Local Greengrocers are hard to find these days, fortunately I have been lucky enough to live beside…read moreone for years. Just situated off the Prince Charles way, Helens has a great selection of fruit and vegetables that are local and fresh. They also have a great selection of flowers that are a lot more preferential than the ones you would otherwise get it a big supermarket or a garage. If I am ever looking quality ingredients when I am planning to cook a meal from scratch, which I will admit is rare, I would always look here first. Everything you need for good honest cooking can be found here, as well as a good selection of the more exotic ingredients that may be required.

Nice wee corner market, the man in Xthe shop is very sweet an friendly. They have sweets,…read morecrips/snacks, drinks and some flowers and vegetables.

This was an amazing little marketplace we got to discover on our recent trip to Ireland! Open only…read moreon the weekends, this place was ALIVE when we were there. There were tons of people, both locals and tourists, walking around enjoying the food, drinks and items each vendor had to offer here. The place was alive with live music playing, as well as a school group performing dances in one area and a band playing in another area. The vendors were super friendly and we got to try samples of a few different things before we decided to buy a couple things to nibble on while waiting for our hotel to let us check in. There were a ton of different vendors and at this place, I had one of the best bao buns I have ever had, filled with curry chicken! Prices amongst the vendors seemed very reasonable and I ended up buying a couple cute little magnets one vendor had to offer!

The market was very busy, but I did go at lunchtime on a Saturday…read more The first stall I went to had loads of fresh hummus, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, etc. They also had big chunks of focaccia, soda bread, Guinness bread and fresh garlic bagels. At the recommendation of the lovely woman working there, I got the caramelised onion hummus and smothered it all over the garlic bagel (the best thing ever). I also got the sun-dried tomato pesto, which I nearly ate in one sitting. If I lived here, I would be at this stall every week! There were some cute stalls with local vendors selling souvenirs, artwork, and jewellery. There were also quite a few stands with cookies, pastries and sweet treats. These all looked really good. On the other side of the market, there was a lot more hot food. They had everything from tacos, mac and cheese and large portions of fries with various toppings. Everything looked really good and the beef taco from Med Mex was delicious! The sauce was to die for. Definitely worth the visit and might pop back in before I leave!

I popped in here on my way to the the train station to get a nice cake or something to stuff my…read moreface with on the train home. What a selection! Their cakes all looked so nice I couldn't choose just one so ended up with a box, on the pretence I would share them with my better half at home with some tea. I didn't. But I would certainly recommend their cakes and scones! So yummy! Prices are great too and they also offer some hot food inside too which I will certainly have to try next time I'm down this way!

This is a funny old fashioned wee place. I have eaten in here a couple of time when shopping in…read moreLisburn. They have a small range of hot food, buns, cakes, and pre packaged sandwiches available, including soft drinks, mineral waters, tea and coffee, plus ample space throughout to relax and enjoy your food. I particularly enjoy the large vol-au-vents they do, and I often pop in to see if they have any in, but unfurtunately one of the problems with Hedley's is, they don't have a great range, so I imagine you have to be in quite early to get a decent selection. I also tried one of their pre-packaged sanwiches, which was ham and cheese on brown bread, and it was not far off being inedible, the bread was dry and the ham and cheese were of poor quality, but I was pretty hungry and it did the job.

Definitely my idea of a great delicatessen with a fantastic selection of meats, cheeses, jars of…read moredelicacies, fresh olives, fish, pates, salads and everything else that you hope to find to complete a gourmet feast for a special treat. Among other things there is high quality bacon and locally produced smoked salmon. All sortsof specialised ingredients are likely to be here with things you don't find often such as the Canadian Clover Crest honey which I bought. The only trouble for me is that Arcadia is so far away up the traffic laden Lisburn Road though the longish opening hours are helpful. Mind you, perhaps it is just as well as I'd be overspending far too much.

Arcadia is quite possibly one of the best finds I have had the pleasure of discovering while…read morewriting my reviews. I'm not up on my deli / speciality foods, nor do I know my Perches from my Pollocks (apparently types of fish...yeah, I didn't know that either) but even I realised the extent of Arcadia's wonderfulness. Plus they sell American sweets. No longer was I interested in the Snappers or the Sea Breams (yep, more fish), the Gruyere or the Gouda (cheese this time)...I eyes were solely fixed on the sweetie selection. Picking up a packet of peanut butter M&Ms (I don't like peanut butter, nor do I like M&Ms), the feeling of the novelty of purchasing something that is so highly sought after over here overcame me. And so, they were bought for the grand price of £1.49. My sister, on the other hand, eyes popping out of her head, was visibly distressed by the varied and unusual choice of confectionery which lay before her. Well, Willy Wonka was the lucky man this particular day, and she selected a packet of 'Wonka Nerds'. And now I am officially going to immigrate to the USA. Ohhh, these are good. These are really, really good. Tiny drops of wild cherry and watermelon explode with flavour the moment you pop them in your mouth and start chewing. It's been nice knowing you all...I'll see you on the other side. (Of the ocean).

My family has been coming here for years. Although I am now living out of the country, this is my…read morefirst stop when I come home. I was just home for a few weeks and I couldnt get enough Rhubarb pie and sausage rolls. My aunt, who grew up in Sandy Row (my mom and family lived here) is not well, but her eyes grew big at lunch when I brought her a sampling of baked goods for lunch from Truffles. She then told me she stopped by at least once a week to pick up dough for pie cruusts. That answers how she got such great pie crust. Thank you Truffles....when you come, bring cash, believe me, youll be happy you did,

The quality of goods in this place is out of this world. You are greeted at the door with the…read moredelicious smell of home cooked tasties. They offer a variety of sausage rolls,pies,breads and sodas etc as well as sweet treats. The pies are really scrummy! I tend to buy in batch and freeze them. You can order your savoury items either hot or cold in the shop. The sweet items are equally as delicious, with a iced finger being my favourite. The people who work here are really nice and friendly and couldnt be more helpful. You always hear a tale or 2 while waiting your turn. This place is definitely a hidden treasure just outside the city centre.

Just done a review on the Antrim road shop, my mistake. My friend Patricia and myself (Irene) just…read morespent 4 wonderful days in Belfast. Thankfully we found this Shop/cafe on the first day, the cakes sandwiches and everything else we purchased were EXCELLENT. Only a small place with a few tables and chairs, ideal for people watching. The ladies working there could not have been more friendly, efficient if we had been family. When we didn't eat in they also did a great TAKEAWAY for us. Thank you. Bridget and ladies xxx

This is another branch of the local Old Oven Door Bakery firm. Much like the Antrim Road store this…read moreone stock the most delicious cream buns, tray bakes and fresh bread. The great thing about this chain is that all the baked goods are local which means you can guarantee they are freshly baked on the same day. Also, like the Antrim Road branch because of the location of this store the best cream buns sell out early so make sure you are there stocking up nice and early. Prices are great - cream buns will set you back less than £1! Top notch!

Went in here on Saturday morning just after 11 and got a table as ones were leaving. Small spot and…read morebustling on a Saturday which is a good sign. Simple brunch menu and have to say was really tasty and efficient and all home cooked. I had wheaten bread with poached egg and Ballymaloe relish, the bread was from French Village and lovely and the eggs had runny yolks which I love. They do fresh smoothies and don't appear to fry anything as there was a choice of poached or scrambled on the menu. They also have soya and almond milk, (unsweetened almond milk) I was delighted as not many do this. The other half had a grill and nothing was greasy or left a grease mark on the plate and nothing was left on the plate. This consisted of toast, poached eggs (runny yolks) large mushroom and bacon. Was simple and effective although the table was very small for everything.  Nice and friendly place with friendly efficient service and also reasonable compared to other places.

Oh what to do when you've got a day all on your own and all to yourself? Arrange a lazy, self…read moreindulgent, cafe surfing, kindle reading, treat day - that's what! Hence I ended up in Soul Food Cafe. It's extra busy, extra noisy and filled with all sorts of people and chattering kids. Cosy, warm, welcoming with table service and free wifi. Soul Food Cafe is homely and lovely with quaint art hanging on the walls. On my visit today I had broccoli soup and a ciabatta roll filled with hummus, onion marmalade, roast peppers and salad leaves. It was heavenly, proper warming comfort food on a miserable, rainy November day. The Americano coffee is pretty good and there are quite a few vegetarian options on the menu too. Thank you Colin W and Brian H for the excellent recommendation! I noticed they had a chalkboard sign up declaring their first floor BYO bistro is open Fridays and Saturdays and you can phone 028 9064 6464 to book. I'm returning - and very, very soon. Soul food indeed.

Ross's Café is housed in Ross's Auction House which has its main entrance on May Street. The café…read moreis accessed from a side door in Montgomery Street. This side of the building has a church-like skyline, with a louvred tower beside a pitched gable further along Montgomery Street. This was the administrative headquarters of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland before they built their present Assembly Buildings in Fisherwick Place. Ross's Cafe is a nice enough place but I preferred it in its early days a few years ago. I intended to go there before work this morning for a coffee and pastry which I would photograph and review here. Indeed my exterior photographs were from this morning but when I went inside, whilst there were some customers at the tables there were no staff members either at the counter or in the dining area to take an order. After a few minutes, I left. I went back at lunchtime and had the mushroom and blue cheese tart. This was a French-style rectangle of puff pastry with toppings. I don't think the actual mushrooms would have been the most flavoursome fungi on their own but the blue cheese provided the flavour.

Blink and you'll miss it, this cute little cafe hidden underneath Ross's Auctions is a little…read moretreat. With low ceilings and cosy corners, tastefully decorated with some antique pieces perhaps from their warehouse it is a good place to steel yourself with caffeine and pastries before hitting the shops. Because if is a little off the beaten track you will usually get a table, and for a light lunch the offerings are flavourful especially the soups. Definitely work checking out cake lovers too!