{"id":207562,"date":"2025-06-23T11:50:30","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T11:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/207562\/"},"modified":"2025-06-23T11:50:30","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T11:50:30","slug":"is-this-the-best-bar-in-northern-ireland-how-belfast-cocktail-spot-defied-the-odds-to-pick-up-top-award-the-irish-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/207562\/","title":{"rendered":"Is this the best bar in Northern Ireland? How Belfast cocktail spot defied the odds to pick up top award \u2013 The Irish News"},"content":{"rendered":"

The team behind a Belfast cocktail spot has told how they overcame \u201ca lot of adversity\u201d to be named the best bar in Northern Ireland. <\/p>\n

Rattlebag, set within the Bullitt Hotel in the city centre, opened just three days before the first Covid lockdown caused the closure of hospitality venues across the north, leaving it empty for months. <\/p>\n

Then, not long after restrictions lifted, the venue was forced to shut its doors again \u2013 this time for five months \u2013 after a fire at the hotel. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe opened on Friday the thirteenth so that wasn\u2019t a good start,\u201d laughs head bartender and the mind behind the venue\u2019s recipes, Matthew Knight. <\/p>\n

\"Is<\/a>\"Is<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cInitially, we thought it would just be a couple of weeks and we\u2019d bounce back but of course it ended up being a good few months and then there was the fire in 2022 which was another knockback. <\/p>\n

More: <\/b>The \u2018best bar in Northern Ireland\u2019: boundary-pushing Belfast cocktail spot wins top UK award<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

\"CocktailsMatthew Knight making a cocktail at Rattlebag in Belfast PICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN <\/p>\n

\u201cThere was definitely a lot of adversity in those early days but thankfully we\u2019ve come out the other side since then and managed to create something unique within Belfast\u2019s cocktail scene.\u201d <\/p>\n

Offering a modern twist on 12 classic cocktails, Rattlebag has become known for its experimental menu.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I come up with a drink it\u2019s usually based on something I\u2019ve found interesting \u2013 like our house martini was the result of a hike,\u201d Matthew explains. <\/p>\n

\u201cI was walking up Slieve Donard and there\u2019s a massive pine part of the trail and the smell just sat in my memory and when I was trying to come up with drinks, I just thought pine would work really well in a martini. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo, for me it\u2019s all about taking everyday experiences and tying them into a good drink in whatever way we can.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"CocktailsMatthew Knight says he is inspired by his surroundings when creating new cocktails
\nPICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN <\/p>\n

A prime example of the bar\u2019s quirky concept is their take on the Zombie. Believed to have been invented in 1934 by American adventurer Donn Beach, the cocktail traditionally consists of three different kinds of rum, lime juice, falernum, Angostura bitters, Pernod, grenadine, and \u201cDon\u2019s Mix\u201d, a combination of cinnamon syrup and grapefruit juice. <\/p>\n

The Rattlebag version starts with scotch and adds a homemade zombie mix, zombie juice, tiki bitters and pastis.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have all those lovely earthy, smoky flavours from the scotch, which plays really well with all the tropical notes you get with tiki cocktails,\u201d Matthew describes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s actually my favourite on the menu because it kind of sums up what we do here \u2013 it\u2019s fun but it also gives people a chance to try really interesting flavour pairings.\u201d <\/p>\n

More: <\/b>Local craft beer festival aims to transform Belfast street into a vibrant community space<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

\"CocktailsIn addition to creating cocktails with a twist Rattlebag also aim to give customers the opportunity to experience unique flavour combinations
\nPICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN <\/p>\n

Matthew\u2019s passion for experimental flavour combinations has clearly inspired the wider team, including bartender Hannah Morro, who gained attention earlier this year for creating a birthday cake flavoured cocktail to mark Rattlebag\u2019s fifth anniversary.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore I started working here, I was working in a restaurant where I was watching chefs take one thing and turn it into something else, which really fascinated me,\u201d Hannah explains.<\/p>\n

\"CocktailsHannah Marro making a cocktail at Rattlebag in Belfast
\nPICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd since working in Rattlebag it\u2019s something I\u2019ve been able to do myself. Like whenever we started planning the bar\u2019s fifth birthday party I thought why not make a drink that tastes like birthday cake?\u201d <\/p>\n

Using Fermanagh\u2019s Boatyard Vodka, Hannah infused it with cake from Dougie\u2019s Goodies bakery. <\/p>\n

\u201cI had no idea that it was going to go so well,\u201d she laughs. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut it really worked and I\u2019m not trying to pat myself on the back or anything but it was one of the best things I think I\u2019ve ever tasted texture and flavour-wise because it\u2019s such an unexpected flavour to get from a cocktail.\u201d <\/p>\n

More:<\/b> \u2018It will be something people haven\u2019t seen before\u2019 – owners of popular chicken shop to open new restaurant in Belfast<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

\"CocktailsUsing Fermanagh\u2019s Boatyard Vodka, Hannah infused it with cake from Dougie\u2019s Goodies bakery PICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN <\/p>\n

However, manager Chris Wareing says that while Rattlebag has gained a reputation for producing innovative cocktails, the bar\u2019s real success lies in making the complex flavours and textures of different spirits more accessible.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat Matt and Hannah are really good at is taking these quite serious five-star hotel style cocktails and adding a little note of humour or creativity or nostalgia. <\/p>\n

\u201cSome of our best-known drinks, like the Aviation or the bubblegum Corpse Reviver, are examples of taking drinks that people might be a bit intimidated by and making them much more approachable.<\/p>\n

\"CocktailsManager Chris Wareing says the bar\u2019s real success lies in making the complex flavours and textures of different spirits more accessible PICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I think we get the biggest kick out of when someone is kind of dragged in and they say \u2018I don\u2019t like cocktails, or I don\u2019t like spirits\u2019 and then we make something that makes them go \u2018wow\u2019. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a great feeling because you actually open up a whole new world to them without being too pretentious about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matthew adds: \u201cA lot of our regulars are people who have just come in and stayed and I think that\u2019s one of our strengthens \u2013 a lot of people have said we\u2019re too niche or too hidden away but our concept attracts curious people and they\u2019re the sort of people we love to see coming in.\u201d<\/p>\n

More: <\/b>The changing faces of one of Belfast\u2019s oldest bars: From tavern opened in 1630 to hotel expansion plans in 2025<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

\"CocktailsOver the past five years, the bar has quietly become a favourite haunt for a few famous faces as well PICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN <\/p>\n

Given its unique style and aesthetic as well as the staff\u2019s emphasis on quality customer service, it may not come as no surprise that Rattlebag has picked up several significant accolades since it opened its doors in 2020. <\/p>\n

\"CocktailsRattlebag has picked up several significant accolades since it opened its doors in 2020
\nPICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN <\/p>\n

Most notably in 2024 the venue was included in the Pinnacle Guide, an exclusive new directory of the world\u2019s top cocktail bars curated by the founders of London Cocktail Week and often described as the \u201cMichelin Guide for bars\u201d.<\/p>\n

And even more recently it was named The Best Bar in Northern Ireland at the 2025 CLASS Bar Awards which recognises and celebrates the talent, achievements and diversity of the UK bar scene.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely nice to have that recognition, especially because CLASS was peer awarded and then pinnacle was based on several mystery reviews,\u201d says Hannah. <\/p>\n

\u201cTo receive that kind of praise and validation from other people in the industry is always fantastic.\u201d <\/p>\n

More: <\/b>How two breweries helped make an unexpected part of Belfast the \u2018craft beer capital of Northern Ireland\u2019<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

\"CocktailsChris explains that delivering \u201cexceptional\u201d hospitality is another essential part of the bar\u2019s ethos PICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN <\/p>\n

Chris adds, \u201cWhen Matt and I started we didn\u2019t know each other we were just kind of put together two weeks before we opened, so we were trying to suss each other out and understand each other\u2019s skill sets and how we were going to work as a unit. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think very early on we were really explicit about the fact that we didn\u2019t have any focus on awards or prizes or top 50, top 100 or anything like that \u2013 our whole philosophy was to create a bar that we would like to go to in the hope that enough people in Belfast would also like it.<\/p>\n

More: <\/b>Chef goes from selling pizza in his back garden to opening a new restaurant on the Ormeau Road<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

\"CocktailsMatthew Knight is Rattlebag’s head bartender and the mind behind their experimental cocktails PICTURE: COLM LENAGHAN <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I think we\u2019ve done that, because we\u2019ve always been far more focused on getting better and making our product better over everything else – we just want to be the best version of Rattlebag we can be.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe worst thing that can happen now is people come in here because of the press and the prizes and they don\u2019t get the level of service or hospitality that we aspire to, so I think going forward we just want to focus on maintaining the standard, making sure we keep our spark.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The team behind a Belfast cocktail spot has told how they overcame \u201ca lot of adversity\u201d to be…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":207563,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5011],"tags":[83309,14310,1144,1889,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-207562","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-northern-ireland","8":"tag-belfast-city-centre","9":"tag-hospitality","10":"tag-northern-ireland","11":"tag-pubs","12":"tag-uk","13":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114732533987006450","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207562","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=207562"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207562\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/207563"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=207562"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=207562"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=207562"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}