During my time in the UK and Republic of Ireland, I was lucky enough to eat some really delicious food. As this is my first food blog post, I feel it is probably necessary to apologize upfront for my sometimes limited palate. You won’t find any seafood in these posts but you will find a lot of Tex-Mex (yes, even in Ireland). I consider it a personal mission to find good tacos and burritos wherever I roam and they are always a go-to if I start getting hangry. So, with those small caveats, here are some of my favorite things I ate during the first part of my journey.
Dublin
I was in Dublin for the smallest amount of time but I set out to find some good shepherd’s pie. I headed to the Old Storehouse in Temple Bar and enjoyed it with a cider. It was good but I think I could have found better outside of the Temple Bar touristy area. Strapped for time though, it met my needs and the great service and live music provided at the venue made it worth a visit.
Another place I would recommend in Dublin is Queen of Tarts. The cute bakery is tucked away on a quieter street and was highly recommended online. I grabbed an apple crumble tart that was delicious but not cloyingly sweet. I’d recommend a visit there.
Belfast
My friend Joe recommended a visit to Pizza Punks Belfast and it did not disappoint. They make personal pizzas and you can customize what toppings you want. Since I had not had a Guinness yet, I went with a Guinness brisket and macaroni and cheese pizza. I was very happy with my choice and it lasted for two meals which is always a huge plus, especially whilst traveling. They also had a good selection of ciders there.
When I went on the Game of Thrones Tour, we stopped for lunch at the Fullerton Arms. I got an Irish chicken Caesar salad. I was sold on this choice solely because it had bacon. Everyone on the tour was pretty hungry and the service was so fast. I didn’t get a picture of my salad because I devoured it so fast. Aside from the food, this place is awesome for GoT fans. They have a door that is carved from a fallen Dark Hedges tree and their own throne set up so that you can take photos there.
Another place I tried in Belfast is Bao Bun, a Taiwanese street food restaurant. You can choose your base, protein, and sauce to make your meal. I chose the rice, chicken, and house combo sauce. It was full of flavor, but if I tried it again I would try the bao (steamed bun) as the base. For a quick and reasonably priced meal in Belfast, this place has you covered.
Galway
I was starving when I arrived in Galway and searched up and down the street my hostel was on for something that sounded good to eat. Luckily, I stumbled upon Vocho, a Mexican restaurant. The first menu item I ordered from there was a huge chorizo quesadilla that was filling and lasted two meals (budget-friendly yay). This place was so good I went back for tacos too. In three days, I ate Vocho as many times, so I’m definitely a big fan. It’s a fast and delicious option in Galway.
The other place I dined at in Galway was the Lighthouse Cafe. I met a friend for dinner here at this vegan and vegetarian spot. I ordered a salad with falafel and pomegranate arils. This will begin a pattern of me eating lots and lots of falafel so I apologize in advance for the lack of variety in the coming posts. This meal was as tasty as it was pretty.
Glasgow, Scotland
Firewater is a bar/restaurant across from the music venue I went to my last night in Glasgow. It was pouring out and in my typical fashion, I had left my umbrella at the hostel. I ran in and ordered some chicken tenders and fries not expecting much but some sustenance. I was surprised to find they had a nice kick to them and a great sauce- I’d definitely go back again.
Oxford, U.K.
It had been years since I had been back to Oxford and I had been dreaming of the Indian food there ever since I’d been away. Cinnamon’s was the first place I’d tried there and the food held up. Their chicken tikka misala tasted exactly like I remembered. I also tried another place this visit called Yeti, a nepalese place which was even better. The peshwari naan was insanely good.
A trip to Mission Burrito is always high on my list in Oxford. This time, they were serving a special barbeque pulled chicken so I decided to try that on my burrito. It was really good and in a good location if you’re spending a day in town.
Last but certainly not least, I finally had the opportunity to try Ben’s Cookies. They have a location within the Oxford Covered Market. I tried the Triple Chocolate Chunk and the Peanut Butter. They were both fantastic but I preferred the chocolate one because the peanut butter one had a ton of peanuts in it. That’s just a matter of preference though. I had been expecting a smoother cookie but the taste is still amazing.
That’s it for the UK and Rebublic of Ireland! Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for my next stop: Belgium!
Bri Right Back 