The Morning Star Bar & Restaurant occupies 17-19 Pottinger’s Entry in central Belfast. Established in 1810 and carefully restored, it combines the character of a traditional city pub with a substantial upstairs restaurant. The historic setting remains lively and informal, making it suitable for lunch, dinner, drinks and groups exploring Belfast’s old entries.
Local sourcing is central to the kitchen, particularly beef from traditional and native breeds raised by nearby farmers and the restaurant’s own farm. Steaks are dry aged on the bone for 35 days before being served on sizzling skillets. Irish seafood chowder, mussels, coley fish and chips, Glenarm salmon, burgers and seasonal dishes broaden the menu beyond the steak selection.
Vegetarian and vegan choices include vegetable fritters, beetroot and meat free burgers, while gluten free dishes and adaptations are marked on the menu. Because the kitchen is not a nut free environment and handles many allergens, diners should make their server aware of intolerances before ordering. Sharing boards and large cuts can be arranged for groups who want the meal to centre on the table.
The pub serves draught beer, stout, whiskey, cocktails, wine and alcohol free drinks, providing a natural place to continue after dinner. A mix of traditional surroundings and contemporary food prevents the venue from feeling like either a formal steakhouse or a drinks only bar. The Morning Star is most distinctive when local produce, generous portions and the atmosphere of Pottinger’s Entry come together.
Address: 17-19 Pottinger's Entry, Belfast BT1 4DT, United Kingdom
The Morning Star Bar & Restaurant Menu
Starters
Oysters Au Naturelle
mignonette, lemon (each)
Hot Honey Fried Chicken
chilli, sesame
Burratta
heritage tomato, herb oil, focaccia (v)
Dundrum Crab
potato, fennel, zucchini, apple
Irish Seafood Chowder
glenarm salmon, smoked haddock, coley, mussels, comber spuds, white wine cream, guinness wheaten
Moules Mariniere
strangford lough mussels, garlic & white wine cream, parsley, lemon, sea salt focaccia
Star Oysters
grilled, bone marrow, chicken crumb
Fritto Misto
calamari, whitebait, lime harissa mayo
Beef Carpaccio
balsamic, parmesan, chive pesto
Hot Wings
spicy sriracha, pickled chilli, aioli
Seafood Tower
Six Oysters Au Naturel, Salt & Pepper Calamari, Deep Fried Whitebait, Classic Moules Marainiere, Lemon & Garlic Aioli, Mignonette, Seaweed Butter, Guinness Wheaten Bread
Award Winning Steaks
our steaks are sourced from the best traditional & native breeds from local farmers & our farm on the shores of lough neagh. we dry age all our beef for 35 days to concentrate flavour & tenderness. the large cuts & bone-in are some of our favourites, be warned they’re BIG. served sizzling on cast iron skillets with confit tomato & choice of chips / champ / seasonal veg.
Chateaubriand
sliced, 2 sides / jus
Rump
Price: * pre order required
Ribeye
Sirloin
Fillet
Tomahawk
see server for sizes available; sliced or sizzling, 2 sides & sauce
T-bone
see server for sizes available; sliced or sizzling, 2 sides & sauce
Make it Surf & Turf
add grilled garlic & parsley butter portavogie prawns
Steak Sauces
Sauces 3.95
Brandy Peppercorn
Classic Béarnaise
Homemade Gravy
Garlic & Parsley Butter
Café de Paris Butter
Red Wine Jus
Seasonal & Classics
Chicken Parmigiana
panko crumbed coantrim chicken schnitzel, tomato marinara, hand cut chips, nduja crumb, parmesan
Classic Fish & Chips
irish sea coley, belfast lager batter, dill tartare, smashed peas, hand cut chips, lemon
Market Fish * See Special
pan fried, dill & caper velouté, dauphinoise potato, seasonal greens, burnt lemon
Steak Salad
seared ribeye steak, rocket, herby comber potatoes, zucchini, balsamic, parmesan
12hr Beef Cheek
stout & treacle braise, hispi cabbage, creamy champ, mushroom & bacon bordelaise
Beef & Guinness Pie
guinness briased coantrim beef, seasonal vegetable & herbs, butter pastry, champ, red cabbage, gravy
Crab Linguini
Dundrum crab, courgette, garlic white wine & fresh chilli cream, toasted sea salt focaccia
Traditional Irish Lamb Stew
coantrim mountain lamb, root vegetables, fresh herbs, comber spuds, homemade guinness wheaten, butter
Gourmet Burgers
butcher of 50 years Danny picks the best cuts for mincing & mixes in our own seasoning. cooked over flames & served with hand cut chips
Morning Star
6oz beef chuck & bone marrow patty, stout glazed beef, onion ring, cheddar, tomato, pickle, red onion, lettuce, burger mayo, brioche
Bookmaker Steak Sandwich
chargrilled 6oz flank steak, café de paris butter, horseradish, rocket, tobacco onions, focaccia
K.F.C
keralan fried chicken, pickles, slaw, tomato, lettuce, pickle, caramelised onion, balti mayo, sesame brioche
Big Boy Bhaji
crispy vegetable & sesame bhajis, labneh, red onion chutney, coriander salsa, pickled chilli, vegan brioche (v)
Sides
Parmesan & Truffle Mayo Chips
Hand Cut Chips
Buttery Champ
Creamy Mash
Onion Rings, Beer Battered
Garlic Sauté Potatoes
Roasties, Rosemary Sea salt
Seasonal Vegetables
Baby Gem Salad, Honey Mustard
Garlic Aioli
Rainbow Slaw / Breads
Cauliflower Cheese Gratin
Sunday Roasts
Grilled Lamb Cutlets
Chargrilled Rosemary & Garlic Cutlets, New Potatoes & Chive Butter, Anchovy & Caper Salsa, Red Wine Jus. *Glens of Antrim Mountain Lamb
Herb Roast Chicken Supreme
Chicken on the Bone, Creamy Mash, Sea Salt & Rosemary Roasties, Seasonal Greens, Yorkshire Pudding, Red Wine Gravy
Slow Roast Ulster Beef
Ulster Beef Topside, Creamy Mash, Sea Salt & Rosemary Roasties, Seasonal Greens, Yorkshire Pudding, Red Wine Gravy
Parsnip & Cranberry Pie
Colcannon Potato, Seasonal Winter Greens, Stuffing Croquette, Bread Sauce (Ve) (df)
Garlic & Rosemary Roast Potatoes
Cauliflower Cheese
Yorkshire Pudding
Sharing Steaks
Perfect size to share! Served Sizzling on Cast Iron Skillet, 2 Sides & A Sauce, 6 Week Dry Aged on the Bone, Beer Battered Onions
T-Bone Steak
Tomahawk Steak
Little Stars
Kids Menu
Chicken Nuggets
Crispy Homemade Chicken Goujons w/ Creamy Mash or Chips or Garden Veggies
Lasagne
Al Forno Beef Lasagne w/ Creamy Mash or Chips or Garden Veggies
Homemade Bangers
Homemade Beef Sausages, Gravy w/ Creamy Mash or Chips or Garden Veggies
Tomato Pasta
Homemade Tomato Pasta Sauce, Grated Cheese
Pie of the Day
Freshly Baked Pie, Gravy w/ Creamy Mash or Chips or Garden Veggies
Baby Bowl
Mash Potato, Seasonal Veg, Gravy
Kids Ice Cream
Vanilla Ice Cream & Fruit Coulis
Homemade Custard
Puddings
Summer Fruit Eton Mess
berries, fresh meringue, whipped cream, mint
Stout Sticky Toffee Pudding
milk ice cream, hazelnut praline, butterscotch
Armagh Bramley Apple Crumble
toasted oats, homemade crème anglaise (vegan option available)
Cheesecake of the Day
toasted oat crumb, ice cream
Irish Cheese, Chutney & Crackers
young buck blue, mature cheddar, creamy brie; hedgerow jelly, onion chutney, crackers
Cocktails
Old Fashioned
McConnells Irish Whiskey / Orange Bitters / Angostura Bitters / Sugar Syrup / Rosemary
Whiskey Sour
Hinch Irish Whiskey / Lemon Juice / Egg White / Bitters
Cherry Bakewell
Southern Comfort / Cherry Puree / Almond Syrup / Fresh Lime / Cranberry Juice
Pink Pony Club
Copeland Raspberry & Mint Gin / Grapefruit Soda / Triple Sec / Fresh Lime
White Wine
Beyond The River Chardonnay, South East Australia
South East Australia. From Andrew Peace; Fresh and rich wine, typical unoaked Chardonnay. It is full of tropical fruit flavours with a satisfying finish, near the Murray River. Fruit flavours such as peaches & nectarines.
The Jumper Sauvignon Blanc, Wairau Valley, Marlborough, NZ
Bright & fresh. Passion-fruit, tropical spices & guava, refreshing, creamy palate. Impressively ripe heaps of character. From Hunter`s, established by Belfast man Ernie Hunter. Tiny production. Sustainable agriculture.
Delheim Estate, Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Stellenbosch, South Africa A great alternative to Sauvignon. Freshness with an abundance of yellow peach, guava & pineapple. Green melon flavours round off the lingering finish. Great with spice.
Klet Brda Rebula/Ribolla Gialla, Goriška Brda, Slovenia
Goriška Brda, Slovenia. Classic northern Italian grape, Ribolla Gialla. Fresh apple & meadow-flower notes with green melon joining on the palate. Very food friendly. SUSTAINABLE VITICULTURE.
Red Wine
Bear & Star Shiraz
South East Australia. Vegetarian and Vegan Friendly. Partially oak aged. Delicious ripe plum and blackcurrant flavours and a soft, rounded finish.
Pete`s Pure Pinot Noir
Murray Darling, N.S.W., Australia. Certified Sustainable Viticulture. Vegan friendly. Vibrant & lively. Strawberry-cranberry hints. Raspberry, rose petal, & oak add depth. Bright cherry, crunchy acidity, & fine tannin.
Los Primos Malbec
Mendoza, Argentina. Family owned, award winning winery! A blend of fruit from the Doña Elsa & Las Paredes Estates, (San Rafael, Mendoza). Vibrant, juicy notes of mulberry, spice & currant. Excellent structure at this level.
Domaine Les Yeuses Merlot
Languedoc, France. proper wine…of the beautifully fragrant, redcurrant-leaf-scented variety. An outstanding southern French red. In the style of quality St. Emilion/Pomerol Bordeaux.
Irish Whiskey
Bushmills Original
BLENDED, CO. ANTRIM / 40%
Black Bush
BLENDED, CO. ANTRIM / 40%
Bushmills Caribbean
BLENDED, RUM CASK, CO. ANTRIM / 40%
Bushmills Red
BLENDED, CO. ANTRIM / 40%
Scotch Whisky
Bells
Blend Pitlochry Soft / Barley Smooth/ Barley Short / Fruit / 40%
Dalwhinnie 15YO
Malt Highlands Toffee/ Fruit Salad Walnuts/ Manuka Malty/ Long / 43%
Famous Grouse
Blend Crieff Light / Crisp Light / Crisp Sweet / Caramel / 40%
Glenfiddich 12YO
Malt Speyside Floral / Mineral Spices / Smooth Sweet / Oak / 40%
Liqueurs
Drambuie
Scotch Whisky & Heather Honey Liqueur / 40%
Galliano
Italian Sweet herbal liqueur / 30%
Amaretto
Sweet Italian Almond Flavour Liqueur / 23%
Southern Comfort
Whiskey Liqueur / 35%
Bottles & Cans
Brew Dog Hazy Jane
SCO, NEW ENGLAND IPA 330ML / 5.4%
Budweiser
USA, LAGER / 330ML / 4.5%
Corona
MX, PALE LAGER / 330ml / 4.5%
Draught
Maggies Leap
WHITEWATER NI /CRAFT IPA / 4.7%
Rolling Papers
BULLHOUSE NI / PALE ALE / 5.5%
Harp
IRE / LAGER / 4.3%