BELLAGHY FOOD TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Bread, Beamwork and Ballyhoo: Baking in Belfast’s Oldest Pub
A hands-on, 2.5-hour breadmaking session with Bronagh at McHugh’s in Belfast that teaches soda farls, wheaten bread and potato fadge, followed by a cozy lunch.
Bread, Beamwork and Ballyhoo: Baking in Belfast’s Oldest Pub.
Join Bronagh for an intimate, 2.5-hour class in McHugh’s—Belfast’s storied, timber‑beamed pub—where simple, local ingredients and time-honoured techniques yield soda farls, wheaten loaves and potato “fadge,” and where shared stories and a light lunch stitch the experience to place and memory.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
McHugh’s: Baking under 18th-century beams
The class takes place in McHugh’s, a beautifully preserved pub and restaurant whose wooden beams and stone walls date the building back to 1711, providing an atmospheric setting to connect food and local history.
Soda farls, wheaten bread and the famous fadge
Hands-on instruction covers kneading, shaping and griddling traditional Irish breads—soda farls, a Guinness‑laced wheaten and potato bread (fadge)—using simple, local ingredients and time‑honoured techniques.
A cozy lunch and take‑home loaves
After baking, participants gather for a seasonal soup and the breads they’ve made; the experience includes a complimentary drink and the chance to bring your bakes and recipes home.
What the day feels like
What the experience feels like
For 2.5 hours you’ll move from demonstration to hands‑on work—flour on the counter, the heat of griddles, and stories from Bronagh about family recipes—then settle to share seasonal soup and freshly baked bread in a warm, historic room.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this class suits—and where to exercise caution.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
All ingredients, equipment, aprons and recipes are supplied; demonstrations and hands‑on instruction are included, and you’ll take home the breads you make.
Please notify the operator of any food allergies before your class; gluten‑free and vegan adjustments can be made but textures and taste may differ from traditional recipes.
Arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before the class start time so staff can ensure the room is ready; the session runs for 2.5 hours.
A complimentary drink (alcoholic or non‑alcoholic) is served with lunch; gift cards are available for purchase through the operator.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the class?
The class lasts 2.5 hours.
Where do we meet?
Meet at McHugh's Bar, 29–31 Queen’s Square, Belfast BT1 3FG; arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before the start time and staff will direct you to the room.
What breads will we make?
You’ll make traditional Irish breads including soda farls, wheaten bread and potato bread (fadge).
Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?
Notify the operator in advance: recipes can be adjusted for gluten‑free or vegan needs, but the experience cannot be guaranteed nut‑free for severe allergies.
Is this experience suitable for minors?
No—participants must be aged 18 or over.
What’s included in the price?
The session includes demonstrations, all ingredients and equipment, aprons, recipes, a light lunch with seasonal soup, a complimentary drink, and the breads you bake to take home.