Cafe Conor’s famous Ulster Fry has received UK-wide recognition, winning the ‘Best Start to the Day’ in the BBC Olive Magazine’s Alternative Restaurant Awards.
The popular magazine’s October issue, which hit the newsagent shelves this week, describes the Belfast restaurant’s version of Northern Ireland’s most famous dish as ‘a calorific feast’.
It is the only Northern Ireland eaterie to feature in the annual awards.
Olive Magazine praises Cafe Conor chef, Craig Reid’s slick foodie makeover of the Ulster Fry and his skilled use of hand-picked ultra-fresh ingredients.
“His daisy fresh eggs come from his veg supplier who also keeps free-range hens. He uses the famous, fragrantly-spiced Clonakilty black pudding and proper lightly seasoned bangers from respected Lisburn Road butcher, Abbott’s.
“Moreover, said items are grilled and fried with absolute accuracy, without a spot of grease on the plate.”
Marina O’Loughlin, the food critic of Metro Newspaper London and a columnist for Olive Magazine, described the Cafe Conor all day breakfast as: ‘a carnival of fried carbs and wonderful pig-based ingredients’.
It is not the first time that Cafe Conor has received accolades for its fabulous take on the most important meal of the day. Two years ago it was chosen as the Observer Magazine’s Best Breakfast in Northern Ireland.
A delighted Craig Reid said the latest gong from Olive Magazine had provided a great boost to staff at the South Belfast restaurant.
“We are really buzzing about it. It shows that by using the freshest and highest quality ingredients you can make the humble Ulster Fry into something really special,” he added
Cafe Conor is a Belfast institution. Located across the road from the Ulster Museum and Botanic Gardens, the building itself is a talking point as it is the former studio of local artist William Conor and its high-ceilinged room is brightened with the natural light from the lantern roof.
The walls are filled with original works of artist Neil Shawcross and the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, but with the lively, bohemian vibe of a Parisian cafe, a blend of the familiar and the new.
For more information about Conor Cafe and its wide and varied menu go to www.cafeconor.com.
