Nick and Kathy Price’s long established Belfast restaurants located in what was originally a whiskey warehouse (built for Bushmills Whiskey in 1832), and when they opened here over 150 years later they were very much the culinary pioneers in this now popular area of Belfast.
It’s a clever conversion on two floors, with interesting lighting and an open kitchen, which is intended to be theatrical and adds to the buzz. This was Belfast’s first wine bar and, although the layout has changed a little, wine is an even more important element these days, as they now have their own wine business.
Both lunch and dinner are served on the informal ground floor (Anix) and also the restaurant upstairs, which is slightly more formal; menus change daily in both areas, depending on the fresh produce available from a network of trusted suppliers.
The style is lively and contemporary, with menus offering a wide range of dishes which are consistently interesting and often include unusual local items, and game in season; there’s always an imaginative selection of vegetarian dishes, and menus are considerately marked with symbols indicating dishes containing nuts or oils and also shellfish.
Consistency is a special feature (head chef Sean Craig has been at Nick’s since 1996), and Nick Price does a lot for the food scene in Belfast, including being generous with his time; he supports numerous food initiatives, and is Chairman of the Taste of Ulster group.
There’s a sense of fun about this place (“Why not try one of our ‘Seductive Money Saving Offers’ pudding and a glass of dessert wine or cheese with port”) so it’s no wonder that Nick’s has a loyal clientèle who love the good food, attentive, friendly service and the buzz.
A well-priced and entertaining wine list offers a carefully selected range of house/by the glass wines, a small selection of (very good value) fine wines, and a special Spanish list.
Seats 130 downstairs (+ 55 upstairs, available as private room at night). L & D Tue-Sat 12-3 & 6-9.30 (Fri & Sat to 10); set 2/3 course value D Tue-Fri £16.95/19.95; also a la carte L&D. House wines from about £12.95; children welcome before 9 pm; toilets wheelchair accessible; air conditioning. Closed Sun, Mon, 24-25 Dec, 1 Jan, Easter Mon & Tue, 12 Jul. Amex, Diners, MasterCard, Visa, Switch.
