The Cloth Ear

You'll find this polished boozer tucked into the ground floor of the Merchant Hotel, right in the thick of Cathedral Quarter's cobbled streets. The space strikes that perfect balance between proper pub and somewhere you'd bring your parents – think exposed brick, dark wood, and enough brass fittings to make a Victorian landlord weep with pride. The drinks list runs deep, from perfectly poured Guinness to cocktails that don't try too hard to be clever. Food-wise, they've nailed the elevated pub grub thing without disappearing up their own arse about it. It gets properly busy at weekends when the Cathedral Quarter crowd spills in, but that's half the charm – this is a pub that knows its place in Belfast's drinking landscape and delivers on it every time.