Money can’t buy happiness – but it can buy food & drink!

My first two years in university consisted of a very regimented routine. The Hatfield on a Sunday night, the Fly on a Monday night, the Bot on a Wednesday night, with some university squeezed in-between! There was also a lot of counting the pennies and praying there was enough in my bank account, for that next Maggie Mays or that late night pizza from Domino’s… Being a student in Belfast is harder than one would think, especially when you are used to home comforts. Paying rent, paying bills and a bit of partying with a measly student loan, is extremely difficult!

My third year was different. I was on placement year in Belfast, which meant getting paid! I found myself getting away from my usual university routine as I was now in full time work which meant I could not go to the Bot on a Wednesday night… Instead I found myself socialising in different places as I was with different company. It also helped that I was doing my placement within the drinks industry as it became very normal to go for a drink on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thu… only joking, just the occasional Thursday and Friday evening in Belfast. As well as this, working in Belfast City centre let me discover some of the best food places in the city.

So let me tell you about the best places, in my opinion, to eat and drink in Belfast city. (As the majority of my placement wage went towards this!)

 

The BEST cup of Coffee in Belfast city

On a Monday morning I would find myself eyeing up the clock waiting for my ten o’clock tea break which only meant one thing. Straight over to Home Restaurant for “a coffee & treat” for £2. A vanilla latte and blueberry & white chocolate scone on a Monday morning was like going to heaven without having to die!

Lunch in the city – a hidden gem

Being a typical student, I thought there could not be possibly anything that would compare to a Boojum until I tried a Cuban sandwich from the Cuban Sandwich Factory. My mouth is watering thinking about a sloppy joe…chilli mince, chorizo, cheese…. So much goodness. If you have not been here before, you have to go!

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Saturday Brunch

There are so many options in Belfast city centre right now it is really hard to pick one. The Gallery, Harlem and French village are all incredible but General Merchants blows them out of the water. You have not lived until you have tried the “Huevos Rotas”. This consists of crispy potatoes, chorizo, avocado and smashed eggs. Amazing. Their coffee would also give Home restaurant a run for their money!

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Dinner in Belfast..

If someone asked me right now where I would like to go for dinner in Belfast I would have huge difficulty picking, as there are so many great places to eat. But, I would have to say Three Levels! This relatively new restaurant in Belfast has a really cool concept. It has three floors of Asian inspired foods and provides mouth-watering food options. There is a huge entertainment focus here as you sit around and watch your chef spectacularly, interactively cook in front of you.

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After work drinks

My favourite thing on a Friday evening after a long week of work was a half pint of Hop House 13 listening to the amazing live music in Sweet Afton. Their cocktails are absolutely amazing as well! Also on a nice summers evening it is only a stone’s throw to the Perch, the most amazing rooftop bar in Belfast.

The best Tuesday night out

The Comedy club in the Empire is absolutely hilarious. It takes place every Tuesday night from about 8-11. Its only £8 in to watch three seriously funny comedians perform all night. NOT that I would have promoted drinking a full bottle of wine on a Tuesday night with work the next morning…. But a bottle is only £12! £20 for a great night out. However, it is not for everyone. Especially if you take offence easily.

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A taste of home

Kelly’s Cellars is one of my favourite bars in Belfast. It’s warm, cosy atmosphere with the most amazing live traditional Irish music reminds me of the traditional pub I used to work in at home. Apparently it’s the best pub in Belfast for a pint of the black stuff!

The best place for a G&T?

Muriels. Hands down!

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So there you have it – my run down on the best places to eat and drink in Belfast, that had I not stayed in Belfast for my placement year, perhaps I would not have discovered. Now back to final year, with no disposable income and a scary overdraft, I find myself counting my pennies again wondering – will I have enough to go out tonight?

Helen McAleer is a final year BSc in Communication, Advertising and Marketing student at Ulster University. She can be found on LinkedIn on linkedin.com/in/helen-mcaleer-6b1221b4 and on Twitter: @Helen_McAleer30