the pocket in Belfast

Good coffee and tasty food, but it’s always very busy so finding a table can be a challenge.

I ordered the wild mushrooms, my sister got the chicken and waffles, we both took 2 bites and done, it was not good, the taste was off and my sister said the same, waitress asked was everything ok whilst looking at 2 full plates and walked away in disgust before I could explain about the food, no interest in hearing me out. £62 down the drain, had to go eat elsewhere unfortunately 😔 better service needed towards customers who aren't enjoying the food.

We visited The Pocket over Easter weekend and waited in line for quite some time(many cafés were closed) but it was well worth the wait. The food was absolutely delicious, and the staff were very friendly.

Super pleasant staff. Gluten free options and great great food!!! Really enjoyed it!

Delicious french toast with such unique flavours! Great portions too!

A very cozy coffee shop with very friendly service. I only tried the Irish coffee and the brownie, everything was delicious, but the menu has many options.

Fantastic spot. Excellent coffee and fresh and flavoursome food. Staff was very friendly too.

Lovely spot with savage food and coffee. Staff is very friendly. The portion is very big and we were all happily full afterwards. Highly recommend

We read the reviews for The Pocket on Google and came here for breakfast on a Sunday morning since it wasn't too far away from our hotel. We were fortunate that we didn't have to wait too long in the queue. We loved the feel and vibe of the place, the decor is lovely. The food is very tasty and innovative (never had pesto with poached eggs before). Portions are large which was a bit "unfortunate" since the pastries looked amazing but we were full and hence couldn't try them. Service was very friendly and nice. Definitely worth visiting more than once.

Tried the mushroom and focaccia toast meals — both were tasty and generously portioned. The staff was friendly and attentive. Highly recommended!

Outstanding. Just out up with the wait for a table and you won't be disappointed.

Best breakfast in Ireland I’ve had after 3 weeks travelling across the country.

Super cozy breakfast place, with a good variety of breakfast toasts. They also have smaller variety of sweet goods. Coffee is delicious,the food as well and the Belfast brunch tea is amazing. Definitely recomend, plus the service was super friendly and the portions are very generous.

We went on Easter Sunday at 11 and had to wait in line for almost an hour but it was totally worth it. Great food, very full plates and the best coffee. The place is cozy and once inside they took little time to serve us. The staff is very friendly and attentive, they care about allergies and have vegetarian options. Affordable prices. 10/10

Got a takeaway hot chocolate and banana bread it was very tasty. Lady serving was lovely too. A bit on the smaller side for a cafe but can't be helped, but means it gets busy quick. Nice decor inside too.

I ordered the fried chicken and waffles. The chicken was very bland and the dish had way too much picked cabbage which made it very acidic and hard to finish. The corn topping seemed to have come directly from the can with no additional preparation or seasoning. And the waffle french toast seemed no different to normal french toast to me, the waffle element must come from the description. The seating is a bit too intimate for my liking, with the tables being very close together, which makes it a bit awkward when the table next to you decides to very blatantly listen in to your conversation. Very disappointed and definitely not worth the price.

I was just amazed about the food the service we got here! Best breakfast place in Belfast! Highly recommended

Really good brunch, different menu, large portions, small but cosy and a little qwerky.

Second time in 3days! Outstanding! The coffee, the food, the atmosphere and most importantly, the staff are fantastic. Love it….well deserved ❤️

Amazing coffee. Great chill friendly staff. We had French toast...masterpiece. This place is Must visit. We travelled from Australia and visited many countries in last few months I need to say coffee here was one of the best.

Very friendly staff, super delicious food. Come here it's super awesome. Portions are perfect and I eat a lot. I think a smoothie menu would compliment this place very well. :) Highly recommend 10/10

We visited for Brunch, great service friendly and great food. We were stuffed with portion sizes and spoilt for choice.

The best french toast in the world!

11/10! I had the Chicken on French toast and it was a hearty plate of deliciousness! Staff were absolutely lovely and the prices are super reasonable, definitely could be charging more given the exceptional quality and generous quantity. A hidden gem of the Belfast!

Food was good, and the coffee was amazing!

4 of us had gorgeous breakfast here.Coffee really good. Everytime I visit Belfast I go here for breakfast.Food very good.No reservations taken. You might have to queue for a short time for a table coz it's so popular. It's worth the wait.

This is my go-to spot whenever I'm in Belfast! The food is always delicious (seriously, I still can't figure out how they cook their mushrooms so perfectly), and the service is great. They offer a classic brunch menu with a solid selection of coffees and sweet treats to take with you. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because the queues outside can be a bit tough, especially when it's cold and you're just eager to eat!

A delicious breakfast that will fill you up. The service was also very nice, I sincerely recommend this place.

What a gem of a place! Small yet perfectly formed, the decor is divine, the food fantastic and the staff sublime! You even get a timer with your teapot. A wee slice of heaven

Nice food, good service. However had to queue for about 25 minutes to get a table. They don't take bookings which is silly. 40 quid for a brunch is also high.. They brought me a coffee with lipstick on the cup, so clearly they don’t wash things thoroughly.. wont be back

the french toast was perfection

Excellent small eatery very popular. You have to turn up and take a chance as you cannot book in advance. Excellent food, service and reasonably priced. There is a real buzz in the place with a wide generational mix definitely not reliant on the grey pound but being in that category I did not feel unwelcome or out of place.

Could not recommend The Pocket more! We went on a Wednesday morning and there was plenty of seating for our group of 10. Truly one of the best brunches I’ve ever had! We still haven’t stopped talking about how good the Levantine french toast was. Green eggs on toast and chorizo brunch were also favorites. The atmosphere is top tier as well with lots of natural light and artwork from local artists.

Excellent service. Tasty and great presentation.

Delicious food. Friendly staff and great atmosphere. The coffee was best I’ve had in long time. Levantine French toast delicious. Definitely worth a visit.

Lovely spot! Visiting from America and this is the first place I wanted to get coffee from! Nice atmosphere, clean, great service.

Won’t find a better breakfast spot in Belfast. Great food. I would get there early as possible, as you will inevitably have to queue for a table otherwise.

Incredible food, and coffee to die for. Found this gem on a weekend trip to Belfast. Be prepared to wait though as this place is clearly very popular!

Food was just amazing and to top if off we left our bag and 5 minutes later a breathless staff member tracked us down to give it back. Tempted to move to Belfast just for this cafe!

Style over substance unfortunately. Coffee wasn’t good, and the southern chicken waffle French toast was beyond disappointing. Admittedly, we only ate it because we were very hungry having been up for a flight over to Ireland at 6am, but it was not good. It was very bland, so much cabbage, soggy bread, and one piece of chicken? For the price, we didn’t feel as though the meal reflected on value, which is disappointing because the team and atmosphere were lovely.

The Pocket was hands down my favorite place to eat in Belfast. Its location is perfect if you're grabbing breakfast before heading out for some shopping, but what really stood out was the quality of the food. The ingredients were clearly top-notch, the service was exceptional, and the atmosphere was warm, cosy, and inviting—just pure comfort. For a small place, they delivered big flavors. I had the I Love Bacon, and it was possibly the best meal of the trip, which says a lot considering how great the food was everywhere. The presentation was superb, and despite the high quality, we didn’t have to wait long before it was placed in front of us. Next time I visit Belfast, I’ll be having breakfast here every day and trying something new each time. I can’t wait to return and highly recommend this place to anyone visiting the city!

Nice spot for breakfast. It was full when we went but we managed to get a table quickly. The menu is quite small and if you’re fussy you may struggle to find something you like, I’m vegetarian and didn’t fancy eggs but i ended up having them. The portions are large, and the service is extremely quick. The staff are very friendly. The coffee was ok, I had a flat white, and went elsewhere for a second coffee. The mushroom toast was very flavoursome.

The nicest French toast I’ve ever had. So light and fluffy and I really enjoyed the vanilla cream

Everything was very good ! We arrive on a sunday morning for a delicious breakfast there, only 1 table empty around 10ish, very popular and busy location, by the time we finnish it was a big queue outside. We end up here on a recommandation and we we're surprised how delicious and fast was everything. Bianca served us and we had a good experience overall, very clean and tidy, dishes very well organised and tasty ! 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a Gem First time in Belfast and we found Pockets. You must visit absolutely amazing food.

I travelled from London to Belfast for a wedding over the weekend, and I'm thrilled that The Pocket was my first dining experience in Northern Ireland. My family and I enjoyed a hearty breakfast; the food was phenomenal, especially the chilli jam—it had a kick! I'm curious whether it's made in-house or sourced elsewhere; either way, I'd love to get my hands on a jar.

What an absolute AMAZING place, The food was delicious. The staff were very attentive and it had a lovely feeling about it. Would highly recommend!!

On my first day in Belfast, I found The Pocket and lucky for me I found them on an empty stomach. Here I was thinking it would be a dainty cafe with a recognisable menu. I was completely stunned by their menu and how many elements were written down for each dish. Even when I took a glance at other customers plates, I was lost for words at their large portions and beautiful presentation. This type of cafe is very trendy and eats well. It’s extremely pleasing on the eye and doesn’t leave you breaking the bank. If you have a sweet tooth, this is the place to be. If you love a full breakfast, this is the place to be. Whatever breakfast and brunching needs you require, they’ll absolutely take care of you. I ordered the Southern Fried Chicken n’ Waffle. Although, I enjoyed it and I was so full by the end. I found it lacking in flavour. The chicken itself was quite bland and could’ve had a pop of spice or more seasoning in the flour before frying. I ended up using the salt and pepper shaker to boost the flavours. Aside from that slight fault, I genuinely can’t complain about the rest. I had a taste of everyone else’s meal from the Pocket Fry to the French Toast and those were absolutely perfect. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly when helping us decide what to order. I couldn’t have picked a better place to really kick off my time in Belfast than eating at The Pocket. This is the one place I can confidently recommend anyone to come to for an amazing breakfast or lunch.

Charming wee spot and good table service. The green eggs -the green salsa was so salty as to be nearly inedible. The bread which is made a big deal of on the menu is chunky, soft even when toasted and tasteless and IMHO (in my humble opinion) is not a good option for breakfast/brunch. Sourdough toasted on one side not fried would be a much better alternative. When I was standing paying my bill a 'gentleman' barged in front of me and the manager who witnessed it allowed him to, leaving me feeling a tad dismayed..

Bu Hao Chi😋, Chopsticks Pao, xhs Pianren👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Very good! In addition, my girlfriend overturned her plate while cutting her dish which was overflowing from the table (small considering what was there). And they remade his dish, it’s very nice!

A bit of a queue but definitely worth the 15’ wait! The portions were huge and extremely tasty, as well as the coffee! It was one of our culinary highlights for the trips to Belfast, make sure not to miss the best brunch spot out there!

Came here for a breakfast on Saturday morning. What a lovely place. The ambience is extremely cozy, every corner is beautifully decorated. The staffs are super friendly and welcoming. The food is amazing. Tastes really good and are super fresh too. I wish they maintain this quality food in future too. If you are in Belfast, please do give this a try, and you won't be disappointed. I will be definitely back here.

Pretentious comes to mind. Overpriced for the novelty factor. Coffee is nice but nicer places with more reasonable prices. Nothing special despite what tiktokers seems to claim.

Kind stuff, nice coffee and hot chocolate

Disappointed not dog friendly at all

Had the green eggs (3*) and a ginger beer (5*).

Went twice on our weekend in Belfast. Great food and quick, friendly service. Lovely spot, would recommend. Good gluten free options too.

This place is a lovely vibrant upmarket spot. A great twist on breakfast/ brunch. The pocket fry and the southern style chicken waffles are highly recommend. Fancy a slightly different coffee? Try the dirty chai latte. Friendly staff, great vibrant atmosphere, great location. Highly recommended

Fantastic breakfast this morning. Ingredients sooo fresh and great flavors. Definitely recommended

A beautiful café with really lovely staff. We were very well taken care of in the queue which moved very quickly (so don’t be too put off OR get there earlier). The portions were very good and were all equally appealing sounding. The food was delicious but maybe a little rich so maybe ask staff if you don’t want something too punchy for breakfast. Overall it felt like a real event. I enjoyed every moment.

Very slow services, takes forever even for the takeaway. Don't recommend if you have other plans - you never know how long it takes!

Good specialty coffee to go, friendly staff

We had the most amazing French Toast. Another customer recommended it and it did not disappoint.

Great breakfast at this cafe. Despite the shop being quite full and busy, the staffs were incredibly nice and thoughtful. The food was the highlight - menu was basic but every dish was meticulously prepared and they were amazing! I’d say it’s a really lovely cafe itself, with cozy ambience that adds to the overall experience. Combined with their tip top service & food, this is a place I’d happily return to.

Really nice food and service but what was that ketchup?? It was like cold tomato soup!Use some normal ketchup, it was the weirdest stuff I’ve ever tasted.

Really good food and very good ambience/interior. Not a huge brunch menu but it does all the basics.

Cold and uncooked chicken waffle

The Pocket is class! French toast was unreal—the flavors were spot on, and everything just worked perfectly. The staff made you feel right at home. Can’t wait to head back

The Pocket is a hidden gem in Belfast, perfect for brunch lovers! I tried their Earl Grey tea and green eggs on toast, and both were absolutely amazing—bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. The cozy atmosphere is complemented by the warm and welcoming staff, who truly make you feel at home. Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to enjoy your morning or a vibrant lunch destination, The Pocket is a must-visit. Highly recommended!

A must visit in Belfast!! Waited 20 mins outside however line moved quick and lady came out to take our names. Staff serving inside were lovely and just happy which was nice to see, very attentive! Coffee was amazing (being an Aussie coffee snob this was good!). Food was a generous size and so yum! The menu was a great selection I wanted one of each!! Enjoyed the chicken n waffle meal. Overall can’t fault! Would recommend to anyone. Very cute and cosy inside, love the art work and plants! Thankyou again

Absolutely amazing experience here this morning, the women working here are absolute gems. From the moment we walked through the door they were nothing but kind, really made the meal for us. Iced and regular lattes were delicious, the food was an absolutely delicious and was a great sized portion as well. Would recommend anyone visiting Belfast to stop by this place!

Normally I'd be against paying up to £15 for a breakfast but here I'd actually say it's worth it, had the Pocket Fry with chilli sauce and chilli jam and a tea and my girlfriend had the green eggs with halloumi. 10/10 for food and service and would absolutely go again.

Avoid the queue, better breakfast and brunch spots are available in Belfast. A popular spot, but we left feeling disappointed. The pocket is a busy brunch/breakfast spot and we queued for ~30 minutes before being seated for a table of 4. Staff were attentive and took our name whilst waiting in the queue and served us quickly once seated. The food has room for improvement with a focus on presentation rather than flavour. I added a beef sausage and spicy beans to my green eggs order, the sausage was slimy and felt almost as if it had been poached rather than fried or grilled, and the beans were in a watery tomato sauce with little flavour. Coffee was weak tasting despite being made fresh.

Outstanding brunch options and the single origin coffee was top quality. Staff are extremely welcoming and everything we tried was memorable.

Amazing service, servers are very nice, amazing atmosphere, keep pretty busy during lunch time but worth it. I recommend coconut cake with a filling of raspberry, with personally for me a bit to much sugary whipped cream on top but good. Also the tea came in a very nice tea pot, which you can ask for hot water refill. I recommend in general !!!!

Amazing breakfast / brunch spot. Good hearty food and great friendly service!

Great service, food came quickly and was excellent

Goodness gracious! I don't think I've ever had a breakie/brunch as beautiful and as delicious as I did at The Pocket. I have gone for french toast and let me tell you, it was out of this world. Including pictures of the absolutely beautiful plate, I didn't even want to eat so i don't ruin it!!!! Service was superb and waitress was delightful to chat to! Coffee was outstanding, to the point where I had to compliment cappuccino also, which i never do!!! So sad this place is so far from home but will definitely come back anytime I'm in Belfast and will tell others about it 🩷

Staff and service are brilliant. I had the Chicken Waffle which was great and my wife had a Squash & Goats Cheese dish which she thoroughly enjoyed. Lovely atmosphere. Would highly recommend. Be warned… it can be busy. Not sure if bookings are allowed.

The Pocket is a nice little restaurant, very cozy, beautiful decors inside. Nice friendly staff, very busy place. They had few vegan options. We had the wild mushroom with spinach and sundries tomato on toast. I can’t explain how delicious the food was. One of the best meal. Definitely recommend this place.

Make people queue for no reason!

The food here was delicious ! A good selection of choice . Presentation was Perfect. Lovely atmosphere we really enjoyed the drinks and vibes .

Went here after hearing someone praise how good the breakfast was here and I was surely not disappointed.The fry was one of the best I have had in a long time,the coffee was great,jf I was back in Belfast I would definitely be going back again,I highly recommend it for a lovely breakfast and brunch,great service

Amazing food and service. Food is 10/10 would highly recommend

We found this place as it was close to our hotel. We queued for about 25 mins which of course psychologically makes you think it must be worth the wait. Interior is lovely, lady who seemed to be the manager was nice, staff were efficient. They don’t serve coconut milk which was a poor start, though the coffee was good. The fry was served with bread that wasn’t toasted, bacon was undercooked and sausage was tasteless. All in all it was underwhelming.

I had the breakfast which was lovely. The beans are class and the wors sausage and puddings superb. Toast maybe on the side as it ended up mushy buried under everything but tasty and the poached eggs yum. Service was really good. Partner had the mushrooms dish with feta etc was way too much on the plate and quite stodgy. Tasty enough though. I'd recommend less portions maybe for brunch and charge less, a lot of eating and slightly high end charge. Nice wee spot inside and staff very good

Had to wait 40 mins in queue. Thought it would be worth waiting. But it was not. While taking order they said they don’t have Nduja dish, which I think they should have told to the people in the queue outside. I ordered Chicken Waffle. The chicken was dry. And overall the dish was not that flavorful. My Girlfriend ordered Chorizo dish, which was also average I think. Coffee was great though.

The green eggs on toast was amazing! Very friendly staff.

GF and vegan options available, super friendly staff, a great experience overall.

Well set up restaurant. Went there early however there was a queue for the place. Probably around 30 minutes. However, the food wasn't the best or the worst. Mediocre at most. Good to go once not sure if I'll go again.

Lovely place, however it is often described as dog friendly online (which is why I chose it) yet I was told to leave immediately when I arrived with my dog. Not sure why it’s described as dog friendly by most websites. Edit: When you google, “Dog friendly cafes in Belfast” this place is the first one to come up, along with reviews saying that the place is dog friendly. On the “Discover Northern Ireland” website, it says that dogs are allowed inside. On the Belfast Newsletter’s article about the best dog friendly places to eat in Belfast, this place is listed as number 3. This is why I thought this place was dog friendly. The space is gorgeous and I would definitely go back but it is presented online as a dog friendly establishment, hence my surprise.

Went here for me lunch. I had the following items: Southern style chicken and waffle (£13.60): Big portion!! Came with empty stomach, home feeling very full! Chicken was tender, moist. Served with egg on top of this very soft bread, with pickled red onion, and this sauce which is so flavorful. Will I order this again? 100%! 9/10 Fresh apple juice (£2.70): taste nice, like any other apple juice really. Portion-wise it's enough. 7.5/10 They also have other menus like coffee and cakes. Since it was quite a lunch I had (plus I don't drink coffee), decided to skip both of them but will definitely come back here again to try them out. Atmosphere: very small, intimate, homey as well. Lots of decoration, plants, even a deer head and a disco ball which I love. I came on weekday so a wee bit spacious but everytime I walked past through on weekends, saw quite a line as there were limited seating space. Staff that day were very friendly, quick service as well. All in all, must visit!

Quite frankly and amazing place to eat on a Belfast morning. Vegan options are mouth-watering. Coffee is amazing. What else would you want? No, really....

A wonderful cafe! The Pocket was recommended, so we braved the queue and are glad we did! The food was EXCELLENT, and the staff were really friendly and communicative. It was my husband's birthday, which I mentioned vaguely, and they brought out a chocolate brownie with a lit candle to help him celebrate. We really felt welcomed and would visit again in a heartbeat.

Lovely breakfast spot. You may have to Queue if it’s a Saturday morning but it’s worth the wait. I would recommend the Pocket Breakfast

A little wait but incredible breakfast! Special mention for the “Pocket Fry”, just for the mushrooms! A great welcome, good food, if I come back to Belfast, I will come back!

Unbelievable food in a cool space.

Great place to have breakfast, we found this on a Google search and it did not disappoint. Good choice of food and drinks. We choose The I love bacon, and The pocket fry, so delicious and filling. The I love bacon included a stack of bacon on waffle toast with egg black and white pudding, cheese and a red onion jam, it was AMAZING. Loved the little tea timer, for personal tea strength. Would 100% recommend and 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Once youre lucky enough to get a table, it's an amazing and relaxed brunch spot. Would have loved to have had more time and belly space to try more food! Big portions! 😄