Northern Ireland: Food and Drink
When thinking about Ireland, traditional comfort food comes to mind, rather than world-class cuisine. The world views the British as a meat and potatoes culture, which they were for a long time, However, the food culture in Northern Ireland is changing. There is a new emphasis on local and fresh foods, and in Northern Ireland's larger cities, every type of ethnic food is available.
Popular dishes in Northern Ireland include:
Champ: This is the definition of comfort food that consists of mashed potatoes made with butter, warm milk and spring onions.
Irish Stew: This is a staple of many Irish households and contains lamb meat, potatoes, carrots and onions. The Ulster version uses steak pieces instead of lamb.
Lough Neagh Eel: This dish is made up of fried pieces of eel cooked in a white wine onion sauce. It can also be smoked and served as a starter. Traditionally, in Northern Ireland, this dish is eaten on Halloween.
Drinks: Naturally, Guinness is a popular drink in Northern Ireland as is Bushmills Irish whiskey from
Things to know:
A service charge of between 10-15% may be added to bills in restaurants. If this is the case, a further tip is not necessary. However, if no service charge has been added, than a tip for good service is appreciated.
Drinking age:
People aged 16 and 17 can drink beer, wine or cider with a meal if an adult accompanies them. They cannot buy alcohol until they are 18.
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