General Merchants

Head up the Newtownards Road and you'll find yourself in the kind of place that feels like it's been there forever, even if it hasn't. General Merchants has that rare quality of looking effortless — stripped-back, unfussy, with the sort of charm that comes from actually caring about what you're serving rather than how Instagram-friendly it looks. The breakfasts are the real draw: proper cooked food that doesn't mess about, alongside coffee that's clearly given serious thought. It's become the sort of spot where locals actually want to linger on a Saturday morning, which tells you everything you need to know.