Belfast Restaurant Week promises fresh experiences this October

Belfast Restaurant Week, a much-anticipated celebration of the city’s vibrant food and drink scene, is back for its fifth year.

Scheduled from October 7th to 13th, 2024, this event is set to elevate Belfast’s culinary landscape, offering a platform for restaurants to showcase innovative experiences.

Led by Belfast’s three Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) – Belfast One, Destination CQ, and Linen Quarter BID – the event encourages citywide participation from food establishments. Unlike previous years, which focused primarily on value-driven offers, the 2024 edition promises a richer experience. Restaurants are invited to host a variety of events, including food pairings, tasting menus, cooking demonstrations, and masterclasses, creating unique dining experiences for attendees.

The success of last year’s Restaurant Week, which saw 49 participating venues and generated an estimated £190K in additional city centre spending. Damian Corr, Manager at Destination CQ BID, believes this year’s evolved format will further support the local hospitality industry. “Belfast Restaurant Week is a highlight of our food and drink calendar, with thousands of foodies supporting the celebration year-on-year and taking a greater bite out of what they know to be the local food scene. The event is a celebration that is all about exploring and discovering Belfast’s rich culinary scene. This year, we’ve enhanced the programme to ensure participating venues can include unique and experience-driven events. Our hospitality industry has shown incredible resilience over the past few years – signalling the quality of our offering and highlighting how important the culinary experience is to Belfast as a destination. We look forward to collaborating with hospitality businesses once again this year to ensure this event continues to be a success.”

Stephen Haller, Director and Owner of Home Restaurant Belfast, expressed excitement about the new approach. “The restaurant industry can be challenging, with rising costs and staffing shortages, so anything that brings a buzz and gets people excited to dine out is something we wholeheartedly support. We’re looking forward to contributing to a vibrant atmosphere in Belfast and making this year’s Restaurant Week the best one yet. We can’t wait to see everyone come out and enjoy what we’ve got planned!”

Last month Belfast’s three city BIDs appointed Michael Stewart as the city centre’s first Night Czar. A crucial element of the role is to support hospitality businesses to enhance the night-time economy.

Damien continues, “Belfast is an exceptional performer when it comes to food and drink. It’s home to some of the world’s best talent and Northern Ireland food produce is acclaimed for its quality. Restaurant Week is a platform that makes sense – it showcases the flair and creativity of our establishments and offers consumers a compelling reason to get out and enjoy the food scene. I commend the BIDs for their continued efforts in creating a landmark event that brings the industry together whilst also opening opportunities to drive footfall.”

For more information on Belfast Restaurant Week and to explore upcoming offers, visit belfastrestaurantweek.org. Hospitality businesses interested in participating are encouraged to reach out to Lesley at lesley@theeventor.com.