The Lamppost Cafe — Restaurant in Belfast

This pretty CS Lewis inspired café in east Belfast is a treasure trove of vintage crockery, quirky Narnia-themed artwork and with its perfectly pitched playlist, is a delightfully cosy family run affair offering fabulous food, coffee, tea and delicious tray-bakes all using local produce and suppliers.

The Lamppost is now open on Friday and Saturday evenings with a brand new menu featuring a great selection of large and small dishes with suggested wine pairing, and some great vegetarian and vegan options, so we were delighted to have been invited down to be one of the first to try out the new menu.

We began with a gorgeous Mackerel Rillette with watercress, cucumber pickle, and toasted sourdough, a Tempura Oyster Mushroom with maple glaze, kimchi bean sprouts, and an incredible gochujang mayo, and Grilled Asparagus with harissa yogurt, dill and toasted almonds, all of which were perfect sharing starters.

To follow, the Mussels with Orzo, leeks, peas and saffron cream were fresh and bursting with flavour, and the Lentil Dahl with miso tofu and crispy onions with triangles of pitta bread for dipping was one of the tastiest vegan dishes we’d had in quite a while, accompanied by some steamed Asian Greens in sesame and ginger.

To finish we had a light yet luscious Lemon Roulade with fresh fruit and vanilla cream, and some vegan cheese, a plant based, spirulina blue-veined wedge of Cashew Blue from Nourish Good Food, with crackers and Irish Black Butter.

All washed down with an excellent bottle of Porta 6, and some great cocktails, this is a terrific new menu. Many thanks to the team at the Lamppost for a wonderful evening of fantastic food, service and warm...

This is by far, one of the best that I have tried ~ Irish Stew & Scones too. Tucked away on Upper Newtownards Road in East Belfast, The Lamppost Café is more than just a charming eatery—it’s a heartfelt tribute to Belfast-born author C.S. Lewis and his beloved Chronicles of Narnia. Just a short stroll from CS Lewis Square, the café immerses visitors in a whimsical, vintage atmosphere reminiscent of stepping through the wardrobe into Narnia. Every detail inside The Lamppost Café pays homage to Lewis’s legacy. From antique crockery and Narnia-inspired artwork to a ragtime soundtrack, the ambiance transports guests to another era. Upstairs, the Writers’ Room offers a serene space modeled after Lewis’s own study, complete with bookshelves, chess boards, and cozy corners perfect for reading or reflection.

The café is renowned for its hearty, home-cooked meals, including traditional Irish stews, pies, and a variety of vegetarian and vegan options. It’s also dog-friendly, welcoming four-legged companions to join in the cozy experience.

In 2023, the café faced an unexpected challenge when its iconic lamppost—a symbol of its Narnian theme—was stolen. The community rallied in support, sharing the news widely in hopes of its return.

Whether you’re a literature enthusiast, a fan of cozy cafés, or simply seeking a unique spot to relax, The Lamppost Café offers a magical escape that celebrates the imagination and warmth of C.S....

Great cafe, scones are amazing and its dog friendly too with dog suitable menu. Knocked a star off for some recent occurrences. Having driven 30 minutes to get there we arrived 40 minutes before closing time and it was already closing up. We rang as the door was locked and told that they closed early as it was not busy. I can imagine very rare but it left us less than amused. Generally the kitchen closes an hour or so before the closing time, so only tray bakes etc available from then on but to date there has never been an issue still getting something like a steak sausage for our pup after the kitchen closes, but on the last visit we were rather bluntly told that the kitchen was closed as we had been told when we arrived, with our explanation that this had never been an issue in any of our previous 10+ visits of little concern to the server. The staff are generally brilliant, this one server was bucking that trend. Well...