Derry cuisine: 10 things we love

Aerial view of Derry City and the River Foyle, Londonderry, Northern Ireland

10 things to love about the food in Derry

Award-winning pork

Northern Irish pork is known for its quality and flavour. William Grant and Co in Derry has been producing and curing bacon, pork and ham since 1911 using traditional methods handed down over the years. It does many great award-winning products but one of the best things is the classic drycure bacon which we always have on the menu. We’re lucky to have it on the doorstep.

Foyle Bia Mara oysters

These sustainably grown oysters benefit from the waters of both the Atlantic Ocean and River Foyle’s freshwater tides to give them their own unique flavour. It’s a small family-run business – I visited a couple of weeks ago and it’s an incredible place. They are doing really hard work down there but the quality of their oysters is incredible.

Local breweries

We’re spoilt for choice here. We have Walled City Brewery, which is on the Ebrington side of the Peace Bridge – it does great stouts, the classic being an oyster stout using the left-over shells from local Lough Foyle oysters, and it also has a taproom where you can try all the brews. You have Northbound Brewery which does a great bottled pale ale. Rough Brothers microbrewery makes red ale, oatmeal stout and pale ales, Dopey Dick Brewing (named after a killer whale who lost his way and swam into Derry in 1977) is known for its bold, experimental flavours, and the brewery has its own sister pub, The Guildhall Taphouse, and there’s Lacada Brewery out in Portrush.

Dart Mountain Cheese

These are two great local cheesemakers, Kevin and Julie Hickey, based at the foot of Dart Mountain in the Sperrins. It’s a family production with all of the cheeses made in small batches. They have about six or seven cheeses now and have won lots of awards. You can go up and see the cheeses being made by Julie. They are so welcoming, they’ll take you through the whole process then do a tasting of their cheeses. My favourite is the Sperrin Blue – one of their many award winners.

LegenDerry Food Festival

It’s a really exciting time for food in Derry now with new restaurants and food businesses opening every week. The food scene is getting bigger and bigger, and we are lucky to have the LegenDerry Food Network which brings together, supports and promotes all of the local businesses, suppliers and producers. It really wants to showcase our food scene and encourage more people to visit. It organises a LegenDerry Food Festival every year, which aims to promote all of the great food and drink we have.

Distilleries

Obviously Irish whiskey is famous but we have some really exciting producers doing other spirits as well. You’ve got Wild Atlantic Distillery which makes a great award-winning gin and some really high-end beautiful whiskeys, and Earhart Gin, named after Amelia Earhart who had to make an emergency landing in Derry in 1932, and produced by Walled City Brewery. Niche Drinks makes St Brendan’s, which you won’t find outside Ireland but is a cream liqueur made in Derry.

Check out our picks of the best Irish whiskey to buy, to find the perfect bottle for you.

Traditional foods

There’s still a lot of love for traditional flavours and we try to keep a few alive on the menu. We do a version of yellowman, which is a traditional Northern Irish treat. It’s a seaside rock-like candy, a harder version of cinder toffee. We make our own, then crumble that into ice cream and serve it with sticky toffee pudding – people love seeing it on the menu. There’s also boxty, traditional Irish potato pancakes made from grated potato and fried, usually served with a side of smoky bacon for breakfast.

Potato Cakes. Vegetable fritters, latkes, hash browns

Greencastle fish

We are blessed with a bounty of seafood in Derry. Just 20 miles down the road is the fishing port of Greencastle. They’ll land fish in the morning and we’ll have it by afternoon, so you’ll really get the freshest of the fresh. The langoustines are beautiful at the moment but you’ll also get lovely scallops, and lobsters will be coming in soon, too, so you really get a fantastic range.

Broighter Gold rapeseed oil

This is an award-winning rapeseed oil grown just outside Limavady and is another producer we use at the Oak Room. It’s a family business (like a lot of businesses around here) and the rapeseed oil is a great ingredient to cook and finish dishes with. It does a classic one then various flavoured oils, including a great smoked version.

Redgate Cider

This is made by Gordon Chambers, who planted a six-acre orchard with 180 varieties just outside the city in Lismacarol. He started making cider as a hobby but now produces this great craft cider which he supplies to loads of restaurants and bars in the city. We cook with it as well – I use it in a dish with local mussels and leeks.

5 places to eat and drink in Derry

Artis by Phelim O’Hagan

Artis is a beautifully calm and stylish space in Derry’s Craft Village with a menu offering refined modern Irish cooking. Chef Phelim’s dishes champion seasonality and local produce – choose from the à la carte or go for the full seven-course tasting menu which can be enjoyed with a thoughtful (and generous) wine pairing. Expect dishes such as roast cod with Killary Fjord mussels, and Gubbeen chorizo and fennel, and take advantage of the offer to match a cocktail to your dessert. artisatcraftvillagederry.com

El Tapas Grá

This is a relaxed spot bringing a taste of Spanish small plates to Derry’s buzzy Waterloo Place. The varied dishes include chorizo bon bons and pork belly roulade with black pudding crumb, with the robata grill bringing an authentic charcoal grilled flavour. If you can’t fit it in, get the excellent Basque cheesecake with cherries to go. eltapasgra.com

Terra Bakehouse

This is a bright, contemporary café-bakery offering superior pastries, cakes and bread. Guinness and cheddar sourdough, cardamom buns and perfectly laminated croissants are on offer to eat in or takeaway, and the brunch menu is concise but beautifully done – think smashed avocado toast with halloumi, pink pickled onions and poached eggs, or giant sourdough toasties with slow-cooked gammon and melted cheddar. Ideal for a leisurely morning coffee or grab-and-go treat. @terrabakeryderry

Walled City Brewery

A real gem inside Derry’s Ebrington Square, Walled City Brewery is equal parts restaurant and craft beer haven. The food menu champions Northern Irish produce – think slow-cooked meats, fresh fish and excellent vegetarian options – all designed to pair with the small-batch brews. The tasting paddles are fun for exploring the beer selection. It’s a laid-back, friendly place that balances great food with a community feel and creative drinks. walledcitybrewery.com

Pyke ’n’ Pommes

What started as a street food truck is now an institution. Pyke ’n’ Pommes serves fun, creative food packed with flavour from a converted Derry bus — from Korean fried chicken burgers to fish tacos and loaded fries. Ingredients are super fresh (the fish comes from next door fishmonger Moore on the Quay), portions are generous and the riverside setting adds to the charm, whether you’re grabbing a bite or sitting in. pykenpommes.ie

Where to stay in Derry

Bishop’s Gate Hotel

This is a beautifully restored Edwardian building in the heart of Derry’s Cathedral Quarter, perfectly located to explore the Walled City. The boutique hotel’s history as a former gentlemen’s club (which once hosted Churchill and WB Yeats) is reflected in the décor with wood panelling, muted sage greens and rich plummy reds. Rooms are cosy and plush with rainfall showers and king-size beds. The Gown Restaurant serves hearty classics (there is a great steak selection) plus dishes with some international touches like duck tacos with apple and celeriac slaw, or miso Greencastle cod with noodles and pak choi. Breakfast is generous and, as well as a big continental buffet, there is an à la carte menu – go for a full Irish with local bacon, sausages and black pudding, or try the eggs florentine with a soda farl subbed in for the usual muffin. For a pre- or post-dinner drink, the adjoining Wig Bar serves local brews, such as Northbound 26 pale ale, and expertly crafted cocktails. bishopsgatehotelderry.com

The Ebrington Hotel

Opened in 2023 within the former site of the Ebrington Barracks, The Ebrington Hotel sits at the eastern end of the Peace Bridge. Rooms are airy, modern and luxurious, with brass fittings, soft muted colours and cosy woollen accessories. There is a small in-house spa, too, which produces its own toiletries, EB Botanicals, which are in all the bathrooms. At the Oak Room Restaurant chef Leigh Thurston offers refined cooking with a real emphasis on locally sourced ingredients (suppliers are showcased all through the menu) in dishes like Kilkeel lobster tortellini with charred leek and lobster sauce, and Coyagh Farm beef fillet with oxtail pie and sauce bordelaise. For a more relaxed setting, the Corner House Pub & Lounge offers great pub classics like fish and chips, and burgers, as well as handcrafted cocktails. theebringtonhotel.com

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