14 coffee shops you need to try in Belfast 2023
481 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast
361 Ormeau Road, Belfast
When you think of the word Brunch in Belfast General Merchants immediately comes to mind! The quality and consistency of both the food and coffee speaks for itself, and you will find yourself coming back again and again to explore the extensive brunch menu. The ‘General’ is a particular favourite featuring Bacon, Clonakilty black pudding and fired egg all served on a toasted brioche roll. General Merchant’s popularity has seen expansion to additional shops on the Ormeau Road, Forrestside and an on-the-go Kiosk in Donegall Place.
The quality of coffee on offer is consistently excellent whether you are looking for a batch brew filter or an espresso-based drink. Having formed a close relationship with local Belfast-based roaster Whitestar coffee you can pick up a bag of Whitestar on retail for brewing at home.
2. TRAIT
398 Lisburn Road, Belfast
14 College Square East, Belfast
Trait started out with a single store in Comber Village before expanding into new stores on the Lisburn Road in 2022 and College Square East in 2023. From your first step through the door you can see the attention to design with quality minimalist wood finishes throughout all the stores. Trait consistently brings in exciting guest retail roasters which regularly feature on their coffee bar alongside the ever-present Squaremile coffee. Their bakes are all made in-house and are some of the highest quality you will find anywhere in Northern Ireland. Their Lisburn Road store is open to 8pm on a Thursday which makes it the perfect spot to catch up with some friends and enjoy some speciality coffee.
3. 28 GILNAHIRK
28 Gilnahirk Road, Belfast
Set in the suburbs of East Belfast 28 Gilnahirk is well worth the trip for some of the highest quality coffee you are going to find in Belfast. The Baristas in 28 have created a filter coffee menu offering some really unique roasters and some wild processing methods. You will regularly find Manhattan and DAK coffee on the bar along with some rarer coffees from Standout Coffee. The brunch menu is regularly updated with their French toasts being our dish of choice. The sleek, clean, and minimalist interior makes 28 a really chilled spot to enjoy some of the best coffee in Belfast.
37 Talbot Street, Belfast
One of the earliest speciality coffee shops in Belfast, Established Coffee is still one of our favourite spots in Belfast. Set in the cathedral quarter the timeless polished concrete interior makes it a chilled out spot to take a break from the buzz of the city centre or put in some work on the laptop. Make sure to get in early as Established can be seriously busy throughout the day. Established has recently began roasting their own coffee which features both on their bar and on their extensive retail offerings. Having tried many of their retail coffees over the last year I am continually impressed with the high standard of their roasting and you will not be disappointed with their batch filter and a cinnamon swirl!
33 Donegall Street, Belfast
Neighbourhood has been a real inspiration story after taking over from Curated Kitchen back in 2021. As if navigating a global pandemic wasn’t enough, they suffered a huge set back with their building closed due to a fire in 2022. They have now opened a new store in the heart of the Cathedral quarter which has a cool minimalist Scandinavian feel. With Calendar coffee from Galway on the bar as their house roaster you are sure of a quality coffee to complement their extremely popular brunch menu.
6. OH DONUTS
55 Upper Arthur Street, Belfast
Oh Donuts is a really enjoyable experience, situated close to Victoria Square shopping centre. The bright, Scandinavian interior styling lures you in to enjoy one of their extensive range of donuts which are always of really excellent quality. It’s not just about donuts however with OH taking their coffee seriously by offering some really interesting guest roasters from across Europe and plenty of exciting offerings on retail.
7. HAPTIK
697 Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast
The younger sibling of the long-established store in Newtownards, Haptik Belfast is a seriously stylish spot with polished concrete and a stunning coffee bar with their pink La Marzocco espresso machine. Their batch brew filter coffee is consistently excellent and a perfect complement to their delicious menu with the banana bread being a particular favourite. Haptik’s baristas are regularly rotating their guest retail roasters featuring some of the most popular coffee from around Europe.
336a Lisburn Road, Belfast
Brew and bake offers some of the finest pancakes in Belfast with some excellent vegetarian and vegan options. Regularly changing their menu you will enjoy seasonal variations with high-quality generous portions. The generous portions continue in ordering a batch brew which is almost double what you get in most coffee shops and will bring a smile to your face. Make sure to check out their Instagram for some of the most enticing cinnamon swirls and cakes you will ever see.
18 Ormeau Avenue, Ormeau Baths, Belfast
You just have to look at the amazing guest roasters being brought in by the baristas at Napolean to appreciate the quality of the coffee on offer. Keen supporters of local Irish roasters such as Lucid from Belfast and Carrow Coffee, Sligo, they have also recently featured one of our favourite roasters MOK from Belgium and Manhattan from Amsterdam.
10. THE POCKET
68 Upper Church Lane Belfast
The Pocket is one of the top Brunch spots in Belfast city centre, a short walk from Victoria Square shopping centre. 3FE coffee roasters from Dublin are a staple on the bar with some top guest roasters recently featured such as Five Elephant from Berlin. Where the pocket excels is in its brunch menu with their French toast being an absolute work of art!
11. HJEM
Unit 2 BA, York Street, Belfast
Set within the new University of Ulster campus Hjem is a chilled Scandanavin-inspired space with beautiful views of St Annes Cathedral. This is a perfect spot to re-caffeinate between lectures and pick up some really tempting sweet treats by Kinandfolk and Fjord bakery.
12. 5A
5A Lockview Road, Belfast
Located in Stramillis close to the banks of the river Lagan, 5a is one of the earliest speciality coffee shops in Belfast. They have recently expanded their space allow more seating and a great outside seating area for those sunny summer days. Sister café to General Merchants you will find Whitestar coffee on the bar for a quality filter or espresso coffee. Their brunch menu is very reasonably priced but don’t expect any reduction in quality with the General Merchants quality evident throughout their dishes.
13. OUTPUT
479 Lisburn Road, Belfast
A fixture of the speciality coffee scene on the Lisburn Road for a number of years now, Output is offering some of the most interesting brunch dishes in the Belfast coffee scene. Their food has street food vibes with an eclectic twist such as their Pig pancakes which features a black pudding scotch egg and S’more lost bread, a brioche French toast with meringue, cookie crumb and homemade Nutella. Regularly featuring guest roasters such as Caravan and Girls who grind coffee, you will not be disappointed by the coffee on offer.
14. AUDACITY
341 Beersbridge Road, Belfast
A newcomer to the speciality coffee scene in Belfast, Audacity has popped up in East Belfast. They have gained popularity for their huge sausage rolls which are well worth the visit. If it’s something sweet you are after you can’t go wrong with one of their delicious cinnamon swirls. Frequently changing up their guest roasters you will always find something special on the bar with Clifton coffee, Rush Rush and Machina coffee having recently featured.