Introducing Roam in Belfast

Young Finaghy chef, Ryan Jenkins earned five-star reviews for his Covid lockdown meal collections and deliveries. Now he’s taken the next culinary step by opening a new permanent restaurant, Roam in Belfast’s city centre, bucking the trend of post-pandemic closures in recent months.

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Born out of the love for food, Roam started out as a pop-up concept aiming to provide a unique dining experience.

Now that Roam has found its home, the ethos remains the same – attentive but informal, simple but sophisticated.

The opening of the licensed 38-seater restaurant on Callender Street on the site of the old Bodega pub and diner marks the latest phase of a remarkable journey for Ryan who admits he couldn’t make a bowl of soup eight years ago, but who has already been nominated for Ireland’s young chef of the year.

“Sometimes I have to pinch myself that all this is happening to me so fast,” Ryan told the Belfast Telegraph. He left school at 17 and had 15 different jobs before taking his first tentative steps into a restaurant kitchen.

“I know only too well that these are difficult and challenging times with so many restaurants shutting their doors, but I am confident and determined that I can succeed with my place which I’m calling Roam.”

Cooked red meat served pink on fine dining plate

Roam uses the finest local ingredients, served in a fun and relaxed atmosphere, featuring a changing, seasonal á la carte menu in the heart of Belfast.

The wine list has been carefully selected, working alongside independent importer Neill Wine. The cocktail list, meanwhile, has been created by an in-house mixologist, using only local Irish spirits, homemade infusions and syrups.

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