Belfast’s best wine bars

A new addition to East Belfast’s bustling food scene, Lottie is described as a neighbourhood deli and brasserie, as well as a trendy wine bar. Open Wednesday through Sunday for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Lottie is the ultimate spot to enjoy delicious European inspired dishes whilst sampling a varied wine selection. Seated in the chic and refined interior, between the hours of 11am and 3pm, visitors can enjoy the likes of pastrami croque monsieur, steak frites and a selection of pasta dishes and salads. If visiting for the dinner service between 5pm-9pm, you can expect a larger menu composed of filling charcuterie platters, small plates, cold or grilled cuts of meat and fish dishes, as well as a wide selection of vegetarian options. The dishes are made all the better when complemented with one of the carefully curated wines from across the world.

Although Belfast may have a number of wine bars and tasting rooms, there are few as extensive and exciting as The Crafty Vintner. Doubling as an up-market off licence and tasting room, The Crafty Vintner is the only place in Belfast where you can find self-serving wine dispensers. This South Belfast venue has become renowned for its huge wine selection with walls lined with 32 Enomatic Machines offering visitors a unique way to browse and taste 32 rotating wines from around the world. Perfect for those hoping to sample a number of different glasses, The Crafty Vintner also allows you to choose between 50ml, 125ml and 175ml sized glasses, convenient for tasting lots of different pours from all regions of the world. On top of the tasty wine offerings, The Crafty Vintner has perfected its food menu with a number of large and small plates as well as charcuterie boards – the perfect accompaniment to any tasting event. If interested in levelling up your tasting skills you can visit The Crafty Vintner for a weekly wine club allowing you to learn more in a fun and lively atmosphere.

One of the city’s most loved restaurants, 2Taps brings Spanish style al fresco dining to Belfast’s historic cathedral quarter. Since first opening in 2005, 2Taps has perfected its sharing plates with a wide array of dishes on offer, ranging from the iconic paella to its meat dishes, vegetarian and vegan options and large fish offering. 2Taps has a large menu, which also rings true for its wine offering, with a wide selection of whites, reds, rosé and sparkling, all available by the glass, carafe or bottle. This allows visitors to mix and match different varieties and sample a number of the restaurant’s delightful serves. Also true to the Spanish experience, 2Taps offers a number of varieties of sangria – the perfect accompaniment to any tapas dish. Arguably, what’s most exciting about 2Taps is its atmospheric outdoor heated terrace, which boasts to be the largest in the city. This is the ideal spot in the warmer months to relax with a glass of wine whilst enjoying a number of tasty small plates listening to live music. 

If you’re searching for Michelin star dining and an extensive wine list, look no further than award-winning OX Cave. Part of “Northern Ireland’s Best Restaurant”, OX Cave is the perfect spot to dine on exquisite small plates whilst sampling the restaurant’s brilliant wine collection. From its Scandi style, riverside setting, you can enjoy some of the best food and drink the city has to offer. OX Cave is focused on small plates and boards, allowing visitors to indulge in the same great flavours of the main restaurant at an affordable price. The OX Cave menu includes the likes of scallop, bisque, aged comté, côte de boeuf and a section of cheeses, breads and tapenades. The food menu is only made better, however, by the thorough wine offering with a wide range of bottles from across the world. Almost all the pours are available either by the glass, carafe or bottle, giving visitors the option to try different varieties, finding what best suits their tastes.

Set in the seductive jazz lounge of the renowned Merchant Hotel, Berts Jazz Bar is the epitome of sophistication, allowing guests to sample great food and even better wine, whilst soaking up the cool jazz melodies. Open seven days a week, Berts Jazz Bar features some of the best musicians across Northern Ireland, which is the perfect complement to the extensive drinks list and its 1 AA Rosette menu. The food menu is inspired by classic French bistro dishes that regularly change to reflect the best produce of the season. You’ll also find a wide range of dishes from fish and steak to charcuterie boards and salads, as well as a completely dedicated vegetarian menu. Berts Jazz Bar is regarded as one of the top drinks venues in the city with its skillful, hand-crafted cocktails reflecting the period of the jazz age being both flamboyant and sophisticated. Although famous for its cocktails, this city centre spot has become a favourite with wine connoisseurs with the huge selection of red, white, rosé and sparkling varieties.