Anna Cafolla

Over the past half-decade or so, much has changed in the way we live, work and play in our cities. It wasn’t too long ago that lockdowns rendered the city centre all but obsolete and brought to the fore the vital role of our immediate neighbourhoods and communities.  Now, the balance has been restored. Our local neighbourhood remains fundamental: mini-villages where the barista knows your order, where local restaurants, bars and indie businesses thrive, and where communities continue to band together for all sorts of cool stuff, from art walks and day festivals to creating greener streets and pedestrian-friendly spaces. And six years on from the pandemic, the city centre is seeing a renaissance, with brand-new music venues, galleries, coffee shops and more opening up and welcoming a new generation of hybrid workers and the back-to-the-office crowd (and, of course, city-breakers and tourists).  On this year’s list of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods, you’ll see this mix play out. There are downtown hubs and seaside strips, homely enclaves and warehouse districts, all nominated by our global network of on-the-ground experts. This lucky lot spends their time exploring every corner of their hometowns to discover the best places to eat, drink, shop and hang out right now, so you can trust we know what we’re talking about. To decide the final ranking, a panel of Time Out editors vetted each neighbourhood against a range of criteria, including food and drink, nightlife, unique loc

The UK is a glorious place to eat, drink and generally be merry. Sure, there are loads of great restaurants in London, but there are hundreds more across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; ones where you’ll make napkin-stained memories that you’ll carry with you for the rest of your life. Especially if you head to Cumbria, which is home to the most Michelin stars in the UK outside of the capital. But as well as the diner’s paradise that is the Lake District, here is where else you need to head in order to sample some of the finest food and downright transcendent restaurant experiences the UK has to offer.  The best restaurants in the UK at a glance: 💸 The best for a big budget blow-out: Ynyshir, Ceredigion. 🧆 The best for vegetarians: Queen of Cups, Glastonbury. 🐚 The best for a seaside getaway: The Sportsman, Whitstable. 🥧 The best for experimental foodies: Osip, Somerset. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in the UK. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Whether you’re a local stuck for date night, a power luncher in need for ideas or you’ve just stepped off your early morning flight to the crisp, salty Lough air, the small port city of Belfast’s bold culinary scene has something for you. That’s a promise. Belfast restaurants do a lot of things well, but they particularly make good use of the access to seafood and vibrant local produce – expect Carlingford oysters and Dundrum mussels, potatoes every which way and steaks from the hills in the distance in abundance. And despite all the savoury offerings, we all have a bit of a sweet tooth – and the food scene knows exactly how to service it, with imaginative dessert menus everywhere you go. Buzzy bistros helmed by chefs made local celebrities, generational family establishments, and authentic international cuisines harnessing Irish ingredients abound here. But whatever you’re craving, we’ve rounded up the best restaurants in Belfast right now. Enjoy! RECOMMENDED:🌃 The best things to do in Belfast🍴 The best restaurants in the UK🦐 The best hidden foodie spots in the UK☀️ The best things to do in the UK Anna Cafolla is a writer based between Belfast and London. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.