Seven days of foodie celebrations announced across Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council
In celebration of the 2016 Year of Food and Drink for Northern Ireland, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council have announced Treat Week – a celebration of restaurants, cafes and gastropubs. Over 50 eateries will be cooking up a culinary storm from 29th October to 5th November across the council area spanning Moira to Dundonald.
Lisburn & Castlereagh features an eclectic choice of eating and drinking experiences with its restauranteurs and café owners tapping into changing lifestyle trends. This is reflected in the emergence of specialist cafes such as Goodness Rocks in Newtownbreda and themed diners and family restaurants from Sugar Rays in Dundonald to Del Toro in Lisburn.
Commenting on the high quality of the eating-out offering found across Lisburn & Castlereagh, Councillor Uel Mackin, Chairman of the Development Committee, Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council, said, “We are privileged to have such a variety of outstanding and unique eateries, restaurants, and bars in the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area which cater for all tastes and every occasion, whether it is simply catching up with a friend over a coffee, a family outing, or a more special eating out experience. Initiatives such as Treat Week highlight the diversity and supreme quality of food and drink that is both produced and served across the Council area.”
In the last 12 months alone, the move towards more casual dining is evident and the prevalence of provenance reflected in the menus of recently launched and refurbished establishments by leading chefs such as Derek Patterson, Stevie Higginson and Danny Millar. With the Michelin trained Chef Chris McGowan choosing Moira as his location of choice following his move back to Northern Ireland, Lisburn & Castlereagh is making its mark in the province’s food scene.
“Northern Ireland’s food landscape has undergone a total transformation in recent years, with world class chefs emerging across the province,” said Joanne McErlain, Treat Week organiser.
“The Year of Food and Drink has given us the impetus and confidence to shout about the provincial restaurant and café offerings, rather than hide in the shadows of the eating out scene in Belfast, Dublin or beyond. What has really come to the fore is our chefs’ inherent passion for provenance of the food they serve and they have been true ambassadors for our burgeoning food culture. We look forward to welcoming visitors to Lisburn & Castlereagh during Treat Week to continue to build awareness of the diversity and quality of eateries in our locality.”
Encouraging local people to make the most of Treat Week, Jim McCauley, Service Delivery Manager, Translink said, “We are delighted to come on-board as the official travel partner for Treat Week, and would encourage as many people as possible to make the most of this fantastic initiative.
Whether you’re a regular restaurant goer or visiting for the first time, why not hop on-board the bus or train and let us get you there. Translink is always delighted to support local events and provide travel solutions so that passengers can sit back, relax and enjoy the wonderful array of Northern Ireland’s food and drink on offer!”
Throughout the duration of Treat Week, guests can also look forward to experiencing gourmet evenings, and pop up suppers and brunches, in addition to special offers and signature dishes featured throughout the week. Chef demos, masterclasses and village food trails will offer opportunities for exploration and discovery and highlight the fantastic local ingredients and forward-thinking restaurants that push our culinary boundaries right on our doorstep.
Treat Week will launch on Saturday 29th October with a special Halloween Fest at Inns Market, Newtownbreda including chef demos and family fun from 10am – 2pm. The seven days of celebration will culminate at Lisburn Square on Saturday 5th November from 12pm – 4pm with Kitchen Sessions and Meet the Producers Fair.
Other events to look out for include special chef demos for all ages led by Chef Stephen Jeffers of the recently opened Forestside Cookery School as well as a culinary journey exploring locally produced food served in cafes and restaurants during the Moira Food Trail, on Saturday 5th November.
For more information or to explore the full line-up of Treat Week events held across Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council visit www.visitlisburncastlereagh.com or follow Treat Week on facebook.com/TreatWeek Twitter @TreatWeek and Instagram @TreatWeek2016
