Northern Ireland is a foodie’s paradise full of some of the best local produce, and Christmas is the ideal time for a taster.
Whether it's a visit to St. George’s Market for the ultimate one-stop Christmas shop or indulgent festive hampers from Arcadia Delicatessen, Sawers, or Indie Fude, there's a wealth of gift ideas for your loved ones to sip and savour, all while supporting local businesses this holiday season.
Gift the opportunity to explore the Northern Ireland Spirits Trail, with a visit to one of our local distilleries crafting award-winning drinks that capture the essence of our landscapes and natural surroundings.
Or treat someone to a voucher for one of our world-class restaurants and bars, where talented chefs and mixologists will showcase their cooking and cocktail skills.
Why not give the gift of culinary knowledge this Christmas with an immersive cookery or baking experience, such as Bakehouse NI, Mrs C’s Home Kitchen or Wee Buns Cookery School as your loved ones learn new skills that will benefit the whole family.
Discover Northern Ireland has curated the following list, to buy now or secure a voucher, to tempt the tastebuds of the food lover in your life.
County Down
• NearyNogs, Kilkeel: Visit Northern Ireland’s first bean-to-bar chocolate maker and learn all about their chocolate-making process. When you visit for the NearyNogs Master Craft Chocolate Experience you’ll be taken through the entire chocolate making process from bean sorting, gentle roasting, breaking and winnowing to stone grinding and more. Then you’ll experience the rich and unique flavours of chocolate from across the globe. It’s an 85-minute tour suitable for all, but perhaps best enjoyed by adults and children from 12 years of age.
County Antrim
• Waterman House Cookery School, Belfast: The cookery school offers a range of day and evening classes for all ages and abilities. Waterman House aims to celebrate great cooking skills at all levels, demystifying and engaging the class to learn new skills that will enable you to make delicious dishes that can be prepared quickly, or in advance, to be enjoyed with family and friends at home. Classes are informal and relaxed, but well-structured and feature a mix of demonstration and hands-on cooking.
County Fermanagh
• Enniskillen Taste Experience: Discover a unique perspective of the island town on this three-hour gourmet tasting tour.Departing from Enniskillen Castle, you’ll experience the tastes, sounds and sights of the bustling town. Your local guide will introduce you to award-winning producers and family run businesses. You’ll get to sample over 20 fantastic food and drink specialities that are unique to County Fermanagh, including Joe the Baker's sour dough, Pat O’Doherty’s famous black bacon and Boatyard Gin.
County Armagh
• Long Meadow Cider Farm Tour & Tasting Experience, Portadown: Join the McKeever family on their orchard farm for an unforgettable experience. You’ll hear about their family traditions, developed over three-generations of apple farming, the heritage of apple growing in County Armagh, and witness first-hand how the family make their high-quality apple juices, cider and cider vinegar on site. In the bottling plant and press room you'll witness how the apples are processed and pressed. In the Bramley Barn learn how to make soda bread, and enjoy it hot straight off the griddle, served with local cheese and chutneys, and of course, a tasting of craft ciders and fresh apple juice.
County Tyrone
• Maeve’s Kitchen, Greencastle: Set on the family farm amidst beautiful open countryside, the home of Maeve McCullagh offers spectacular views of the Sperrin mountains where shoulders drop and visitors instantly relax. Learn how to bake some traditional Irish breads in a hands-on immersive and fun experience. Put your newfound skills to the test as you mix, knead and roll before popping into the oven. Meave shares stories of local heritage and her own personal journey as the aroma of freshly baked bread fills the air.
County Londonderry
• Derry’s Famous Beer & Cheese Tour, Claudy: Kick off with avisit to Northbound Brewery to get inside the life of a working brewery, taste the brews on offer and meet and hear the story of the team. After a 30-minute scenic trip to thebeautiful Sperrin Mountains, enjoy a visit to Dart Mountain Cheese to meet the cheesemaker and hear the story of the cheeses inspired by the Sperrin landscapes and legends. Not forgetting the opportunity to sample the range of award-winning cheeses.
All subject to availability. Book in advance to avoid disappointment. For more information on great places to visit this Christmas in Northern Ireland visit, www.discovernorthernireland.com.
