4 Best Bars in Central District, Northern Ireland

Colorful drawings of political, cultural, and social life hang on the walls of this triangular Victorian pub on the fringes of the Cathedral Quarter which claims to sell more pints of Guinness per square foot of floor space than any other pub in Ireland. The drawings are by talented local artist Joe O'Kane, a pub patron. From a selection of rotating taps, Bittles serves local craft brews such as Farmageddon cider, Hilden ales, and Beavertown IPA (a company founded by Logan Plant, the son of Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant). As well as premium Irish whiskeys, the bar also stocks a large range of craft gins, including Gunpowder from Drumshanbo in Leitrim, and two local ones, Shortcross, distilled at Crossgar in County Down and Echlinville Pot Still from the Ards Peninsula.

This first-floor New York--inspired bar beside City Hall is named after a formidable character who was born in Ireland and raised hell with the Dead Rabbit street gang, one of the infamous Gangs of New York in the 1800s. Drinks, such as Mulberry Street, Paradise Square, and Gentleman Jasper reflect the connection. The food, served from noon, includes mussels with Guinness and garlic, falafel burgers, chicken stack, waffle fries, or shrimp cocktail.

A gay-friendly bar near the Cathedral Quarter, Union Street is housed in a converted 19th-century shoe factory. The three-story redbrick Victorian is one of the city's few gastropubs, with a more formal upstairs evening restaurant that's popular with local foodies.

White's Tavern rather trades on its reputation as "Belfast's oldest public house." It serves decent pub grub and there's live music in the downstairs bar on weekends, but for young locals the big attraction is the new alfresco White's Garden, a covered alley where patrons can drink, socialize, smoke, and vape while kept warm by patio heaters even in winter.

A roaring fire greets you as soon as you enter White's Tavern. Friendly staff serve pub grub until 8 pm, although a better bet is to head upstairs, which has been redesigned as the elegant Oyster Rooms restaurant. Its bare, thick-walled brick and high ceiling remain the same, but the culinary options step up a gear and include fresh and firm Carlingford Lough oysters, served on the half shell and dressed in vinaigrette (six for £12), steak tartare, beef and Guinness stew, pork belly, or sole. Live-music sessions are held in the downstairs bar on weekend evenings.