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Ireland Flings

City guide · Northern Ireland · prices in £

Dating in Belfast: where to meet, over-40s and singles events

By The Ireland Flings editorial team · Last checked

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Belfast is in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. Prices are in pounds sterling (£), UK consumer and data protection law applies, and in an emergency you call 999. Online subscriptions bought here may be billed in pounds even when the same site charges euro in the Republic.

On this page
  1. 01Where to go in Belfast
  2. 02Places for a first drink
  3. 03Dating in Belfast over 40 and over 50
  4. 04Getting home
  5. 05Staying safe in Belfast
  6. 06Questions

Belfast is in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, so prices are in pounds sterling (£) and the emergency numbers and taxi rules are different from Dublin's. The centre is compact: you can walk from the Cathedral Quarter to City Hall in ten minutes, and from there to Queen's University in about twenty.

For a first drink, the city splits neatly in two. The Cathedral Quarter, around St Anne's Cathedral, has the old pubs, the cobbled entries and the arts venues. South of City Hall, the Queen's Quarter and the Lisburn Road are more residential, with café-bars and neighbourhood pubs that suit a quieter evening.

Weeknights are calmer everywhere. If you meet on a Friday or Saturday, aim for the early evening, before the Cathedral Quarter fills up with live music and bigger groups.

Where to go in Belfast

  • Cathedral Quarter

    Cobbled streets and narrow entries around St Anne's Cathedral, with some of the city's oldest pubs and the MAC arts centre. Lively at weekends, so go early if you want to talk.

  • Linen Quarter

    The streets behind City Hall, close to Great Victoria Street and the Grand Opera House. Handy for meeting someone arriving by train or bus.

  • Queen's Quarter and Botanic

    Around Queen's University, Botanic Avenue and the Botanic Gardens. Busy with students in term time, but home to the Ulster Museum, the Lyric Theatre and plenty of cafés for a daytime meeting.

  • Lisburn Road

    A long road running south-west from the city centre, lined with independent shops, cafés and bars. A good choice if you both live in south Belfast and would rather not go into town.

  • Ormeau Road

    Another south Belfast road with a strong local feel and a few long-established pubs, a short bus ride or taxi from the centre.

Places for a first drink

Busy enough to feel relaxed, quiet enough to talk, and easy to leave. Check opening times on their own sites before you go.

  1. 01

    The Merchant Hotel: Berts Bar

    hotel jazz bar · Cathedral Quarter

    The Merchant's jazz bar has live music every night and doesn't take reservations for drinks, so you can simply turn up. Grand surroundings, but a relaxed feel.

    Official siteMap (OpenStreetMap)

  2. 02

    The Northern Whig

    bar and restaurant · Bridge Street, Cathedral Quarter

    A bar and restaurant in one of the Cathedral Quarter's historic buildings, open seven days a week. It's roomy enough that you're rarely squeezed in beside the next table.

    Official siteMap (OpenStreetMap)

  3. 03

    The Duke of York

    pub · Commercial Court, Cathedral Quarter

    A much-loved traditional pub down a narrow cobbled entry. Go early on a weekday for a quiet pint; at weekends the lane outside gets busy, which can be fun too.

    Official siteMap (OpenStreetMap)

  4. 04

    Rita's

    cocktail bar · Franklin Street, Linen Quarter

    A small cocktail bar styled on 1940s glamour, with lavish interiors and an open fire. Intimate without being stuffy, and close to City Hall for an easy way home.

    Official siteMap (OpenStreetMap)

  5. 05

    Town Square

    café-bar · Queen's Quarter

    Coffee and brunch by day, cocktails in the evening, and walk-ins are welcome. It works for a daytime date or a casual first drink, with heated outdoor seats for milder evenings.

    Official siteMap (OpenStreetMap)

  6. 06

    Established Coffee

    café · Hill Street, Cathedral Quarter

    A specialist coffee shop in the Cathedral Quarter, walk-in only. A good pick for a short, alcohol-free first meeting during the day.

    Official siteMap (OpenStreetMap)

  7. 07

    The Crafty Vintner

    bar and off-licence · Lisburn Road

    An off-licence and bar on the upper Lisburn Road, linked to The Bowery pub. A good neighbourhood choice if you'd rather skip the city centre.

    Official siteMap (OpenStreetMap)

  8. 08

    The Errigle Inn

    pub · Ormeau Road

    A long-established Ormeau Road pub with several bars and food served most of the day. Check its events page first, as some nights have live bands.

    Official siteMap (OpenStreetMap)

Dating in Belfast over 40 and over 50

40+

Dating in Belfast over 40

Over 40 in Belfast, a drink straight after work is often the simplest plan. Rita's on Franklin Street is a few minutes from City Hall and lists jazz on Friday evenings, and The Northern Whig is roomy enough that you can always find a table. If you both live in south Belfast, The Crafty Vintner on the Lisburn Road saves the trip into town.

If you'd rather have something to watch than spend the whole evening talking, Queen's Film Theatre, the independent cinema in the university area, has screenings most evenings. Catch an early one, then talk it over at Town Square in the Queen's Quarter.

Places to try: Rita's · The Northern Whig · The Crafty Vintner · Queen's Film Theatre · Town Square

50+

Dating in Belfast over 50

Over 50, The Merchant Hotel on Skipper Street is the obvious choice for a first drink with a bit of occasion. Berts Bar has live jazz every night, and The Great Room serves afternoon tea under its glass cupola, which suits anyone who would rather meet in daylight. Book ahead for afternoon tea, especially at weekends.

For a daytime date, the Ulster Museum sits in the Botanic Gardens, so you can look round the collections and then walk through the gardens, which are busy with people on most days. For an evening out, the Lyric Theatre on Ridgeway Street and the Grand Opera House on Great Victoria Street both put on plays and shows that give you plenty to talk about over a drink afterwards.

Places to try: The Merchant Hotel: Berts Bar · Ulster Museum · Botanic Gardens · Lyric Theatre · Grand Opera House

7 dated singles events in Belfast on our singles events page, each checked on the organiser's own listing.

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Getting home

Translink runs Metro buses and NI Railways trains. Under a year-long late-night pilot, Metro night routes leave the city centre between midnight and 2am on Friday and Saturday nights, covering roads such as the Lisburn Road, the Ormeau Road and the Malone Road. Normal fares apply. Check the Translink late-night services page for your route and departure point before you go out.

On Friday and Saturday nights, the last NI Railways trains leave Belfast Grand Central shortly before midnight, according to Translink. On other nights services finish earlier, so check the live timetable or the Translink app for your own journey.

Only use a licensed taxi. Licensed drivers wear an ID badge showing their licence number, and the vehicle displays taxi signs or plates. Inside the Belfast Zone, most taxis with a roof sign can only be hailed in the street from midnight to 6am on Friday and Saturday nights and on public holidays. At other times, book one by phone or app.

Staying safe in Belfast

  • In an emergency, call 999 or 112. To report something that isn't an emergency to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, call 101 or report it online.
  • If you book a taxi, check that the driver knows your name and where you're going before you get in. Don't use a car with no taxi plates or signs, or a driver with no ID badge.
  • Save the number or app of a taxi firm before you go out, so you're not stuck looking for a ride at closing time.
  • Meet inside the venue, tell a friend where you're going and who you're meeting, and keep your drink with you.
  • Plan your own way home. It's always fine to leave early, and it's always fine to say no to sharing a taxi.

The full list is in our first-date safety checklist.

Get the first-date safety checklist for Ireland

A one-page checklist for the night before, sent to your inbox. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.

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We never sell your email. Privacy policy

First dates in Belfast: questions

Is Belfast in the UK or Ireland?

Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK. Prices are in pounds sterling (£), and the police service is the PSNI.

Are there late-night buses in Belfast?

Translink says it is running a year-long late-night pilot for 2026, with Metro night routes leaving the city centre between midnight and 2am on Friday and Saturday nights. Check its late-night services page for your route.

Can I hail a taxi in Belfast?

Inside the Belfast Zone, most taxis with roof signs can only be hailed from midnight to 6am on Friday and Saturday nights and on public holidays. At other times, pre-book through a taxi company or app. Wheelchair-accessible Class B taxis can be hailed anywhere.

Where's a good place for a first date in Belfast?

The Cathedral Quarter if you want somewhere central with old pubs and cocktail bars, or the Queen's Quarter and Lisburn Road for something quieter. Go early in the evening at weekends.

Sources · checked 19 October 2026