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Turning East Belfast into a tourist must-visit! sounds about as impossible as growing bananas in East Belfast.
Except, they once did grow bananas in East Belfast. The Banana Block at the Portview Centre was once-upon-a-time the Strand Spinning Mill, founded and owned by Otto Jaffe. As the Victorians loved to do, Jaffe sent back banana plants to Belfast from his travels. His head gardener, William Henry Richardson, successfully grew and ripened the bananas in Jaffe’s hot houses at temperatures of 40c. He also managed to grow pineapples and breadfruit.
Belfast bananas, so, and today it’s The Banana Block, a living museum and events space, which has all the things you need for the good life: pizzas; craft beer; coffee; bagels; vinyl LPs, a plant store, and a space for music gigs.
But, yes, they have no bananas. But they do have some major players, amongst whom are the following:
Flout Pizza
Peter Thompson has passed from being the main man for pizza into the realm of pizza phenom, in just 2 years. His pizzas are the talk of the town, his queues at lunchtime are longer than anyone else’s.
Boundary Brewing
Boundary is the coolest tap room brew pub with the coolest beers, both on tap and in the coolest cans. Their coolness quotient is off the chart, both here at Portview and in the legendary John Hewitt pub, in the centre of Belfast. Beer fans should also check out Bullhouse East, just a few yards down the Newtownards Road, heading out of town, who have ace beers and lots of cool events.
Root & Branch Coffee
Simon, Stephen and Prin roast and serve the most pristine coffees, and there is nothing better than a stool at the counter of R&B and a cup of the barista’s choice.
Bodega Bagels
Stephen’s hand-rolled, boiled and fresh baked bagels with seasonal fillings – we had the jalapeno and cheddar and plan to return for the peanut butter and banana because, you know, bananas – are served in the Banana Building and also at Trademarket on the Dublin Road.
East Blöck Bazaar
The monthly market happening last Sunday of every month, selling vintage stuff, food, beers to a background of great music curated by Sound Advice, the uber-cool vinyl store in BB run by Marion Hawkes, DJ, producer and vinyl fiend.
Wee Taste of East Belfast Food Tour with Indie Fude
A food tour of East Belfast! Who knew! This tour is guided by an Indie Füde “food and drink obsessive” so you are in the very best hands. Check their website for dates.
AVA Belfast
Festival gigs and events, some of which take place in the Banana Building.