Just across the road from the Ulster Museum, Manus McConn’s unusual high-ceilinged room was originally the William Conor studio (1944-1959) and is bright with natural light from a lantern roof. The art theme is carried through to having original work always on show - there’s a permanent exhibition of Neill Shawcross’s bold and colourful work.
Open for breakfast and brunch, through coffee, lunch, afternoon tea and eventually dinner, this is Belfast restaurants a casual place.
A major makeover in November 2014 caused much excitement in the locality but, although menu changes were introduced at the same time, the commitment to quality is sure to remain unchanged.
Famous for their great (and well-priced) brunches, they do lovely 'between' bites too - good coffee, and their famous home-baked scones.
Then there are informal meals with an international tone that are all worth dropping in for, such as superfood salad (with optional chicken skewer), Greek halloumi and warm mixed bean salad, appealing pasta dishes, and classic dishes such as Carlingford Lough fish pie. Quite a lot of aromatic Middle Eastern flavours feature, and plenty of choice for vegetarians.
Popular with locals, this place is a real find for those visiting the Museum (especially on Sundays); the only downside is that background music is sometimes too loud, which can make it difficult to converse.
Also at: Café Conor has two sister restaurants, Green Pizzeria (www.greenspizza.com) at Ballyhackamore and on the Lisburn Road.
