North West 200 Things to Do

North West 200: Things to Do

There are plenty of bars, restaurant and snack shops to keep you watered and fed during the North West 200 races. Check out our list of things to do around the NW200…

Anchor Bar Complex

Address: 86-87 The Promenade, Portstewart, County Londonderry, BT55 7AG
Tel: (028) 7083 2003

Winner of Northern Ireland’s best food pub 2014, the Anchor Bar Complex is a must with it incorporating the Anchorage Inn, Anchorage Bistro and Aura Nightclub, there’s plenty to do!

Situated within easy access to Portstewart’s picturesque promenade, the Anchor Bar is know throughout Ireland for its convivial atmosphere, friendliness and of course great Guinness.

The Anchorage Bistro and style bar is a feature of the 4 Star Anchorage Inn and with a location that’s hard to beat, the food here is very good. Winner of Northern Ireland’s best food pub 2014 with a menu featuring dishes like Bushmills whiskey sausages and fresh local catch of the day land and sea is well represented on the menu. There is nightly entertainment, always free to guests and diners.

Meanwhile, The Anchor Bar has been part of the town’s furniture since 1898. That makes it the oldest traditional bar in the area. Voted best visitor/tourism pub and best entertainment venue in the county as well as Northern Ireland’s best food pub 2014 the Anchor is renowned for its friendly staff and great nightly entertainment.

Brown Trout Golf and Country Inn

Address: 209 – 213 Agivey Road, Aghadowey, County Londonderry, BT51 4AD
Tel: (028) 7086 8209
Opening hours: 08.00-22.00 in the summer and 08.00-21.30 in the winter

Just 10 minutes from Coleraine this is a perfect eating place for a secluded meal by the fire. From fresh soups of the day to Portavogie Scampi, their seasonal specials are available every Thursday to Sunday and include fresh lobster – Crab Claws and 4 hour slow cooked Daube of Beef.

Set on a South facing patio eating alfresco in the peaceful surroundings of their own 9-hole golf course in the Summer or sitting by one of their four open fires in the winter the atmosphere of the Trout is welcoming and relaxing. With 15 rooms and 4 two bedroom cottages, they offer an ideal base for great food, accommodation, fishing in the Agivey river and golf.

Bushtown Hotel

Address: 283 Drumcroone Road, Coleraine, County Londonderry, BT51 3QT
Tel: (028) 7035 8367
Opening hours: Mon-Fri – 12.00-21.00, Sat – 12.00-21.30, Sun – 12.00-21.00

This Country House Hotel has ensuite bedrooms, a leisure complex with swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and gym, open fires, award winning restaurants, superb hospitality and live entertainment every week.

Open 365 days a year, there are two choices of venue for dining, the Stables Restaurant where a delicious daily carvery is served and the Bays Grill and Restaurant where the A La Carte menu is served.

Café Mauds

Address: 555 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7GQ
Opening hours: 9am – 10pm, 7 days a week!

This bright, fashionable and cheerful café offers a delightful spot in which to enjoy ‘Mauds’, Northern Ireland’s best-selling, home produced, specialty ice-cream.

Cheeky Chimps

Address: Northbrook Industrial Estate, Coleraine, Co Londonderry, BT52 2JB
Tel: (028) 70343005
Opening hours: Mon-Sat – 10am-6pm, Sun – 12pm-6pm

Cheeky Chimps in Coleraine is the perfect place for your own little monkeys to run riot. Your children will have a great time, filled with adventure and learning possibilities.

While the kids are letting off some steam and enjoy a fun-filled adventure the adults can relax and de-stress in the café area. Comfy sofas, good coffee, scrummy chocolate things, delicious treats, and the latest magazines – you can unwind while the kids play.

Counties Restaurant, Ramada Hotel

Address: 73 Main Street, Portrush, County Antrim, BT56 8BN
Tel: (028) 7082 6100
Opening hours: Breakfast 07:30-10:30, Lunch 12:00-14:30, Dinner 17:00-21:00, Open all day for coffee and light snacks

The Counties Restaurant and Café Bar, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, has a town centre location and is the perfect venue to meet with friends for a drink or coffee in contemporary surroundings with an unrivalled ambiance.

The Counties Bar has quickly earned the reputation as the ‘in’ meeting place where they offer a selection of wines from around the world, cocktails and an equally daunting range of bottle and draught beers.

Cromore Halt Inn and Restaurant

Address: 158 Station Road, Portstewart, County Londonderry, BT55 7PU
Tel: (028) 7083 6888
Opening hours: Lunch – Mon-Sat 12.15-14.15, Sun 12.30-14.15, Dinner – Mon-Thu and Sun 17.00-20.00, Fri-Sat 17.00-21.00

Open seven days a week and to non-residents, the Cromore restaurant and bistro are renowned locally for good food and an extensive wine list.

With an extensive and varied menu – the chef’s ‘special’ is particularly recommended – Sunday lunches are also popular whilst vegetarian meals, gluten free and children’s menus are included.

Crusoes Coffee Shop

Address: 9 Sea Road, Castlerock, County Londonderry, BT51 4TN
Tel: (028) 7084 9618
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 09:00 – 17:00, Sunday 10:00 – 17:00

Opened in 2004, Crusoes Coffee Shop is situated in the seaside village of Castlerock, on Northern Ireland’s scenic Causeway Coast and provides a relaxing and homely environment in which people can enjoy great coffee, freshly prepared food and friendly service. Indeed, the Crusoes name has become synonymous with each of these elements.

At Crusoes the emphasis is on quality having sourced the best of produce, supporting local suppliers. The menu is prepared using the finest ingredients with the greatest of care. We use natural and wholesome ingredients creating an exciting range of homemade fare. We are famous for our coffee and hot chocolate!

A stone’s throw from Castlerock’s beautiful sandy beach, Crusoes, as the name suggests, continues the seaside theme of its surroundings inside, with sailing boat, sea shells, port hole window and even a treasure chest. The coffee shop is a relaxing space, with a contemporary feel, lots of wood, handmade furniture and comfy leather sofas.

55 Degrees North

Address: 1 Causeway Street, Causeway Street, Portrush, County Londonderry, BT56 8AB
Tel: (028) 7082 2811

55 Degrees North is the Causeway’s newest restaurant and is a 150 seat capacity restaurant offering a range of contemporary eclectic cuisine whereby they produce freshly prepared food using only the finest local ingredients.

You can enjoy your meal in comfort whilst taking in the magnificent coastline and beaches that form the backdrop to the restaurant in Portrush. There is also a coffee shop downstairs which plays live music every weekend.

Harry’s Shack

Address: Portstewart Strand, Portstewart, Co Londonderry, BT55 7PG
Tel: (028) 7083 1783
Opening hours: Summer Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 11am to 4pm. Dinner is served from 5pm to 9.30pm. (Closed Mondays)

Harry’s Shack was named Ireland’s Restaurant of the Year 2014 and is situated right on the beach, serving local fish, meats, vegetables and more. With brunch, lunch and dinner menus, it’s already proving a major hit.

Kiwi’s Bar

Address: 47 Main Street, Portrush, County Antrim, BT56 8BL
Tel: (028) 7082 2402
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 17:00-late, Saturday and Sunday 14:00-late

By forging strong links with domestic, individual, artisan brewers Kiwi’s Brew Bar offers a vast bottled beer selection that can be perused through the doors of several chillers situated on both sides of the bar, but a better bet is to ask the knowledgeable and friendly staff for suggestions.

If beer is not your thing, Kiwi’s Brew Bar also has local craft cider and gin on offer as well as quality wines. They collaborate with local music talent too with live acoustic music available several times per week and at the weekends with ‘Brews and Blues’ Sundays being particularly popular.

The pub is located in one of Portrush’s oldest buildings reintroduced as a pub with a modern twist: its eclectic style is a mixture of New Zealand as well as Northern Ireland culture and influences. The site was originally constructed around the 1930s as a two-screen cinema, the Majestic Cinema. The building was later refurbished and its art deco style restored to its former glory.

Lodge Hotel

Address: Lodge Road, Coleraine, County Londonderry, BT52 1NF
Tel: (028) 7034 4848
Opening hours: Elliott’s Bistro – 12.00-14.30 and 17.00-21.00 daily, Romanoff’s Restaurant – Fri and Sat, 17.00-21.00

The Lodge Hotel, Coleraine offers an excellent choice of dining facilities offering classic and contemporary dishes in Elliot’s Bistro throughout the week or globally inspired dishes in Romanoff’s Restaurant on a Friday & Saturday evening.

Seating 160 guests, Elliot’s Bistro provides a good selection of quality food, cocktails, wines, beers and liqueurs in a lively wine bar atmosphere with friendly staff and superb value for money. A buffet lunch proves popular every lunchtime and with entertainment at weekends, it is definitely the place to be.

A cuisine delight awaits you in Romanoff’s Restaurant, an intimate and charming restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere where you can indulge in globally inspired dishes and fine wines. Their deluxe two course buffet is served every Friday & Saturday evening from 17:00 – 20:00 and the Lodge is one of the best loved hotels on the North Coast!

Lost and Found Brewbar and Café

Address: 2 Queen Street, Coleraine, Co Londonderry, BT52 1BE
Tel: (028) 7032 8200
Opening hours: Tues-Sat 09.00-17.00

At the core of Lost & Found is the desire to celebrate the craft of simple, delicious coffee and food in an inspiring and welcoming place.

Morelli’s Ninos

Address: 53-56 The Promenade, Portstewart, County Londonderry, BT55 7AF
Tel: (028) 7083 2150
Opening hours: Open every day, March – October 09:00 – 22:00, October – March Monday – Thursday 08:30 – 17:00, Friday – Sunday 08:30 – 21:00

This bright and cheerful seafront cafe offers a clear view to the sea. As well as hot dishes, Morelli’s is a long established ice cream parlour with an amazing array of exotic ices and is now also fully licensed.

Morelli’s 22

Address: 22 Church Street, Coleraine, County Londonderry, BT52 1AR
Tel: (028) 7034 3761
Opening hours: Mon-Sat – 08.00-late

Morelli’s 22 pride themselves on being the longest running cafe in Coleraine, having been owned by the Herald family for over 50 years. They have strived to change with the times and the demands of the public and their produce is locally sourced and prepared on site.

They offer home baking at its best with delicious scones, and desserts, soups, panini’s, lasagne, curry, stews, meatballs, fresh chips and burgers just some of the food cooked to order. They open at 08:00 to a delicious selection of freshly baked scones, tray bakes and doughnuts with breakfasts cooked to order and ranging from lighter bites of bagels with bacon/cream cheese, and filled sodas, to a full Fry.

The lunchtime menu offers an international menu, with dishes such as lasagne, curry, meatballs, stews, homemade soups, and their ever popular “Roast of the Day”.

Ramore, The Harbour Bistro

Address: The Harbour, Portrush, County Antrim, BT56 8DF
Tel: (028) 7082 2430
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 17.00-21.30, Fri 17.00-22.00, Sat 16.45-22.30, Sun 16.45-21.00 (closed on Monday and Tuesday during winter)

A contemporary menu served in traditional surroundings with an authentic wood burning grill, this Bistro is tucked away behind the famous Harbour Bar.

Ramore Wine Bar

Address: The Harbour, Portrush, County Antrim, BT56 8DF
Tel: (028) 7082 4313
Opening hours: Lunch – Mon-Sat 12.15-14.15, Sun 12.15-15.00, Evening – Mon-Thur 17.00-21.30, Fri 17.00-22.00, Sat 16.45-22.30, Sun 17.00-21.00

Renowned for its fantastic tasting fresh food and lively atmosphere, this bar has a modern and innovative decor with a menu to suit all tastes.

Dishes include grilled fillet of Salmon, peppered chicken escalope’s and chilli fillet steak.

Royal Court Hotel

Address: 233 Ballybogy Road, Portrush, County Antrim, BT56 8NF
Tel: (028) 7082 2236
Opening hours: Open all year

Located in one of the best positions on Northern Ireland’s most famous coastline, this hotel offers the perfect base not only for golfing and sporting visitors, but also for those who wish to explore the many tourist activities in the area. Situated overlooking the harbour town of Portrush and its world famous Royal Portrush Golf Club with panoramic views of County Donegal and the Scottish Isles.

All bedrooms and suites offer private en-suite bathrooms, tea & coffee making facilities, iron and ironing boards, hairdryers, televisions, Free WIFI. Restaurant and Bar facilities are available daily serving breakfast from 08:00, lunch from 12.30 and evening meals from 16:00.

The Vines Winebar

Address: 41 Main Street, Garvagh, Coleraine, County Londonderry, BT51 5AA
Tel: (028) 2955 8516
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 10.00-21.30, Sat 10.00-22.00, Sun 12.00-21.00

Situated in Garvagh, The Vines is a family run restaurant owned by Colm & Brenda Bradley who have been in business in Garvagh for 34 years and are keen to make The Vines an unforgettable dining experience for couples and families alike

With a fully licensed bar, The Vines boast a spacious and well laid out restaurant with modern decor, making it the perfect venue for a delicious and affordable meals. Since opening in 2010 The Vines has been highly recommended by Trip Advisor and has gained awards ranging from four and a half to five stars. The Vines specialises in freshly prepared classic and contemporary dishes, all home made using locally sourced products.

Warke’s Deli

Address: 1 Carrig Na Cule, The Promenade, Portstewart, County Londonderry, BT55 7TD
Tel: (028) 7083 3388
Opening hours: 09.00-17.30

Situated on the Promenade (at the Harbour end), all of the seating areas within Warke’s face the window and have spectacular views of the sea and the “blow hole”. They have a well-stocked deli with delicious chutneys, crackers, sauces etc. and a good range of Irish cheeses, olives and continental meats as well as a range of gluten-free items.

They also have an 30 seater cafe with outside seating and offer a varied range of freshly prepared food with a twist such as Cashel Blue and pear salad, olive and hummus platter, warm chorizo and red pepper roll and sweetcorn and chilli soup. The menu changes daily and they also serve breakfasts including granola, yoghurt and fruit compote, pancakes, bacon and maple syrup and French toast. Everything is made on site and they source as many ingredients locally as possible.

They also offer a wide range of take away items for lunches, picnics etc.

Now you know where to eat and drink around the North West 200 races, check out the course guide to make sure you get the best shot of all the action!

Information compiled by Phil Wain.