Belfast, International Restaurant Guide

2022 Review: “Excellent tapas-style dishes (not all Spanish themed), a decent wine list and great cocktails with efficient and friendly service” combine to make Jonny Elliott’s four-year-old an attractive option in the centre of town. There’s an open kitchen so “you can watch the chefs working away, including their wood-fired oven” – one of the first Bertha ovens in Ireland.

“Such amazing value for a six-course, themed, tasting menu” that changes every six weeks – that’s the USP of Nico Simeone’s national chain, which, over five years, has grown from its Glasgow base to number nine in total (with London having two: in Fitzrovia and Canary Wharf). Of course it’s “slightly gimmicky”, but on the whole it’s “a good effort at a budget experience”: “you get what you pay for, and while not all dishes hit the mark, and service can be a bit hit ’n’ miss (particularly at busy times), it is innovative, has a great buzz and is a lot of fun”.