6 Best Restaurants in Northern Ireland

Taking its name from the eponymous first-class café on RMS Titanic, Café Parisien divides itself into a downstairs creperie and a stylish upstairs restaurant in a landmark six-story sandstone building opposite City Hall. Choose from an array of savory or sweet crepes and galettes or head upstairs for main courses at lunch or dinner, which may include beef bourguignon or bouillabaisse, the celebrated stew of Provence. At £19.95 the two-course lunch menu du jour is expensive but worth it for the views.

Ask for a terrace table (the halogen heaters keep you warm on a chilly day) from where you can watch the progress of city life and cradle a digestif.

The Merchant Hotel's lively gastropub combines all the decorative charms of a traditional Belfast watering hole with a great choice of ales, wines, and whiskeys, and a menu that blends old-school favorites with imaginative modern fusion twists.

In a world of behemoth coffee chains it is heartwarming to find an independent store with a funky vibe serving freshly ground beans from plantations in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Guatemala. Right in the heart of the Cathedral Quarter, this unpretentious café with its minimalist surroundings, communal wooden tables, and cement floor attracts a crowd of MacBook and smartphone lovers, as well as those gasping for a caffeine hit. Most popular are filter coffees, and the barista's choice may include espresso tonic with lemon and lime, or honey, cardamom, and cortado. Nourishing bowls of honey and coconut porridge are served until noon, while buttermilk pancakes, salt beef sandwich, or bubble and squeak are on the lunch menu. A tempting array of ever-changing snacks includes flapjack, cornflake cookie, or cinnamon swirl. Sunday is pie and drip day featuring apple crumble, peanut butter fudge, or cherry pie.

A place to linger where latte art has risen to a new level---but be aware that food service stops at 3, by which stage the café can resemble a computer lab.

Part of a small chain, this flagship café with comfy settes and sofas serves fry-ups and vegan options for breakfast and lunch. Panini, sandwiches, and baps with a choice of soups, salads, and meat fillings, sit alongside caramel squares, snicker cake, and scones freshly prepared by the in-house bakery. It's worth stopping off here to look at the walls featuring huge street maps of Derry as well as posters reflecting its more recent history such as dance halls like the Corinthian ballroom, old signposts, flags, and cultural events. An ideal place to while away half an hour and gaze at the walls inside, never mind the historic walls outside the front door.

On the banks of the River Foyle, this airy and cool main restaurant of the City Hotel, taking its name from the old Thompson's Mill that once occupied this site, is a fine place to chill while taking in some great river views. The menu might include pork belly, oven-baked salmon, or supreme of chicken with an herb stuffing.

Reservations are recommended (and practically essential on weekends).

The Wine and Dine menu (available every night except Saturday), based on two people sharing two courses, is £39 for two. There's also an impressive but not expensive wine list. Breakfast is served daily, but lunch only on Sunday. The adjoining Coppins Bar serves wine and cheese (£9.95) and runs a special Tapas Friday from 4 pm at £4.50 each or 3 for £12.

Right next door to the Guildhall, the Warehouse constitutes a harmonious commingling of café, bistro, art gallery, and shop—but most come to sample the food. The café's breakfasts include dry-cured bacon and toasted sourdough or Kilbeggan organic porridge with apple syrup; lunch specials may be Rigatoni pasta or grilled Halloumi followed by soothing desserts of Porter cake or macaroons. In the evening bistro expect delicious baked Scotch eggs, Hannan Himalayan salt-aged steaks, Greencastle hake, or pork tenderloin. The gallery features a program of regularly changing exhibitions showcasing the best of local and contemporary art.