Ballynahinch Restaurant Guide

In the city centre, next to Deanes Meat Locker, this May 2024 newcomer from pioneering Belfast chef Michael Deane – who has had various restaurants on this site since 1997 – occupies the space of his former flagship Deanes Eipic and Love Fish, which he shuttered in late 2023 citing the rising cost of living, as customers opted for lower-priced options for eating out. Long regarded as one of the best restaurants in Northern Ireland, it was regularly rated highly in the annual Harden’s guides. The latest venture, he says, combines the best from the former Brasserie, Deli and Love Fish at the same address.

A reputation for “innovative” and high-quality Spanish-influenced tapas has helped establish this buzzing venue near Belfast City Hall as one of the city’s better-known foodie destinations. Classical scholars will know that ‘edo’ is Latin for ‘I eat’, but the style of the place – with its long counter and kitchen on view – is very contemporary (and sometimes preferred at dinner rather than lunch).

“A six-course themed taster menu, that changes every six weeks!” is the “playful idea” at Nico Simeone’s national chain, whose two London branches (in Fitzrovia and Canary Wharf) are “great for special occasions, but also affordable for a regular monthly meal out to experience the different cuisines”. At such keen prices, it’s unreasonable to expect perfection and most diners acknowledge this: it’s “a clever, and obviously very popular, concept, albeit one where the experience can seem a bit manufactured”; “although it doesn’t always live up to expectations, when you get the right menu everything clicks into place”; so while inevitably it’s “hit and miss, it’s also great value”, and “for a fun evening it does the job well”.

Now over 10 years old, Michael Deane’s traditional steakhouse is his longest-serving operation at this address. It doesn’t inspire the feedback his flagship operation has traditionally done, but in a December 2023 visit, The Observer’s Jay Rayner thought that “the womb of a red-walled dining room feels like a happy place” and shows that Deane is “clearly also extremely good at the laidback” style of dining as well as more haute cuisine.