Belfast’s best venues for New Year’s Eve

Searching for a one-of-a-kind, lively venue to see off 2023 with your nearest and dearest? Angel & Two Bibles more than fits the bill. Belfast’s only (known) speakeasy, this city centre cocktail bar, creates a unique experience and has a lengthy drinks menu sure to delight and excite. From the exterior, passersby may overlook this bar, discreetly positioned down a humble alley, however once buzzed in and entered through the front door, visitors are instantly transported into this whimsical wonderland. After walking up the wildly decorated “stairway to heaven” guests will find this rooftop maximalist cocktail bar, adorned with mood lighting, amusing art, large floral displays and plush seating. With not one, but two lengthy cocktail menus, the old testament (beloved classics) and the new testament (the bar’s own concoctions), you’re sure to find something you love at this wonderfully eccentric spot. Delicious drinks, picture-perfect decor, and a rooftop to catch the fireworks at midnight, Angel & Two Bibles offers everything you need to see off 2022 with a bang. 

Although in usual circumstances visitors have the choice of three dining experiences ranging in price and duration, the proprietors of Blank went above and beyond for their New Year’s extravaganza last year. For £240 per person, diners could delight in Blank’s nine course tasting menu, including an accompanying drinks pairing and a glass of bubbly on arrival. We expect they’ll have something epic in store for the final hours of 2023, so book your table now to ensure you enjoy exquisite food and a table for the night in one of the UK’s top venues.

One of the city’s most beloved venues, there’s always a brilliant and distinctively Belfast vibe at Freight. A standout East Belfast restaurant, Freight serves up exciting dishes, inspired by flavours from around the world, all whilst utilising local talent and produce. Located in a converted shipping container, next to the famous C.S Lewis Square, it’s unlikely that you will find a more interesting venue to dine at on NYE. The menu at Freight is ever changing with its team creating plates that showcase seasonal flavours and also combine various cuisines. Although recognised as an up-market restaurant, Freight always provides a fun and lively atmosphere, perfect for you and your friends’ NYE celebrations. Between its BYOB policy, award-winning food and in-house DJ, this is a great venue to party this 31st December. 

If you’re searching for a whimsical and memorable way to spend New Year’s Eve, then you will feel right at home at A Peculiar Tea. A humble south Belfast fine dining venue, A Peculiar Tea goes above and beyond to surprise guests, taking every small detail into account when delivering a memorable experience. Rather than simply serving a number of small tasting courses, this unique venue sticks religiously to its theme between flavours, ingredients and decor. Some of the previous themes include the likes of Roald Dahl, Tim Burton, Cluedo and Harry Potter. Created by Chef Gemma Austin of The Great British Menu, A Peculiar Tea aims to create an escape from everyday life and make guests “feel a sense of nostalgia and playfulness”. Although there are many interesting venues across Belfast, A Peculiar Tea goes above and beyond to create a playful experience like no other, making a memorable way to spend NYE with your significant other, best pals or the whole family.   

Described as simply divine sky-high sips, The Observatory at Grand Central undeniably offers the best views of the city. The highest bar not only in the city but in the entire country, The Observatory offers unspoiled views of Belfast and beyond, making it a phenomenally dreamy destination. A spectacular and luxurious liquor lounge, The Observatory is sure to create a New Year’s atmosphere like no other, enabling you and your party to sip masterly mixed cocktails whilst marvelling over never-before-seen views and the impending midnight fireworks. Taking great pride in its Belfast inspired cocktail menu and menu of small plates, this hotel bar will create a New Year’s Eve experience like no other, allowing you to make everlasting memories. Even though this rooftop venue is primarily a bar, if dining earlier in the main hotel restaurant, families are welcome to visit this rooftop observatory to add a bit of fun and excitement to everyone’s New Year’s Eve.

One of Belfast’s most beloved venues, Zen not only offers up exquisite Asian cuisine but also outstanding entertainment and atmosphere. Perfectly positioned in the heart of the city, Zen offers an interesting Eastern inspired menu with a wide selection of dishes, from award-winning sushi and sashimi, to colourful dim sum and simple Chinese cuisine, with options suiting all dietary types and tastes. As well as the lengthy food menu, Zen has become famous for its fabulous and flamboyant cocktails, even offering up a cocktail masterclass for those who book ahead. If cocktails don’t appeal to you and your pals, Zen also has a large wine and spirits menu including traditional Sake and Chinese beers to add to the experience. A venue that holds its entertainment and atmosphere to the same high standard as its award-winning cuisine, you and your party this NYE can try out Zen’s rotating booths, main restaurant or even the authentic Japanese Tatami room – there may even be karaoke on the cards to get the celebrations started…

Ready to say goodbye to Christmas and winter vibes? Book in this NYE to one of Belfast’s most beloved tapas bars. 2Taps has always been a go-to for big groups, families and couples thanks to its brilliant drinks offers, varied menu and holiday atmosphere. Located in the city’s lively Cathedral Quarter, 2Taps has been serving up Spanish and wider European tapas plates since 2005. Although famous for its large freshly made paella, this iconic eatery also has menus focused on meat, fish, cheese and even specific offerings for vegans and veggies. To add to the Spanish flare this NYE, you and your party can enjoy sharing jugs of sangria or one of the venue’s in-house cocktails, guaranteed to beat away the winter blues. For a truly unique way to spend your NYE celebrations, enjoy a range of unique tapas plates on 2Taps’ large heated outdoor terrace. Not only will this add a beautiful backdrop for your New Year’s Eve dinner, but it will allow you to take in the exciting atmosphere of the surrounding Cathedral Quarter.

Stock Kitchen and Bar, perched perfectly above Belfast’s iconic St George’s Market, is an exceptional restaurant that utilises the fresh local ingredients from the market stalls below.  The brainchild of famous local restaurateur Danny Millar, whose experience stretches into Michelin restaurants across Europe, Stock offers a unique menu of European classics, with options for vegetarians and vegans. Curating a varied menu that showcases the very best ingredients, handpicked from the island’s leading suppliers, Stock is a classic and enchanting venue to celebrate the end of 2023, between the exceptional food, delicious drinks or historic architecture of one of the city’s most iconic and recognised venues.

If you’re hoping to go above and beyond this NYE, why not take a trip to Northern Ireland’s best restaurant of 2022? OX, perfectly situated overlooking the Lagan River, is a one-of-a-kind spot and sure to provide the perfect backdrop for your New Year’s Eve celebrations. Voted the best restaurant in the city by national restaurant awards, OX offers an exquisite tasting menu, which celebrates the best flavours of the season, homegrown ingredients and the skills of local talent. Not only delivering exceptional seasonal plates, OX is committed to creating a memorable atmosphere and experience with its small and intimate dining area perfectly backdropped by the riverside setting. All of this combined makes this city centre venue an excellent choice for a memorable NYE celebration. If you’re in the mood for something more casual, you can always pop into the OX Larder for a snack and to peruse the lengthy list of wines from across the globe.

One of Belfast’s most popular cocktail bars, The Perch is a brilliant spot to spend NYE with all your nearest and dearest, enjoying premium cocktails alongside traditional stone-baked pizzas. A cocktail bar sitting five floors high, on top of the historic Linenhouse Building, The Perch combines the old with the new, between its original historic brick walls and the floral bird cages and decoration throughout. With resident DJs, cocktail trees, drink offers and a rooftop location, The Perch is an ideal spot to catch the fireworks and celebrate the new year, partying well into the early hours of 2023. 

Located just north of the city and overlooked by the majestic Cave Hill, Ben Madigan’s Bar and Kitchen is the ultimate spot for a family night out this New Year’s Eve. Ring in the New Year with delicious pub grub, flowing pints, live entertainment and a friendly, local atmosphere. With plenty going on for all ages to enjoy, Ben Madigan’s is a firm favourite among families with kids of all ages. Even if you aren’t bringing the wee ones along this Old Year’s Night, there’s still plenty of reason to visit, from the food to the entertainment. In years gone by, they’ve offered a special three course menu, which comes with a glass of prosecco on arrival and a tasty dessert cocktail, all for a very reasonable price. So, if you want to end the year with a bang without breaking the bank, then this is the spot for you.

Known for offering a relaxed yet elegant dining experience, Millar’s Restaurant is truly one of Belfast’s ultimate hidden gems. Located just south of the city centre on the Upper Lisburn Road, Millar’s offers an exquisite menu inspired by global cuisine and making the most of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. It even offers a vast array of dishes suitable for those following a vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free diet, so those with specific dietary requirements or lifestyle choices don’t have to miss out. Last year, it offered an epic six course tasting menu priced at £55 with an extra £27 if you opted for the wine pairing. If you want to end 2023 with an exquisite flavour experience, then this is the spot for you with dishes such as a Champagne and celeriac gazpacho, pheasant ballotine, turbot poached in butter, and roast guinea fowl breast featuring on previous menus.

A city centre hot spot, The Northern Whig is an unmissable location to ring in 2024 in true Belfast fashion. Boasting a friendly, local atmosphere, top-class hospitality, and city-wide renowned food and drinks, The Northern Whig is the place to go if you want to end the year in style. It’s yet to announce plans for this New Year’s Eve, however if last year’s event was anything to go by, then it’s sure to be an unforgettable evening of festivities. Food is served between 12pm and 9pm, with a resident DJ taking over with some live music from 9pm to ring in the New Year. So, grab your pals and get your table booked now, as New Year’s Eve at The Northern Whig is sure to be an evening you won’t forget.

Having undergone a rebrand in 2022, Tetto is one of Belfast’s hottest spots for an unbelievable night out in the city – and when better to experience this glamorous spot than New Year’s Eve? Located on the rooftop of the Bullitt Hotel, this spot boasts a central location just on the outskirts of the bustling Cathedral Quarter and the city centre, making it the perfect spot to soak up the electric atmosphere of the city celebrating the New Year. Last year, it hosted an epic rooftop party with live music from DJ Gavin Williams and aperitivo-inspired cocktails. With opulent, Gatsby-esque decor and a classy vibe, you can party like it’s the 1920s at this unique rooftop bar.

A Lisburn Road favourite, The Bowery is the ultimate classy location to enjoy a New Year’s Eve bash. With stunning art deco interiors, fantastic food and even better cocktails, this is the ultimate spot to ring in the New Year in style. Start the evening with a delicious meal from the incredible a la carte menu, which features a vast array of options for all tastes and dietary requirements. Then, you can expect some brilliant live music from performers and DJs spread throughout the night, accompanied by famous cocktails and an epic wine selection that make this spot one you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re enjoying a romantic evening with your significant other or ringing in the New Year with friends, The Bowery is the spot for you.