Open since December 2005, this atmospheric restaurant on two floors - informal ground floor bistro with a more elegant dining room above - is in the former stables of College Green House and there is nothing clichéd about it, giving an intriguing feeling that this away from it all place is a ‘find’.
This unusual Belfast restaurants menus have always included local produce and have a pleasingly down to earth tone - casual bistro fare downstairs with more ‘grown up’ versions upstairs.
Ciarán Steele, who has been the Head Chef since 2008, describes his accomplished food as 'a modern day take on Irish traditional cooking'. Wholesome, well considered dishes that illustrate the style could include organic fillet of salmon with spaghetti ‘Molly Malone’, crispy seaweed and a soft herb relish and, perhaps, wild garlic marinated chicken breast with a bacon and smoked Oakwood boxty, asparagus and truffle oil.
And it is always a place well worth visiting: Molly’s Yard is the site of Belfast’s first (and Ireland’s smallest) micro-brewery. And, although it is not currently in operation, an interesting drinks list remains a key attraction here - not surprisingly, as Molly's Yard is owned by Ireland's oldest independent brewery, Hilden Brewing Co, in nearby Lisburn.
Molly's Yard is the only restaurant in Belfast offering local craft beers Headless Dog, Molly's Chocolate Stout and Belfast Blonde on tap - and you will find some of the beers featuring on the menu too, notably in the moreish house bread, Molly’s Chocolate Stout Wheaten Bread.
