’s Egg with Button Mushroom & Dijon Cream. Next time, we’re having the Flat Iron Steak and Rhubarb and Custard Eton Mess. The menu may have been seasonally updated, but you get the idea of just how good their food is. No wonder so many people are getting married there these days.
Opening Hours: 12-9.30pm
Established in 1858, the Ponderosa has long been a stop-off point for travellers on the main Belfast-Derry road. Situated on the stunning Glenshane Pass, it’s Ireland’s highest bar and restaurant. Thanks to a major refurbishment in 2014, the food is as good as the view. The old building structure is still intact but now is home to a light, airy restaurant featuring fresh seafood, burgers, steaks and dishes like braised Slaney Valley shank of lamb and Silver Hill confit duck leg. Business is so good they now serve a daily sit-in breakfast too.
Head chef Paul Deeney changes the menu seasonally. He’s cooked for Oprah, Bryan Adams and the Duke of Abercorn. Local suppliers are well supported. On the list are McAtamney’s Butchers from Ballymena, the Sperrin Bakery, Glenshane Eggs, Season Harvest and Mill Road Fruit and Veg.
This is a real family-friendly venue, with kids’ entertainment at peak times. There’s live entertainment in the bar every weekend so the adults are well-catered for too, in every sense of the word.
Food served from 12-9pm every day.
