3 Best Shopping in Northern Ireland

From feta cheese to foie gras, there's a dazzling selection of artisanal foods from local and international suppliers at this deli, founded in 1897. Amongst the most popular is Irish Black Butter, which is not actually a dairy product but a delicious spread made from cider, brandy, spices, and treacle for toast or local soda bread. Browse the shelves for a trip through some of the finest Northern Irish produce. Find Robert Ditty's Irish oatcakes rolled with County Armagh oats; Ballylisk, a white mold cream cheese known as the "Triple Rose of Armagh"; and a raft of jams and spiced apple chutney from Erin Grove Preserves in Fermanagh—all set alongside a selection of wheat and focaccia breads. Sawers own acclaimed coffee, roasted on Belfast's Falls Road, comes in four different blends, and don't forget the Suki tea made by the Belfast Brew company, which specializes in loose-leaf teas and old-fashioned teapots. All these treats and drinks can be sampled in a small café at the back of the premises.

For an authentic blast of Belfast life, make your way to the enormous indoor St. George's Market on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. When it opened in the 1890s, this historic market sold butter, eggs, poultry, and fruit. Today it is a vibrant place with as many as 200 traders selling everything from oysters and live lobsters to organically grown produce, antiques, local art, and curios. The Friday Variety Market starts at 6 am and runs until 2 pm; the Saturday City Food and Garden Market, 9–3; and the Sunday Food, Craft, and Antique market, 10–4. There's an international culinary flavor with Cuban sandwiches, savory crepes, paella, tapas, pizzas, and Thai dishes. Foodies love the treats at Aunt Sandra's Candy Factory stall, with its fudge and flavored sweets, terrific breads from Riley's Home Bakery, and Tom and Ollie's for mouthwatering cheeses, pickles, and charcuterie. An excellent place to pick up picnic ingredients or stock your kitchen if you're using self-catering accommodations.

Occupying an eight-block site in central Belfast, this shopping center dominates the city skyline. The eight-story, 800,000-square-foot mall, all glittering steel, is topped by a vast geodesic glass dome with a viewing gallery that offers amazing panoramic views of the city. Sadly, that's the only thing that makes Victoria Square worth visiting: the on-site retail and fast-food and beverage outlets are the same run-of-the-mill brands found in similar malls all over the United Kingdom, so there are many better places in which to spend your time in Belfast.

Make your way up to the viewing gallery for great views of Belfast; admission is free and a guide can show you the sights.