In search of the best restaurants in Portrush? Our Portrush restaurants guide will make your belly happy!
Portrush is a lively little coastal town in Antrim and, while it’s small in size (population approx. 7,000), it packs a mighty punch when it comes to it’s food scene.
The town is home to three glorious beaches (Whiterocks Beach is outstanding), amusements and it’s a stone’s throw from the best the Causeway Coastal Route has to offer.
In the guide below, you’ll find everything from casual cafes to Portrush restaurants that are perfect if you want to mark a special occasion.
Our favourite restaurants in Portrush
Photo by Monicami (Shutterstock)
The first section of our guide to the best restaurants in Portrush tackles our favourite places to eat in Portrush.
These are pubs and restaurants that we (one of the Irish Road Trip team) have munched away in at some point over the years. Dive on in!
1. Urban Restaurant
Photos via Urban Restaurant on Facebook
Urban by name and contemporary by nature, the Urban Restaurant is an upscale restaurant on Dunluce Ave, Portrush.
It’s a mecca for local cuisine with a great chef and a varied menu. Try fresh fish and seafood, cooked to perfection, washed down with a chilled glass of sauvignon blanc.
Salads, BBQ pork, ribs, pasta dishes and pies are just some of the delicious options on the menu. This is one of the most popular Portrush restaurants for good reason!
2. Kiwi’s Brew Bar
Photo via Kiwi’s Brew Bar on Facebook
Located in one of the oldest Art Deco buildings in Portrush (a former cinema), Kiwi’s Brew Bar is all about the beer. Technically it’s a pub but it does great food so we’ve included it here.
As well as cask ales, it offers a stack of bottled beers served straight from the chillers lining the bar. Beer aficionados will enjoy the “Meet the Brewer” nights with invited speakers and IPA Fridays with live music and guest beers.
Yes, it serves wine, cider, gin and prosecco if that’s your thing. There’s also snacks and pubgrub, coffee and desserts.
3. The Tides Restaurant
Photos via the Tides Restaurant on Facebook
From cocktails to steaks, The Tides Restaurant in Portrush is a lunch and dinner venue that specialises in local cuisine.
It’s a great restaurant for a celebration or romantic meal and you can count on excellent service. Start with a mint mojito, beer or glass of plum wine while perusing the menu.
Leave room for zesty lemon dessert, sticky toffee pudding or old-fashioned lemon posset. With generous portions and an upscale ambience, it gets full marks from its many repeat diners.
4. The Quays Bar & Restaurant
Photos via The Quays Bar & Restaurant on Facebook
Close to Barry’s Amusements in the centre of Portrush, The Quays Bar and Restaurant is hard to miss. Start at the bar which serves chilled beer and a good selection of wines at attractive prices.
Sit down to dine on steaks, lasagne or local fish and seafood. End with one of the cooked cheesecakes that the Quays is known for.
This trendy restaurant has a cool atmosphere, great decor and merit-worthy service making it a smashing place for casual dining with a touch of class.
If you’re in search of Portrush restaurants to mark a special occasion, you can’t go wrong with an evening spent at the Quays.
5. Ramore Restaurants
Photos via Ramore Restaurants on Facebook
Ramore Restaurants is a stable of bars and bistros in Portrush that include Basalt, The Mermaid, Neptune & Prawn, Coast, The Wine Bar and the Harbour Bar and Bistro.
Basalt focuses on casual dining with Spanish influences (think tapas, chorizo and monkfish) and the outdoor terrace has stunning views of the harbour and beach.
For Asian-inspired cuisine, head to Neptune and Prawn right on Portrush Harbour. It’s THE place for sunset drinks with an upstairs cocktail bar. For a more rustic ambience, the Harbour Bistro serves wood-fired meats, fish and mouthwatering steaks from JD Hart Butchers.
6. Babushka Kitchen Cafe
Photos via Babushka Kitchen Cafe on Facebook
In a prime location on Portrush South Pier, Babushka prides itself on serving affordable food and coffee along with bespoke Babushka gifts and foodie merchandise.
Tables line the waterfront at this Kitchen Cafe so you get a delicious meal and the best views in town. Serving fine coffee, organic produce and local meats and eggs, it’s a great place to chill for a while.
Open from 9.15am to 5pm-ish this beach cafe also serves tea, coffee, soft drinks and did we mention Morelli ice cream treats? If you’re in search of Portrush restaurants by the sea, get yourself here!
7. Indigo Cafe Portrush
Photos via Indigo Cafe Portrush on Facebook
A full range of barista-made coffees. Lattes and teas are the mainstay of Indigo Cafe Portrush along with snacks, sandwiches and home-baked treats.
It does vegan and gluten-free options too. Check out the chewy brownies fresh from the oven, or try a colourful salad or cooked pie. Apple tarts and baked apples are a nice way to round off your meal.
The cafe serves breakfast, lunch and brunch from its Eglinton St premises in the centre of the town. It’s pet-friendly and has a refined atmosphere with fair prices.
What great Portrush restaurants have we missed?
I’ve no doubt that we’ve unintentionally left out some other great restaurants in Portrush from the guide above.
If you have any favourite Portrush restaurants that you’d like to recommend, drop a comment into the comments section below.