30/11: Tuesday Goodie Bag

Welcome to our weekly “TGB Tuesday Goodie Bag”.

Check out our Instagram and Facebook pages for further details and if you would like any recommendations drop us a Direct Message.


gourmet boys

Top Places to Eat in Northern Ireland

Haptik Two, Belfast

Haptik Two, the sister restaurant of Haptik in Newtownards, opened its doors last week, & we think it’s the perfect spot for a Sunday brunch. We would recommend the Wild Forest Mushrooms on Toast with Coolea Cheese & Hazelnuts, or the Veggie Huevos Rancheros-a hearty Mexican breakfast with crispy tortillas topped with homemade beans, avocado, salsa, sour cream & a fried egg.

The Savoury Belgian-Style Waffle is smothered in a maple & chilli glaze with lots of bacon, tomatoes & crowned with a fried egg. And the hot drinks are hard to beat, particularly the fragrant Turmeric Latte, & if you’re a Chai fan, they’ll stick a shot of espresso in there & make it dirty- go on, you know you want to! A welcome addition to the Upper Newtownards Rd, Haptik Two is sure to be a great success.



Il Pirata, Ballyhackamore

It’s no secret that we are big fans of this Ballyhack institution, & the current menu in Il Pirata has to be one of the best yet! We always choose a few Cichetti to share, & there were a few specials which must get a mention; the Funghi Pizzetta with wild mushrooms, caramelised onion, spinach & Parmesan, & the Grilled Mackerel with beetroot purée, sea herbs & horseradish were both stunningly good.

The freshly made pasta here is always a winner, & we loved the Squid Ink Bucatini with prawns, scallops & samphire in a tomato, chilli & garlic sauce, & the Mac and Cheese with crab was a creamy, unctuous delight! Rustic, Italian-style dishes, skilfully prepared, right on our own doorstep. Ciao! 


Shout of the Week

Pizzaguyz

Pizzaguyz are vibrant family-run pizza shops creating a wide choice of delicious handcrafted signature pizzas & great value deals but also encouraging the customer to be a pizza “vigilante” & create their own bespoke masterpieces. We decided to go for the “Totally Veged” with loads of fresh, organic veggie toppings, & we also created our own “seafood extravaganza” with tuna, black olives, & plenty of delicious salty anchovies for a wonderful umami punch!

Pizzaguyz

However, an absolute must is a generous portion of Pizzaguyz’ “Cheesy Jalapeño Dough Balls”; incredible, freshly made swirls of perfectly baked pizza dough, crammed with the ooziest mozzarella & lots of fiery pickled chillis.

Quite honestly, the best dough balls we’ve ever tasted & we’ve tried quite a few! 





🤗