National Grande Cafe

There is also Club Sixty6 making up the storeys above the Grande Cafe, but I'm not going to review the club here as that is a separate experience.
The National is one of those places that I seem to spend a wee bit too much time in. If I'm about during daylight hours and fancy a light snack I always enjoy a quick bit off the brunch menu, I'm quite a fan of their eggs benedict. That's not to say that the portions are small, the beef brisket hash makes for quite a filling meal and the deluxe sandwiches certainly will not leave you going hungry.
The coffee may not be to everyone's taste as they use quite a bitter bean, but that isn't a criticism, taste is entirely subjective, and whilst I'm personally not fond of bitter coffees (I prefer Columbian) I still regularly enjoy a cappuccino here.
I find that it is a great place to meet with friends for a beer on a Sunday, or a late breakfast after (in most cases for us) ending up in the National on a Saturday night. There is always a good mix of ages on a Saturday night and you can usually find someone to talk rubbish to.
They have a decent selection of craft beers and probably the best spectrum of spirits in Belfast, the National is one of the first bars I can recall having such a large range of vodkas, gins, rums and whiskeys in the city.
There is a very chilled atmosphere on a Sunday, usually with live music in the Cafe or out in the beer garden if it's a nice day.
Whilst I am clearly a fan of the National I do feel that it is now in need of a bit of a revamp, moreso in the beer garden than indoors. The National was one of the first beer gardens in the Cathedral Quarter but with the rise of newer and fresher competition I think that they need to look a rejuvenating the area before they get left behind. I say that with the best of wishes of course.

Address
62 High Street, Belfast BT1 2BE

Open
Monday to Friday, 8.30am - Late, Weekends 9.30am - Late

Parking
On street or High Street multistory across the road.

Website
​​​​www.thenationalbelfast.com/