Catch Up With Friends in Belfast

With all the tastes of the Eastern Mediterranean, Buba is an exciting restaurant with a tapas-style menu and exotic vibe. Share nibbles like haloumi fries, baba ganoush, garlic prawns and flatbreads. They have a full vegan menu and creative range of cocktails, too.

Head to Little Wing for delicious, traditional Naples style pizzas made with fresh ingredients and cooked in a wood fired oven. Get a whopping 24” pizza (the largest in Northern Ireland) to share with friends with a glass of wine.

Combine dinner with cocktails and samba at Revolucion de Cuba! Their Latin-inspired menu is full of tapas dishes that are perfect for sharing with friends, while entertainment includes live music, salsa lessons, samba girls and a tropical party vibe.

Fancy something fishy? Treat yourselves to a seafood platter at Deanes Loves Fish that boasts delicious smoked salmon, prawn and crab. The stylish coastal décor and relaxed atmosphere in this city centre restaurant make it a perfect place to catch up with friends.

What could be better than hanging out with friends on a sunny terrace while nibbling on mouthwatering local food? We’ve rounded up the top places to eat when the sun is out, from riverside restaurants to rooftop dining areas.

There’s no better way to catch up with your friends that over afternoon tea. Treat yourselves to an indulgent selection of finger sandwiches, sweet treats and loose leaf teas in one of Belfast’s luxurious hotels or restaurants.

Coffee is always better with donuts! Head to Oh! Donuts for gourmet treats with flavours like Berry Crumble, Lemon Meringue and Boston Cream; paired with their house blend Root & Branch coffee. Sit in or get it to go. The nearby grounds of Belfast City Hall are ideal for a walk with friends.

Visit the café at Avoca for good coffee and lots of freshly-prepared dishes, cakes and scones. Their extra large tables are great for catching up with big group of friends. Afterwards, plunder through unique homeware, gifts, clothing, jewellery and food hall items in the shop on the ground level.

Visit Guilt Trip is east Belfast, a multi-roaster coffee shop offering espresso based drinks, batch brew filter coffee and manual pour-over coffee, served up with their iconic donuts. Donut flavours change regularly to keep things interesting, with plenty of plant based and vegan friendly donuts available too. Their modern interior is the perfect setting for a catch up with friends.

Spend the brighter days, lunch breaks and summer nights down Joy’s Entry at The Jailhouse, a contemporary pub housed in a historic building. Sit inside or on the outdoor terrace and choose from a menu of tempting cocktails, beers, wines and spirits.

If you’re into craft beer and wood-fired pizza, the Sunflower is the perfect meet-up spot. This simple corner pub is free from gimmicks – sit inside or in the beer garden out the back and choose from a large selection of local craft beers and crisp ciders. Dogs are welcome, too!

If you’re yet to discover Santeria you’re in for a treat. This hidden gem is a lively coffee shop and bar serving up classic and contemporary cocktails alongside irresistible rhythms, funk and soul. With a laid back vibe it’s the ideal place to reconnect with friends over cocktails, wine or local beer. Find it next to Voodoo on Fountain Lane.

Kelly’s Cellars is the epitome of a traditional Irish pub, with live music, Irish stew and pints of Guinness. Meet friends inside and find a cosy booth in the historic building which has features dating back to 1720, or sit in the beer garden outside in Bank Square.

Discover some of Belfast’s finest cocktails bars in the list below and sample unique concoctions, classic mixes and local flavours.

Let’s Go Hydro has everything you need to play eat and relax. Make a splash at Ireland’s largest inflatable aqua park or enjoy an afternoon at the cable water sports park, kneeboarding or wakeboarding. Visit the on-site restaurant Pizza Boutique for artisan pizzas, pull up for a drive-in movie or stay the night in cosy glamping igloos with hot tubs and BBQ pits.

Ever had the urge to chuck a hefty axe at something? Well now you can, at Axe Yard’s axe throwing experience! Suitable for those 18 and up, this totally unique activity makes for a really fun competition with friends. The concept is simple – throw real axes at a wooden target and see how much steel you can sink!

If you have a taste for adventure and relish a challenge, or just like fresh air and fantastic scenery, Belfast and beyond has all the right ingredients for an exciting day out. Check out these ideas for adventurous days out with friends.

Spend some quality time together by hitting the shops for a day. Belfast has with big luxury brands, high street fashion and unique boutiques all perfect for exploring with friends. Don’t forget to schedule time for coffee and lunches in between.