The Walled City Brewery — founded in 2015 by James and Louise Huey at Ebrington Square on the east end of the Peace Bridge, this family-run craft brewery and restaurant is Londonderry's first craft brewery in a hundred years and the first establishment in Northern Ireland to integrate "brewing + dining" under one roof. Head brewer James Huey holds a brewing diploma and previously spent 12 years in product development at Guinness, infusing the city's history into every beer — "Boom" pale ale pays tribute to the 17th-century siege, "Stitch" IPA recalls the city's once-thriving shirt factories, and "Beerexit" is a playful sour creation. Eight core beers plus seasonal specials, with over 200 recipes created cumulatively, among which Derry Girls collaboration brews such as "Sexy Priest," "Wee English Fella," "Craic Killer," and "Sister Michael Stout" have become viral sensations. The kitchen is led by Michelin-trained chef Chris "Tufty" Moran, who showcases Northern Irish flavours using local ingredients — Greencastle daily fresh fish, McAtamney's bone-in ribeye, Lough Foyle Irish flat oysters (the shells are also used to brew creamy Foyster oyster stout). Since opening, it has won 31+ awards, including Irish Best Food Pub 2017-18, Northern Ireland Best Restaurant 2018, and UK Best Taproom 2025 (beating 600+ competitors nationwide). This is a must-visit on every Londonderry traveller's "tipsy list."
From the craft restaurant's local slow-cooking to 20 tap lines at the Taproom, from hands-on brewing at Beer Masterclass to a sunset stroll on the Peace Bridge — step into Londonderry's most intoxicating urban flavour journey
Start your morning at the west end of the Peace Bridge and walk across the S-shaped steel arc — 312 metres will carry you from the old city to Ebrington Square, a former barracks built in 1890 now transformed into the city's new cultural hub. The Walled City Brewery occupies Building 70 (the former army pay office), where exposed red brick, copper beer pipes and fermentation tanks create a unique space blending industrial style with warmth. Take a seat in the main restaurant, where chef Chris "Tufty" Moran presents dishes perfectly paired with beer using local ingredients — Greencastle fresh fish, McAtamney's bone-in ribeye steak (£22), beer-battered fish and chips (£13). Then move to the Taproom, where 20 taps line up in a row — from core beers Boom, Stitch, Kicks to Derry Girls collaborations Sexy Priest, Wee English Fella, Sister Michael Stout, each glass tells a city story. In the afternoon, join a Beer Masterclass (approx 2 hours), tracing beer from 9000 BC origins to hands-on brewing of your own micro-batch, tasting 10 different styles including an ancient brew recreated from a 3000-year-old Mesopotamian recipe ("takes some getting used to"). In the evening, sit on the lawns of Ebrington Square as the Peace Bridge shimmers in the sunset, bringing a perfect end to your half-day tipsy journey.
UK's Best Taproom, 200+ craft beers paired with locally sourced slow-cooked food. Signature beer-battered fish and chips (£13) uses Greencastle daily fresh fish, McAtamney's bone-in ribeye steak (£22) served with Boom pale ale jus, Tandoori tea-braised lamb is a hidden menu surprise. Choose from eight core beers; Derry Girls collaboration brews Sexy Priest and Sister Michael Stout are unmissable. Average £20-35, book two weeks in advance.
A Michelin-recommended restaurant on Strand Road, showcasing modern Northern Irish cuisine using local ingredients. Signature burnt-butter Foyle salmon with sea asparagus (£18), slow-braised veal cheek with black garlic jus (£22) — every dish presented like art. Exposed red brick walls and local artwork create a warm atmosphere. The perfect choice for a refined lunch before beer tasting. Average £40-60, book two weeks in advance; weekend dinner reservations are extremely competitive.
A container kitchen run by chef Kevin Pyke, grown from a single food truck into Derry's most popular lunch spot. Signature Notorious P.I.G. (slow-roasted pork with chilli wrap, £9.50) and fish & scallops (£12) use Foyle River fish landed the same morning. Sit on a riverside bench watching pedestrians cross the Peace Bridge as you eat. Average £8-15, arrive before 12:30 to avoid the lunch crowd.
A cosy spot on Magazine Street serving the most authentic Ulster fry — fried egg, bacon, sausage, black pudding (from Grace Hill, Antrim), white pudding, grilled tomato with homemade soda bread, a filling £9 meal. Rich coffee, relaxed atmosphere — the perfect refuel before a beer tasting session. Average £8-12, no reservation needed.