My Ireland
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12 must-try treats from Northern Ireland
1. Comber Earlies
Grown in sheltered soil around Strangford Lough, County Down, Comber Earlies are world-class potatoes with a distinct nutty flavour. These delicious little items also claim Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), the EU scheme that protects the reputation of regional food. You’ll spot them on menus around Northern Ireland, or try the annual Comber Earlies Food Festival for demos, tastings and more.
2. Food from Northern Ireland's waters
The clear waters around Northern Ireland, along with the loughs (lakes) and rivers, give rise to mouthwatering dishes. Try the delicate flavour of Lough Neagh eels (with PGI status), the prestigious Glenarm Organic Salmon, and the pure taste of Strangford Lough oysters. A good place to start? The Mourne Seafood Bar in Dundrum, County Down.
3. Abernethy Butter
Served in some of the world’s best restaurants, Abernethy Butter is the real deal. Churned by hand into velvety perfection, this high-grade butter is created with local cream from cows that graze around the lush Lagan Valley in County Antrim. Taste it at restaurants all over Northern Ireland and pick some up at delis such as Sawers in Belfast.
4. Cheese
Handcrafted from the purest milk, cheese has long been one of Northern Ireland’s highest-quality artisan products, and blue cheese is currently having a moment with the incredible flavours of Young Buck (a raw milk cheese by Mike’s Fancy Cheese) and Kearney Blue (inspired by the grey stone walls of County Down). For something milder, try Ballylisk Triple Rose, with its salty, lemony undertones.
5. Sausages and bacon
Sausages and bacon are the bedrock of the Ulster Fry, Northern Ireland’s breakfast of champions. Our advice? Go for Fermanagh Black Bacon, made from a unique breed of pigs that roam free on a small island in Upper Lough Erne, County Fermanagh and award-winning McCartney’s of Moira sausages. And for a top-class fry? It has to be Maggie May's in Belfast.
6. Beef and venison
It’s no wonder that the pure, sweet grasses of Northern Ireland’s landscape contribute to some of the best beef and venison in Europe. Exceptional meats from the likes of Hannan beef and Baronscourt Estate wild venison, both of which are Great Taste award winners, can be savoured at critically acclaimed restaurants such as The Sika 1888 in Omagh, County Tyrone and Balloo House, Newtownards, County Down.
7. Bramley apples
Armagh. The Orchard County. Home of the Bramley Apple, another of Northern Ireland’s superstar PGI status products. Armagh loves its apples, they’re baked into traditional pies, pressed into juice and cider by producers like P McCann & Sons and the Armagh Cider Company, and are celebrated at the Armagh Food and Cider Festival. Don’t leave Northern Ireland without trying some.
8. Bushmills whiskey
Boasting a prestigious centuries-old distilling heritage, Bushmills has a stunning location just a stone’s throw from the Giant’s Causeway on the Antrim coast. Tour the distillery, and taste the whiskey at cosy traditional pubs all over Northern Ireland. You can enjoy a great “wee dram” at the gas-lit bar at the Bushmills Inn, County Antrim, and the traditional surroundings of the Duke of York, Belfast.
9. Breads
Simple, unfussy and utterly delicious, bread is one of Northern Ireland’s unsung food heroes. It comes in many forms: soda bread, soda bread farls or potato bread farls (potato-style breads that are delicious as part of the Ulster Fry). You can try any (or all) of these on a visit to the famous Ditty’s Bakery in County Londonderry.
10. Craft beer and artisan cider
From traditional microbreweries to boundary-pushing beers, you don’t have to look far for names of home-brewed craft beers. Check out the taps in pubs for names including Whitewater, Hilden, Boundary, Sheelin and Farmageddon. There’s also a strong tradition of artisan cider, with Long Meadow Cider and the Armagh Cider Company producing some of the best – delicious on a hot summer's day.
11. Ice cream
Destinations with cooler weather aren’t often known for their ice cream, but Ireland bucks this trend, thanks to excellent dairy produce that lends itself to the creamiest ice cream around. Try local stalwart Maud’s in Bangor, County Down; Glastry Farm Ice Cream, based in County Down; Tickety-Moo in Killadeas, County Fermanagh; and the old-fashioned Morelli’s in Portstewart, County Londonderry.
12. Yellowman candy
Have a sweet tooth? You’ve come to the right place. Northern Ireland loves its sweets, and Aunt Sandra’s in Belfast is a treasure trove of all things sugary. But for an authentic sweet treat, it’s got to be Yellowman – a Northern Irish take on pulled candy. Traditionally sold at the Auld Lammas Fair in County Antrim, you can also pick it up in sweetshops and market stalls around Northern Ireland.
