Northern Ireland

18 Northern Ireland eateries included in AA's Restaurant Guide 2020

 18 restaurants have been named as Northern Ireland's dining destinations of the year
 18 restaurants have been named as Northern Ireland's dining destinations of the year

A NEW restaurant guide has included a total of 18 Northern Ireland eateries including a coaching inn in a world-famous whiskey Co Antrim village.

The AA's Restaurant Guide 2020 includes more than 2,000 restaurants around Britain and Northern Ireland currently awarded Rosettes for culinary excellence by the AA’s professional inspectors.

From fine dining perfect for a special occasion, to beloved local eateries, the 27th edition of the guide includes many favourites, plus more than 140 new and interesting restaurants which have made it into the guide for the first time this year.

Included in the list are 18 restaurants in Northern Ireland who were noted for their culinary excellence.

These include The Merchant Hotel and The Fitwilliam Hotel in Belfast and Bushmills Inn Hotel in Bushmills.

The guide also provides an in-depth guide to the UK’s restaurant scene by county, with a detailed description of each destination, from opening details and capacity, to whether the restaurant is child friendly, alongside information on the latest chef changes and sample menu prices.

It also includes interviews with top chefs including Tom Brown and Steven Edwards, as well as details of the winners of the AA Hospitality Awards, including Restaurants of the Year, AA Wine Awards and Chefs’ Chef of the Year.

Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Media, said: "We are pleased to see the hospitality industry going from strength to strength, with over 140 new dining destinations being added to The Restaurant Guide 2020.

"The establishments in this year’s Guide demonstrate the high quality of culinary experiences across the country, offering delicious food and impeccable service".

The Northern Irish restaurants included in the Restaurant Guide 2020 are:

Belfast:

  • Deanes EIPIC
  • Shu
  • James Street
  • The Merchant Hotel
  • Deanes at Queens
  • OX
  • Fitzwilliam Hotel
  • Seahorse Restaurant, Grand Central Hotel

Derry:

  • Browns Bonds Hill - Derry city
  • The Gown Restaurant - Derry city
  • Ardtara Country House - Maghera

Antrim:

  • Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort - Ballymena
  • Bushmills Inn Hotel - Bushmills
  • Sleepy Hollow - Newtownabbey

Down:

  • Vanilla Restaurant - Newcastle
  • Balloo House - Newtownards

Fermanagh:

  • Lough Erne Resort - Enniskillen
  • Manor House Country Hotel - Enniskillen