Belfast’s best brunch spots

A friendly neighborhood bistro located in the leafy East Belfast suburb of Ballyhackamore, Neill’s Hill is a great place to head for a delicious weekend brunch to be shared with friends or family. Offering an extensive menu of classic and creative dishes, there truly is something to suit all tastes here. Menus change depending on the season to ensure guests can enjoy the very best locally-sourced seasonal produce, showcasing the incredible flavours available across the Emerald Isle. If you like eggs in the morning, you’re in luck as the brunch menu here features an entire section dedicated to eggs with 11 delicious dishes, such as Eggs Benedict, Eggs Florentine and Eggs Royale, as well as a Classic Irish Breakfast and ‘The Big Bap’ with sausage, bacon, eggs and tomato relish. If you’re more of a sweet tooth person, you can indulge in the delicious selection of waffles or healthy smoothies. Otherwise, there’s plenty more hearty dishes with everything from steak and fish to tasty vegan and veggie dishes.

A relatively recent addition to the Belfast dining scene, Hendrix is another great spot to indulge in a delicious weekend brunch. Set in the stunning Stranmillis area of South Belfast, you can head for a walk or cycle along the Lagan Towpath before heading in for a tasty bite to eat; what a way to start the weekend! Working on the mantra, ‘Good Food, Good Mood’, the team here strives to ensure they offer flavours that will please your senses. Available between 12pm and 4pm, the tasty brunch menu features everything from Black Bean Chinese Scrambled Eggs with spiced egg noodle crunch, smoked pancetta, toasted sourdough, coriander, sriracha and chilli peanuts to the indulgent Hendrix Hash, which comes with crispy potatoes, chorizo sausage, burnt shallots, black garlic emulsion, Ballymaloe relish, smashed eggs, smashed avocado and chorizo oil. Aside from that, there’s also some epic burgers, pasta dishes, tacos and small plates, so there really is something to suit all tastes and dietary requirements here.

Overlooking the City Hall at the heart of the city centre, Cafe Parisien is one of the best places in Belfast to enjoy a relaxed brunch with friends, family, or your significant other. A French-inspired eatery serving up classic French dishes with a creative Irish twist, you can expect a varied menu of options to suit all tastes. A beautifully decorated room with exposed brick interiors, large windows and plush velvet sofas, you can feel truly relaxed here as you enjoy some freshly made food alongside great tea and coffee. Menu favourites include the indulgent Eggs Florentine, which come with spinach, mushrooms, poached eggs and hollandaise or the delicious Parisien Breakfast, which includes pork and leek sausages, back bacon, tomato, mushrooms, toasted sourdough and a fried egg. If you’re celebrating or you just feel a little extra indulgent, you can pair your brunch with one of the signature cocktails. Choose from a delightful and fruity Margarita or a light and sparkling Mimosa.

Located within Northern Ireland’s largest hotel, the Grand Cafe is one of our favourite places for a delicious brunch. Set in the heart of the city, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a slow weekend morning before heading out into the busy streets for a day of shopping and exploring. The menu is inspired by classic Irish cooking with traditional dishes curated with a creative and contemporary twist including everything from smashed avocado sourdough with locally sourced eggs to a stack of buttermilk pancakes complete with either blueberry jam, cinnamon and maple syrup or Grant’s dry-cured back bacon and maple syrup. If you’re feeling hungry, we highly recommend the House Breakfast, which is a signature twist on a classic Irish breakfast, or the Grand Cafe Vegan Breakfast, which features a hash brown, sourdough, crushed avocado, vegan sausage, tomato, and mushrooms. A light and airy space featuring floor to ceiling windows and a spacious and open dining room, this is the perfect place to catch up with friends over a delicious brunch with top-quality coffee sourced from local roasters SD Bell’s.

Oliver’s, located on the trendy Upper Newtownards Road, is the ideal location to catch up with friends over wonderful drinks and tasty mains. One of the most beloved restaurants in the city, Oliver’s doesn’t scrimp when it comes to its Bottomless Brunch, delivering a selection of unique main courses adaptable to any dietary requirement. Unlike standard brunch menus, there’s no “Avo Toast” or “Eggs Benny” in sight. Spoiling diners for choice, offering a selection of mouthwatering mains such as Katsu Burgers, Salt and Chilli Squid, and Pork Belly Subs, Oliver’s takes a step up with its brunch offering, delivering the same high quality that has come to be expected from the main restaurant.

Resting on the edge of the River Lagan, this desirable Belfast City Quays location offers visitors beautiful views and walk ways with a deep heritage and history of the City. Gnostic (which faces the Harbour Commissioners Office) offers its customers a cosy and intimate environment. The menu is international, featuring some mouthwatering tacos, while the seafood options are some of the best around. Plus, the cocktails here are the ideal way to kickstart a fun weekend.

A beloved Italian restaurant with two outlets in the city, one on the Lisburn Road and one in the city centre, the Chubby Cherub Ristorante and Deli is open for all-day dining serving up a fantastic array of delicious Italian dishes to suit all tastes and dietary requirements. If you visit for brunch, you’ll be delighted with the range of dishes on offer, with everything from homemade pancakes complete with bacon and maple syrup to a fresh, homemade sausage roll with Italian ketchup. For those who fancy a lighter start to the day, there are also light and fresh breakfast options including granola served with yoghurt, seasonal fruit, and milk and sourdough toast with marmalade and salted butter. Aside from that, you can enjoy everything from an Italian take on an Irish classic in the Salmone Affumicato, which comes with smoked salmon and a chive boxty pancake with ricotta, poached egg and lemon dressed rocket or the sweet and delectable Banana Pistachio Toast with a creamy pistachio spread and caramelised banana.

The Errigle Inn is known as one of Ireland’s most famous traditional pubs with a great history for excellent music and atmosphere. Couple this with a reputation for serving fabulous food, drink and entertainment, and you’ve got yourself a very good weekend lined up. Set on the outskirts of Belfast City Centre, The Errigle Inn provides an ideal location for any occasion – especially brunch. There are five bars, an off license, roof gardens and a beer garden, with food served throughout the building. One of the buzziest local places for brunch.

Not many people know MAC is a charity and the team here works really hard to raise the money needed to survive and grow. One way this is done is through the Cafe Bar. Every extra penny made from the food and drink goes into creating connections between people and art. So when you next visit for brunch, know that you are doing your bit to secure the future of NI’s leading cultural venue.

Cyprus Avenue is a licensed neighbourhood brasserie based in Ballyhackamore. The menu is dictated by seasonality, using locally sourced produce. Portraits of the suppliers hang on the walls of the restaurant to demonstrate to guests where their food comes from. The restaurant also has 60,000 bees located on its roof, providing urban honey used in many dishes from its daily changing menu. From cinnamon French toast to the famous Cyprus Avenue black pudding sausage with chicory croissant, poached eggs and crispy bacon – every sweet and savoury tooth will be satisfied here.