Belfast advise please!

[alphaechokiwi]

Hi lovely Northern Ireland mumsnetters! I wonder if you can advise me....

We're landing in George Best Airport at 9ish on a week day morning in early February. I wonder if anyone can suggest a nice place to get breakfast? Somewhere we can relax for an hour or two as we will have been up very early for the flight (maybe a hotel?) We're two adults and two children 7 & 5. We have tickets for the Titanic exhibition later in the morning and then we're also looking for somewhere nice for lunch before travelling on.

I'm grateful for any suggestions! Thank you!

Sorry I can't help not having livied in Belfast for years, but The Titanic experience is abslutely fantastic and they have a good cafe, possibly for lunch. Enjoy!

Not quite what you asked but I spent at least half a day at the Titanic exhibition so seems ambitious for you to fit it all in before lunch especially if you’re not landing until 8am and going somewhere for breakfast first. I think you’ll be rushing round it if you aim for that timescale. Having said that, I did a walking tour which I don’t think everyone does so if you don’t do that it will be quicker for you but even so it sounds like a very rushed itinerary. Agree with pp though the cafe at Titanic was lovely so a good choice for lunch.

Sorry, landing at 9am, fat fingers!

The City airport is near the city center by taxi. It’s not an hotel but the Avoca cafe does a lovely breakfast. Bit more fancy schmanzy than the norm.

@ChessieFL - thanks! We can actually spend longer at Titanic, so perhaps we'll have lunch there to break it up. We don't have to leave Belfast until mid afternoon...

Still looking for somewhere for breakfast though....

Titanic exhibition is good but I’m not sure the breakfast is particularly special - happy to stand corrected.

10 - 15 mins in rush hour traffic would take you from the airport to the city center, less if traffic is light. You will have more options in the city center.

@SlatternIsMyMiddleName - I love Avoca - I didn't know there was one in Belfast, that's a great suggestion thank you mentally upping budget for the trip now We're hiring a car but can presumably park close by?

@SlatternIsMyMiddleName - thank you. What's parking like in the city centre?

There are loads of car parks nearby although they can be pricey.

I now want an Avoca breakfast. Dammit!

I never go out for breakfast in town but heard
The mac is great but only open certain days. established has great coffee.
the national, the pocket, Maggie mays also options.
There's a place called thyme but haven't been.
Harlem seems popular but haven't been in years

For easiness I would park in Victoria Square. As it is an underground car park there are loads of spaces. It isn’t cheap though.

Avoca is about a 5 minute walk.

Titanic Hotel beside the Titanic exhibition does a lovely breakfast. You might have to book ahead. You park underground for the Titanic exhibition and you can access the hotel from there too. It used to the the Harland and Woolf drawing offices (build the Titanic) and is a beautifully renovated building.

Parking is reasonable on the street with the just park app/cash. Parking in Victoria square etc is like £4 an hour I'd guess.

Oh and it’s lovely for lunch too, just spotted that.
But you could go into the city centre. I found Avoca disappointing . Not sure what it’s like since lockdown. Where are you off to afterwards? There might be somewhere out of the city.

Thanks @Countmeout that hotel looks great. We're heading in the Enniskillen afterwards.

French Village, Maryville Tearooms both on Lisburn Road.

I think if as it sounds you’ll not be out of the exhibition until mid afternoon I’d head on up the M1 towards Enniskillen, stop at Sprucefield for a car picnic, there’s a Mi Sushi in Marks and Spencer if you want something fancier than a sandwich, get the children a Happy Meal in mcDonalds and head on to your hotel where I assume you’ll get dinner.