Belfast’s Autumn food festival is set to return as local chefs prepare for this year’s Belfast Restaurant Week (04-11 October), with a tasty recipe of signature menus, culinary events, and tasty treats for all taste buds.
Now in its third year, Belfast Restaurant Week (04-11 October) has become a staple item in the City’s burgeoning events calendar. More than 60 local restaurants, gastro pubs and cafes will be hosting exclusive events with food and wine experts, theme nights, special menus together with fringe events and cookery demonstrations across the Belfast.
Masterminded by Belfast City Council, and supported by Visit Belfast, The Northern Ireland Food Programme and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Belfast Restaurant Week is part of a tourism development initiative to promote the city’s vibrant and award winning restaurant and hospitality sector by boosting footfall and spend and by doing so supporting and growing local jobs.
Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Nichola Mallon, said:
“Belfast is home to a great range of restaurants, from fine dining to homely cafés and fashionable bistros. Our city also boasts some of the most dedicated chefs and food heroes, many with award-winning credentials who regularly attract national media attention and recognition. Belfast Restaurant Week aims to encourage residents, local businesses and visitors to eat out, try something new and support great Belfast food.”
The grounds of Belfast City Hall will again serve up the starter for the week with Taste and Dine providing an appetiser that celebrates Belfast’s vibrant restaurant scene. Local restaurateurs, food and drink experts and exhibitors will join renowned food critic Tom Parker Bowles.
St George’s Market wide variety of great Northern Ireland produce provides the backdrop to mouth-watering cookery demonstrations whilst the Cathedral Quarter will offer taster portions from local restaurants in Belfast’s first ‘pop-up’ street food experience.
Throughout the week, Belfast’s restaurants will host special events, dining offers, activities, one-off menus, food tours and talks. Variety is definitely on the menu from Ulster Rugby players in waiter’s uniforms, retro dining, and chocolate dessert clubs to Game of Thrones banquets, curries beer nights, coffee master classes and Champagne dinners.
Anne McMullan, Director of Marketing and Communications at Visit Belfast, says this year’s event promises to be a bigger and better Belfast Restaurant Week:
“It’s great to see so many of the city’s hospitality businesses getting involved in this year’s event, offering a great mix of enticing menus and inspiring one-off events throughout the week.
“Belfast has an abundance of eating out options and Belfast Restaurant Week is the perfect opportunity to showcase the great talents of our chefs across the City. We’d encourage everyone to book early whether at a tried and tested favourite or one of the many new restaurants that have opened in Belfast.”
To find out more go to visit-belfast.com/food
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Notes to Editors:
Belfast Restaurant Week is a Belfast City Council initiative, supported by the NI Food Programme and Northern Ireland Tourist Board and promoted by Visit Belfast.