The Foodie's Day Out

No rushing. This is a day about eating well, and it starts with a proper breakfast. Niki's Kitchen on Main Street does a brilliant fry — the kind where the soda bread is homemade and the sausages are from a local butcher. If you're after something lighter, grab a pastry and a good coffee from one of the cafés on Main Street. Or honestly? A bacon bap from the Great Eastern and a coffee to go, eaten on a bench looking at the sea. There's no wrong answer here.

This is where the day gets interesting. Kilkeel (*Cill Chaoil* — 'the narrow church') is Northern Ireland's biggest fishing port, and it doesn't look like a tourist attraction because it isn't one. It's a working harbour. 105 boats, 55% of the entire NI fleet, bobbing in the water right in front of you. In 1890, a third of all herring landed in Ireland came through here. Walk along the harbour wall, watch the crews sorting their catch, and breathe in the salt air. The best bit? Ask any local about prawns and they'll tell you the story of the 'creepy crawlies' — in the 1950s, the fishermen started hauling up these things in their nets and had no idea what they were. Nobody ate prawns round here. They nearly threw them back. Now they're the major catch. The Mourne Maritime Visitor Centre nearby tells the whole story if you want to go deeper.

You're at the harbour where the fish came in this morning. This is not the time for a fancy sit-down. The Fisherman's Catch does proper fish and chips — battered cod or haddock, chunky chips, and none of it has travelled more than a few hundred metres from boat to plate. Grab a portion, find a spot overlooking the boats, and eat it in the open air with the gulls eyeing you up. If the weather's being unkind (and this is Northern Ireland, so it might be), there's seating inside too. Want something different? The harbour area has a few other good casual options — you won't go hungry in a fishing town.

From fish to chocolate. NearyNógs is Northern Ireland's first bean-to-bar chocolate maker, tucked away on the Mourne coast with views across Carlingford Lough that alone would be worth the drive. But you're here for the chocolate. They source cacao beans directly from small farms, roast and grind them on-site, and turn them into bars, truffles, and drinking chocolate that'll make you forget every Easter egg you've ever eaten. The sea salt and dark chocolate bar — made with Mourne sea salt — is the one to try. If there's a tasting on, do it. You'll learn the difference between cacao from Peru, Madagascar, and Ecuador, and you'll leave with a bag of bars you were definitely planning to give as gifts but absolutely will not.

This is the highlight of the afternoon, and possibly the whole day. Killowen is Ireland's smallest licensed distillery, nestled at the foot of the Mourne Mountains near Rostrevor. Brendan Carty built it himself and runs it with the kind of obsessive attention to detail that makes you believe one person can make world-class spirits. The pot still whiskey is exceptional. The gin is botanical and complex. And the poitín (the Irish spirit that was illegal for 300 years) is unlike anything you've tasted. Book ahead for the distillery tour — Brendan or his team will walk you through the whole process, from grain to glass, and you'll taste everything. The views from the distillery across the lough don't hurt either.

After a distillery tour, you've earned a sit-down. Rostrevor (*Ros Treabhair*) is one of those villages that feels like it shouldn't exist — a Victorian resort town tucked between the mountains and Carlingford Lough, with fairy-tale charm and proper pubs. The Corner House is a classic — stone walls, good craic, and the kind of atmosphere you can't manufacture. Or try The Kilbroney Bar if you want to sit outside and watch the lough. Either way, order a pint and let the afternoon settle. This is the rhythm of a Mourne food day — savour it, don't rush it.

You've got a choice, and it depends on your mood. If you're already in Rostrevor and feeling lazy (in the best possible way), drive 10 minutes to Warrenpoint and eat at Bennett's Bar — proper gastropub food, excellent steaks, and a menu that takes its local suppliers seriously. The Whistledown Hotel is another solid shout if you want something a bit more polished. Or, if you'd rather loop back to Newcastle, Brunel's does generous portions of locally sourced food that hit the spot after a full day. For the ultimate finish, book Mourne Seafood Bar in Dundrum (it's 10 minutes from Newcastle) — the region's most celebrated seafood restaurant, set in a converted cottage. The menu changes with the catch. Book ahead. Whatever you choose, you'll be eating food that came from within a few miles of your plate.