Where to Eat in Derry, Northern Ireland

Derry, Northern Ireland’s food scene is full of surprises. If you prefer culinary adventures to meat and potato standards, you’ll love dining out in Derry. I’m sure there are plenty of places to find a Chicken Supreme or Irish Stew in the walled city, but we opted for tapas and Southeast Asian street food. 

If you’re building an Ireland itinerary, we also have dining guides for Dublin and Kinsale, and our 14-day Ireland itinerary includes a stop in Derry if you’re still mapping out your trip.

Dinner Out in Derry

El Tapas Grá

Share plates of innovative dishes with Spanish and Irish influences.

On Halloween, the place was hopping, and our table was ready. It’s bigger inside than first appearances suggest. Intimate, not intrusive. We didn’t hear the conversations of neighboring tables. The lighting is date night ideal, warm and sexy. 

Their name is their motto El Tapas Grá, a mix of Spanish and Irish that means “Love Small Plates.” When we went, we followed the award-winning El Tapas Grá’s advice to arrive hungry, leave inspired. 

A friend joined us for dinner, which, apart from adding to the jovial fun of the evening, gave us an excuse to order more food than we might’ve otherwise had a chance to try. 

The Padron Peppers(sea salt, virgin olive oil) sent us reminiscing about life in Portugal. Many of our meals there started with this simple dish. The Milanesa de Pollo (breaded chicken with mixed peppers and onions piperade), loved by all, now sits on my list of meals to recreate at home. Another dish we all agreed on was the Manchego Cheese (honeycomb, sweet almonds, chargrilled bread, date jam). Warm bread is its own kind of magic.  

Chris loved their Carne Asada (flank steak, pinto bean pureé, chimichurri rojo). They use a great cut of steak and prepare it perfectly. I didn’t love the warm, cinnamon-y flavor I noted, and I’m not a fan of pureéd beans. Chris enjoyed all of the dishes’ flavors, and he likes beans a lot.

Their spicy margaritas are as spicy as promised. Yum! 

Service on a busy holiday night was super warm and attentive. 

Good to know:

They have strict table turn times, but we found our meals and experience well-paced, so we didn’t feel rushed. 

Be sure to make reservations well in advance. 

Mekong

Award-winning Southeast Asian street food that is full of surprises. 

Mekong, located on Magazine Street in Derry, within the city’s walls, is small in stature, big in flavor. It’s also busy. Yet, when we arrived, we were guided to the perfect table for two in the corner. We felt the excitement of the restaurant, yet apart, and we could hear one another well.   

We started with beverages. A Wild Berry Buddha (Ophir Gin, mixed wild berries, fresh lemon) for Chris, and a Mekong Champagne Sour (blood orange, Ginato Grapefruit Gin, Boatyard Gin, lemon) for me. His drink was sweeter, mine lighter. Both refreshing. 

Teriyaki Portobello Mushroom Spring Rolls to share. Yum! Chris had Mekong’s Pad Thai Noodles with Honey-Cured Chicken, without the Prawns, due to allergies. We’re both allergic to shellfish. When he mentioned he liked spice, the server offered to bring him more peppers. He gladly accepted and added them on. 

I decided to try the Layered Aubergine, Courgette & Red Pepper, Nam Prik, Miso Mushroom, Turmeric & Coconut Rice. No regrets. The server explained that it was like a Tian with its thin layers of vegetables. Its top had this marvelous caramelized finish like the top of a rib, but better. If given the choice to recreate this dish at home or fly back and eat it at Mekong’s, I’d book the flight. I think it’d take years of trying to come close to the flavor.

We finished our meal with a lovely apple crisp.

Good to know: Make reservations well in advance.

Lunch, Warm-Ups, and a Nightcap

Not every meal can be a multicourse masterpiece for the senses. Sometimes you just need a bit of fuel before taking on your next adventure, or a spot to warm up between adventures, or one more beverage before calling it a night. These places met those needs for us during our stay in Derry. 

The Sandwich Co.

A fast casual spot with a vibe that conjures college days, perfect for a day with a packed itinerary. 

Less than a minute’s walk from where we stayed (Maldron Hotel Derry), The Sandwich Co. greeted us with funky decor. We sat at a red-and-white booth and took selfies beneath a Cheers sign. But before that, we ordered lunch at the counter from a welcoming and warm crew.

I ordered a baked potato with butter. It came with a small salad and a handful of crisps. The real butter melting into the potato brought me to the long dining table at my grandparents’ house on Sunday after church. Chris ordered a pastrami sandwich, toasted as recommended by the gentleman behind the counter. His meal didn’t prompt any memories, but he enjoyed it. 

Blackbird

The server at Mekong gave us great recommendations for where to have a nightcap. She suggested Guildhall Taphouse, or, if it was too busy, going around to Blackbird. Taphouse was too busy. It was a Saturday night. Blackbird was just as packed, but live music played, and a fashionable crowd stood or danced as they drank, so it didn’t feel awkward to not have a chair to sit in. It did feel awkward to be wearing baggy jeans and a Ralph Lauren Polo Bear sweater instead of skinny jeans and a dark top, or something a bit dressier.

A man sat at the mic with his guitar, playing songs as diverse as Sweet Caroline and Mr. Brightside. We ordered two 12-Year-Old Red Breasts neat. The bartender chilled our glasses, then poured our whiskeys. 

The atmosphere felt Victorian with its pretty tapestries.

Quick Stops Worth Knowing:

• Evie Coffee Shop (Craft Village) — a handful of tables, perfect for warming up between sights. Peppermint tea and a cappuccino hit the spot between our Bogside walking tour and the Tower Museum.
• The Dungloe Bar (Waterloo Street) — if you want traditional Irish pubs in succession, this is your street. Laidback, local crowd on Halloween night.

We’d return to any and all of these establishments and add a day or two to my Derry itinerary to try more of them. After enjoying such top-notch food, drink, and service, how could we not?  

This is part of our 5 Days in Northern Ireland itinerary.

Planning a trip to Ireland? Grab our free Ireland Insider guide for our top picks across Dublin, Galway, and Kinsale.

Prefer to skip the research and have someone build the perfect trip for you? I’m also a luxury travel advisor specializing in Ireland — let’s plan your trip together →

For more travel inspiration, connect with us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for more travel and food inspiration.