From bake offs to beer sampling, farmer's markets to food tours, gala dinner venues to gourmet goodies, it’s all on offer in Northern Ireland. Meetings, incentives, conference and events (MICE) participants will be spoiled for choice when it comes to fine dining, food trails, food-based activities and taste events.
Bramley Apple Harvest, County Armagh
Foodie trails and tours
The Mourne Foods and Films Cycle Tour at Enniskeen Country Hotel in County Down enables visitors to explore locally produced foods and famous filming locations in the beautiful Shimna Valley. Showcasing the delicious artisan food in the region, visitors will witness awe-inspiring locations used in films like Philomena, Game of Thrones, The Fall, and Dracula Untold.
Likewise, in the Ballygally Castle Hotel on the Causeway Coastal Route, visitors can enjoy a Game of Thrones®-themed afternoon tea inspired by the nearby filming of the HBO TV series. The Causeway Coast Foodie Tours are guided tours that include the Catch and Sea Tour where visitors have a chance to fish for their own catch of the day in the crystal-clear waters of the Causeway Coast.
The Lough Erne Food Trail in Enniskillen combines tranquil time on the water with time spent relishing the local larder. Producers such as Kettyle Irish Foods and Eringrove Preserves are onboard, with stops at leading restaurants en route, such as the Catalina at the Lough Erne Resort. Sit back and soak up the amazing scenery as you travel from shorelines to islands.
Cookery schools
If you’re eager to revitalise a passion for cooking, Belfast Cookery School classes cater for all abilities – from knife skills to bread making or having a dinner party. Private room hire is available for social occasions, corporate events and team building exercises. Capitalise on the fresh, local ingredients and put those culinary skills to good use!
The Cookery School at James Street South in Belfast is a purpose built interactive kitchen and is perfect location for sharing your passion for produce and cooking. The Cookery School is run by Niall McKenna and his team of chefs and is located above on James Street South.
They offer a great selection of practical cookery classes for food lovers of all abilities and avid cooks who want to improve their skills. Practical classes cater for groups of up to 10 people, each cooking at their own workstation, and hob. In addition to their class schedule they offer private classes for groups of 10 or more whether this is for a fun night out, a corporate team building event or entertaining with a difference.
Taste events and experiences
In Hilden Brewery, Lisburn, discover the magic of brewing by visiting Ireland's oldest independent brewery and appreciate 35 years of craft beer. The menu at Hilden Brewery's adjacent restaurant, The Tap Room, features dishes cooked using brewery beer and pairings.
Stop at the Old Bushmills Distillery on the Causeway Coastal Route for a tour or a drop of malt while sitting by the roaring peat fire. The Bushmills Brand Experience encompasses guided tours around Ireland’s oldest working distillery alongside the associated sights and smells and tutored tastings of the world-famous spirit. Bushmills is the only distillery in Ireland to make triple-distilled single malt whiskey with a unique combination of smoothness and richness.
If craft beer whets your whistle, then one of the great places you can make for is the Walled City Brewery in Derry-Londonderry. By having a fully operational brewery and add-on restaurant in the same building, it is the first of its kind. Try some Boom, Stitch, Kicks, Snout and Love LocALE – all beers inspired by the history of Derry, and indeed of delicious Northern Ireland itself.
Get in touch
For more information on Ireland's contemporary culinary culture contact the Meet in Ireland Team today.