Review of Harlem, Belfast

Harlem- 34 Bedford St, Belfast, County Antrim BT2 7FF

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I have eaten in Harlem a few times and have never been disappointed. It’s a great spot for a lunch meeting and always seems to be busy.  I arranged to meet my friend Kathryn there for our usual lunch and catch up and have decided to share my thoughts on our experience for your perusal.

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Harlem is a great spot in a very convenient location in Bedford Street. Its a great venue for lunch but they also do evening meals.  On the day of our lunch date, I arrived first and waited in the queue to get our table. I was surrounded by people who had also booked tables so there was a bit of a delay. I used the time to soak up the ambience and admire the quirky decor, including a rather impressive bust, boasting a sign telling us to wait for our table, white wall panelling, a wall full of great paintings and cushions galore.

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When Kathryn arrived, we were shown to our table and offered menus. There was a great choice on offer and our waiter couldn’t have been more helpful. The daily specials were on the board and while they were tempting, my eye was drawn to the sweet potato jacket potato with a choice of fillings(£7.40) which screamed “healthy choice” to me! While the sweet potato may have been healthy, my choice of topping was less so. The combination of chicken breast, sweet chilli and cheddar, served with salad was delicious though.  Kathryn chose a chicken caesar wrap (£5.25) that came served with a side salad and looked just as good as my choice.  I particularly like the fact that Harlem proudly source all their ingredients locally and promote them on the menu.

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We shared a slice of carrot cake served with freshly whipped cream (£4.75) with a coffee                afterwards (£2.40 each) afterwards. I was particularly taken by the very cute cow milk jug that arrived with the coffee!

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While the restaurant was heaving with people, our waiter was delightful and never made us feel rushed. I will definitely be visiting again!