Taste AND

Taste AND

Taste Ards and North Down has partnered with Good Food Ireland® to bring you a curated taste of one of Northern Ireland's most vibrant regions.

Discover a selection of delicious recipes inspired by local producers from the Taste AND region - Click Here >>>

taste

AND

A Celebration of Food, Place and People
in Ards and North Down

Whether you’re a curious foodie eager to discover new flavours, a slow traveller seeking meaningful, authentic experiences, or someone who simply appreciates high-quality, locally rooted food and drink, Taste Ards and North Down, led by Ards and North Down Borough Council, delivers something truly special. This initiative brings Northern Ireland’s food culture to life through the hands of passionate producers, the heritage of coastal communities and the natural beauty that shapes its exceptional ingredients.

From shoreline seafood feasts and seasonal festivals to intimate tastings and farm visits, Taste AND invites you to connect with the land, the people and the traditions that make this region unlike anywhere else. With the Council at the helm, the programme is a celebration of local identity, sustainability and culinary excellence.

Scenic Splendour

Stunning coastal beauty.

Local Flavours

World-class ingredients.

Friendly Locals

Welcoming community.

Taste Autumn in Ards and North Down

11-27 September 2026

Just 20 minutes from Belfast, step into a season of flavour and discover the very best of local food and drink across Ards and North Down.

From fresh produce from the fields and seafood landed at local harbours, to artisan and seasonal specialities and unique foodie experiences, Taste Autumn showcases the rich food heritage of the region through a series of beautifully curated events alongside a range of foodie experiences hosted by local businesses throughout September. Local chefs, producers and hospitality experts will be serving up plenty of inspiration, making this the perfect opportunity to savour local flavours and explore Ards and North Down.

Programme highlights include:

Tide and Turf Portavogie

Saturday 12 September – from 12 noon to 5pm

Seafood and local flavours take centre stage with artisan stalls, live cookery demonstrations and a relaxed seaside atmosphere.

Seafood expert and chef-owner of Lir, Stevie McCarry, and BBC Best Home Cook 2020 winner, TV presenter and cookbook author Suzie Lee, will showcase fresh local ingredients while sharing cooking tips and insights into the journey from shore to plate.

For more information visit: Tide and Turf Portavogie Activities – Ards & North Down

Chilli Festival

Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 September

Bangor Castle Walled Garden from 11am to 5pm

Discover a vibrant display of chilli plants of all shapes, sizes, and colours from around the world – all grown in Ards and North Down. Meet the Maker, artisan producers and food stalls, music and performances.

For more information visit: Chilli Festival Activities – Ards & North Down

Stargazing at Burr Point

(the most easterly point in Ireland)

Friday 11 September from 9pm – 10.30pm

Explore the night sky with expert guides and discover constellations and celestial stories above the Ards Peninsula coastline. Indulge in a special warm treat of hot chocolate with a toasted marshmallow topping provided by The Mallow Makers to finish the evening.

For more information and to book tickets visit: Stargazing at Burr Point – Nature in Ballyhalbert, Ballyhalbert – Ards & North Down

The grand finale of Taste Autumn 2026

Taste at Bangor Castle – Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 September from 11am to 5pm

Set against the stunning backdrop of Bangor Castle, the very best food and drink producers from the Taste AND food and drink network come together for a celebration of local flavours, creativity and craftsmanship.

Browse the vibrant artisan market packed with award-winning produce, handcrafted treats, speciality drinks and seasonal delights.

Meet the passionate people behind the products:

On Saturday, book your ticket for the Love NI Food Podcast delivered by Shauna Magill – Fegan, where local producers share the stories, traditions and inspiration behind their creations.

On Sunday, tickets can be booked for More than Fed with Laura Bradley, Indie Füde, a series of engaging tasting experiences celebrating the people, places and traditions behind the food we eat. Each session includes a specially created tasting box.

For more information and to book tickets: Taste AND at Bangor Castle Activities

Be inspired by local chefs in the Kitchen Theatre, showcasing delicious recipes using the finest local ingredients, enjoy hot food from our producers with local drinks in the beer tent creating the perfect atmosphere for a memorable day out.

Whether you’re discovering new flavours, picking up gourmet gifts, enjoying a leisurely lunch, or simply soaking up the festival atmosphere, Taste at Bangor Castle is a must-visit event for food lovers.

Why not make a break of it and stay a while? Explore the area’s food scene, enjoy unique foodie experiences, visit local markets and discover why Ards and North Down is a must-visit destination for food lovers this autumn.

Find accomodation options here: Accommodation in Ards and North Down – County Down, Northern Ireland

For more information on Taste Autumn: Taste Autumn in Ards and North Down

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Meet the Good Food Ireland® approved businesses in Taste Ards and North Down

Glastry Farm Ice Cream – Discover more

The Mallow Makers – Discover more

Indie Fude – Discover more

The Old Inn – Discover more

The Walled Garden Helen’s Bay – Discover more

Underground Dining – Discover more

Papas Mineral Company – Discover more

TASTE SUMMER

Taste Summer centres around the Comber Earlies Food Festival, honouring the region’s most famous product, Comber Early Potatoes, awarded PGI status by the EU.

Comber Earlies PGI Food and Drink Festival Comber Castle Street Link, Saturday 28th June 11am to 5pm

Guest Chef and TV presenter, Anna Haugh leads demos on the kitchen theatre with local chefs whilst BBC Good Food writer, Lotte Duncan, leads home cooking demos and chats with a range of artisan producers from Taste Ards and North Down. As well as fresh local potatoes from the fields of Comber, there are a range of artisan food and drink producers from across County Down and local band Anna’s Number feature on the music stage.

Tickets on Sale Soon!

Comber Earlies Showcase Dinner No 14 at the Georgian House, Friday 27 June at 7pm.

A showcase set-menu dinner combined with a meet the maker featuring four local producers in the walled garden of No 14.

TASTE SUMMER FESTIVAL

Taste Summer centres around the Comber Earlies Food Festival, honouring the region’s most famous product, Comber Early potatoes, awarded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status by the EU. The festival features local food markets, chef demonstrations, street entertainment and tastings, all set in the charming town of Comber. Across the borough, visitors can enjoy farm tours, coastal picnics, seafood experiences and pop-up dining events that celebrate summer’s bounty.

Food & Drink Experiences

Good Food Ireland® has carefully curated food and drink experiences from the region that go far beyond the plate, each thoughtfully designed to connect visitors with the people, places, and stories behind the region’s renowned produce. These immersive experiences celebrate the authenticity, heritage and seasonal richness that define Ards and North Down’s unique food culture.

FESTIVALS & events

Highlights from the Year

Comber Earlies Food Festival

A firm favourite on the local food calendar, the Comber Earlies Food Festival is a vibrant celebration of the much-loved PGI-Status Comber Earlies potato. Each year, visitors enjoy a feast of flavours, artisan producers, and inspiring cookery demonstrations — and this year was no exception.

Crowds gathered to watch renowned chefs Anna Haugh and Lotte Duncan take to the demo stage, supported by homegrown talent Jim Mulholland of No. 14 at The Georgian House, Comber, and Andrew Turner of The Old Inn, Crawfordsburn. Their dishes, skills and stories brought the festival to life and showcased the depth of culinary expertise in the region

Taste at The Castle

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Bangor Castle, Taste at The Castle delivered a flavour-packed weekend that concluded the Council’s Taste Autumn programme — a month-long celebration of the Borough’s rising profile as a leading food tourism destination.

The event brought together the best of local food, drink and hospitality, with artisan stalls, live demonstrations, and interactive tasting sessions highlighting the exceptional quality and diversity of producers across the area.

Good Food Ireland® was delighted to be part of this milestone moment to experience first-hand the energy, pride and passion that continue to elevate the region’s food culture

Awards & Recognition

Taste AND champion the exceptional produce and remarkable talent found along the 115 miles of stunning coastline that are part of this region. It’s always inspiring to see this dedication recognised and celebrated throughout the island of Ireland and beyond. During the year, local producers have earned a host of well-deserved accolades.

Some standout achievements include:

Good Food Ireland Awards

This year, Underground Dining in Bangor was the proud winner of the Good Food Ireland® Food Lover’s Choice Award for Northern Ireland, reflecting their creativity, flavour, and wholehearted commitment to local produce.

They were joined by fellow finalists Indie Fude and No. 14 Georgian House in the same category — a true celebration of the exceptional food talent found across Ards and North Down.

Indie Fude, Comber also earned a finalist spot for Shop of the Year, while No. 14 The Georgian House was shortlisted for Restaurant of the Year 2025, further showcasing the region’s dedication to excellence in food, hospitality, and provenance.

To discover more about Underground Dining, click here

Discover more about Indie Fude, click here

Discover more about No. 14 Georgian House, click here

Other awards include:

Blas na hÉireann Winners

Ballyboley Dexters

Ballyboley Dexters Ribeye Steak – Bronze

Ballyboley Dexters Steak Sausages – Bronze

Ballyboley Dexters Beef Tallow – Chefs Larder

Culture Bakeries Ltd [CounterCulture Real Bread]

Best in County – Down

Roast Red Pepper and Tomato Sourdough Focaccia – Gold

Stout and Treacle Wheaten Bread – Bronze

Cult! Plant-Based Che’se

Chimichurri – Silver

Blackheart – Gold

Bro Coffee

Bro Jangles Christmas Blend – Bronze

Outerbounds Grangee Blend – Silver

The Walled Garden Helen’s Bay

Walled Garden Coffee and Walnut Fudge | Bronze

Great Taste Award Winners

Ballyboley Dexters 1 star

Ballyboley Northern Irish Sausage Roll

Ballyboley 28 Day Dry Aged on the Bone Steak Strip

Ballyboley Caramelised Onion Sausage Roll

Ballyboley Dexters 2 stars

Ballyboley Speciality Steak and Vegetable Roll

Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt 2 stars

Authentically Strained Greek Style Yoghurt

Holywood Honey 1 star

Holywood Honey

Moorcroft Foods 1 star

Cooper’s Garlic Biltong

Cooper’s Chilli Biltong

Moorcroft Foods 2 stars

Cooper’s Original Biltong

Fenner’s Original Air-Dried Steak Biltong

Peppup Roasted Red Ketchup 1 star

Peppup

Rock a Doodle Do 1 star

Mango Habanero

Whiskey in the Bottle

White Sesame & Nori BBQ Sauce

Snow Patrol – Signal Fire

Plan Your Taste Ards and North Down Adventure

After discovering just a taste of the incredible food and drink experiences Ards and North Down has to offer, why not make 2026 the year you experience it for yourself?

Meet the makers, savour the flavours, experience the hospitality, and ignite your taste buds!

For more information or help planning your visit, please contact [email protected]

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Lorem Ipsum is
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of the printing
and typesetting industry
Lorem Ipsum has
been the industry’s
standard dummy text ever
since the 1500s, when an
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took a galley
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Our

Testimonials

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Teens in the kitchen course

Amazing, no other word for it, I had such a brilliant experience here, I learned so many new skills, techniques and recipes and made great friends along the way, I would definitely recommend this course to all teenagers who want to learn to cook, thank you everyone at Ballymaloe cookery school !

Sadhbh

Amazing experience plus unexpected kindness!

The cheeses were wonderful. The tour service on Inis Mor was excellent, probably the most memorable part of our trip. But I have never had more kindness from a stranger! I lost a hearing aid. Gabriel, the owner, took me back to where we initially thought I might have lost it and we thoroughly searched together there. I told him not to worry any more as I might also have lost it in a shop where I tried on a sweater. After I left, he continued to make calls and the shop found it. Gabriel then delivered it to me in Galway!!! And refused a tip! Who does that anymore? Well Gabriel does.

Dennis O'Brien

Really good food

Killarney renowned for great food and restaurants which it has, I’ve been coming here for years, have to say spent the last week in Killarney and to be fair spent a decent amount of it in Killarney Avenue.

Really good holsom food, very generous portions ,and reasonably priced, good value i have to say, couldn’t recommend it highly enough, great staff,friendly and helpful.

Finbarr Dowling

Memory Lane

I well remember Peter as a very young man, he’s my age and even then he had a charm and grace to behold. I live in Australia now and this article has flooded back memories of Cavistons and Peter. Glad to learn that Peter had been so successful. Cavistons was wonderful then as now. A joy to read this article.

Paul Reade

Amazing food, service, ambiance & live classical guitar player!

One of the best food experiences we’ve had since returning to Ireland. We really miss the quality of our old neighbourhood in D.C. but this place had us pining for more. Lovely staff & really tasty dishes. Live guitarist was a real bonus.

Daithi O'Faolain

Fantastic Restaurant

I love sitting for lunch with friends on the weekdays. I usually opt for the curry dish on the menu! I also love choosing from their various salads. The produce is fresh and often comes from Anthony’s own patches!

Jillian Ferguson

Our

Awards

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