Avoca

Sorry I have not spent more of my life in here. Lol
I think I had written it off as too expensive for a jo blogs like me.
But realistically it’s around the same price as other as other places where the café is concerned. Unlike other places the food here is fresh, wholesome and has great flavours. It’s about £5/​6 for a wrap/​melt/​main which comes with come leaves. You can get a good sized 3 salads to accompany it for the £10 meal deal.
It can be very busy in here. But the staff are very fast at serving.
The take away food but downstairs is awesome. Great to grab something to take home to cook and impress. Also for baked stuff. I had a cinnamon and berry scone to take home. Wasn’t the best scone. Would try perhaps a cake or crumble next time.
The shop downstairs is quite pricey. but a great place for high quality unusual items. I love the unusually books. There is a huge section. They have also increased the size of their clothing section.

Avoca is an Irish department store with a little bit of everything! They source lots of things from Ireland along with things a little farther afield. The homeware department is the main area, from kitchen gadgets and decorative plates, bowls, teacups and glasses to rustic frames, hangers, doorknobs and candles. Beautiful mohair blankets, throws, scarves and knee socks. Lots of books on fashion, cookery, and being a general hipster :)
Lots of Irish made clothes and kids toys!
There is a restaurant and a more casual deli with seats. The food is mainly laid out to chose from. It’s a task choosing as its all amazing! Desserts to die for! There is also a takeaway section at the front door. Lots of delish, scones, breads and cakes!

Dream shop! This is the shop I go to when I am feeling flush and want to treat myself, or a gift for someone I really like. If I like you I will buy you Avoca! As soon as you walk in you begin to salivate (maybe that’s just me), so many pretty things in one shop… expensive pretty things. A mug will set you back about a tenner. They stock anything and everything, books, rugs, throws, crockery, door knobs, candles, beauty items, and food.
I just want to expand on the food though, at the front of the shop as soon as you walk in they are selling buns, traybakes, cakes, pesto, breads, pasta sauces, everything, all parcelled up and ready to go (actually maybe that’s why I salivate). Upstairs they have more food waiting, a deli counter to grab a quick sandwich or salad from the salad bar, this gets particularly busy at lunch times, but you can sit in or takeaway. They also sell fancy grocery items (the type you won’t get in your normal upermarket), pasta shapes, spices, biscuits, sweets etc.
They also have a sit down café for breakfast, bunches and lunches, or just getting your head showered with a coffee and a slab of cake, again you will have to queue to get in if you arrive around lunch time but you can book and it’s worth the wait, the lunches are yum, everything comes served on their own crockery, the décor is so quaint, like eating al fresco in a garden (possible exaggeration). The portions are huge but it’s not cheap, but I’ve never had a bad meal in it! Worth noting they do afternoon tea and with it being fully licensed, you might as well replace the tea with a glass of prosecco.
Love this place :)

We were welcomed with cucumber-​infused water and a list of speciality teas which included Peppermint; Oriental Sencha; Elderflower and Lemon; Mango and Strawberry; as well as Irish Breakfast and Earl Grey. I went for the Oriental Sencha which is an exotic, fruity tea with hints of papaya and mango. A fan of fruit teas, it was very refreshing. Barry chose his old favourite– coffee– but we were offered unlimited top ups for both.
Then came the best bit– the afternoon tea. To start we had 3 different types of sandwiches — free range egg and cress; sliced cucumber, cream cheese, apple and mint; and roast beef, horseradish and watercress. The bottom tier also came with a wheaten sandwich with smoked salmon and cream cheese; a savory scone; and a vegetarian quiche. A lovely way to start.
It was then on to the middle tier which was a sweet scone served with jam and clotted cream; and fruit tartlets filled with custard and fresh berries. Finally, we finished with a mini lemon meringue; chocolate eclairs filled with fresh cream; and chocolate and praline ‘spoons’ which came with chocolate mouse and chopped nuts.
The food was really delicious, especially the chocolate and praline spoons– despite the fact I kept it to the very end and was bursting by that point, I could have eaten a few of them! Gorgeous! Afternoon is £18.95 per person or £21.95 per person with a glass of prosecco (which we treated ourselves too!)
If you’re a fan of afternoon tea, check it out! Very pretty setting with top notch food to match.

Had burger and chips. Nomtastic. Love the café, eclectic a bit like myself. My favourite on the canteen side is their chick peas rolls and spicy chutney.
Of course how can forget their pear and almond scones.

We visit Avoca quite regularly for their delicious cupcakes, cheesecakes and breads which can be found just as you enter the door on your left. The food is excellent quality and there’s a good variety of treats.
It wasn’t until recently we ventured upstairs to the resturant for lunch. and we will be back! Loads of choice and foods you would only normally find in a deli setting. You don’t need to sit in. you can ask to take away as well.
If your tired of the same old places in town for lunch try upstairs in Avoca.

Ok, no one does it better than Avoca. I have visited at least 3 different Avoca establishments. I love their food, coffee and service. I also enjoy their non food products. Great concept, well executed.

I’ve never had the time to sit down for a meal at Avoca, but it’s my favourite city centre spot to pick up breakfast on the run. They have a great selection of pre-​packed food and fresh-​baked treats. You’ll pay a little more than your average supermarket, but the quality is also FAR superior so in my opinion, it’s worth it. The pear and vanilla scone is delicious (also, unlike some places that have started to charge separately for this, butter and jam are free the way they should be). I also love their yogurt cup… thick creamy yogurt packed with real fruit, whole nuts and seeds; it’s a real meal that will keep you going for hours.

Went to lunch today in avoca and ordered ‘the everything bagel’ which consisted of ham, chicken, cheese, salad and mustard. This bagel was phenomenal! All the ingredients used were totally fresh and tasted great! The seating area in avoca is very quirky and eccentric, I loved it. The upstairs is very deceiving as it looks small but seats alot of people. A lunch in avoca comes highly recommended from me!

Been here a few times now and each time I forget how unsuitable it is for strollers/​toddlers. So not ideal for a family lunch out in town. Which is really what we were after yesterday.
The gift store is full of lovely things but access to the café/​restaurant is a nightmare.
Negotiating up and down an industrial looking ramp didn’t seem too safe to me. We had to squeeze into a lift with another couple with a stroller which was a bit tight.
Tables were cleared quickly and I was able to breastfeed pretty discretely in one of the corners. So top points for that.
Could work a better system out for queues to both resto and Café.

I visited here for lunch after the belfast marathon today, I would never have known it existed but my mum was in town and offered to by me lunch and let’s be honest who ever turns that down. She said to meet her at Avoca as they have a lovely little café upstairs.
I arrived at Avoca to find a gift shop and was a little confused, however make your way upstairs and there is indeed a café and restaurant, we ate at the café which kinda reminded me of a garden centre café, but in a good way. I had the chicken and broccoli bake with salad which was delicious, I must say the salad selection is very good, I had spanish potato salad which had chorizo in it, a Greek style salad with feta cheese and also some pistachio cous cous all of which were delicious.
The only down side was that it was very busy and the tables weren’t being cleared quick enough and they also ran out of cutlery otherwise it would have been 5star.

Perfect birthday cakes, deli items, quality gifts & card — Fantastic Café and Amazing restaurant. I love all Avocas across Ireland.
Cakes — My first port of call for a quick birthday cake to take away. Forget your bland M&S or Tesco cakes, these are packed with enough calories to last until the next birthday.
One of the best Breakfasts in town, Beautiful Coffee and the Raspberry Cheesecake is in my top 3 cakes of all time ]in Belfast.
Breakfast — The Local Sausage, Creamy Mushrooms, Creamy Eggs and Chunky sauces make for one of the best breakfasts in Belfast.
The pasta of the day in the restaurant is always light and freshly made with a rich yet light sauce with fresh flavours to compliment.
Duck Salad which is huge and full of flavour.
Desserts — Carrot Cakes, Scones, Traybakes and Cheesecakes of an extremely rich variety. Extremely decadent and goes perfectly with the coffee.
Coffee — In the restaurant you are treated to coffee for 2 which goes nicely with the cakes, in the Café it is still big and lovely, but not as rich. (And you get no french press to add to the pomp and ceremony as you do in the restaurant).
Nice little touches, such as lumps of high quality sugar, and water with mint, ice and cucumber.
Doesn’t cost the earth for an amazing lunch or memorable breakfast.
The attention to detail paid to the food, to the bread, the butter it’s well worth a visit.

Upstairs is great for lunch with a canteen section on one side and a more formal dinning section on the other. The food is very nice. Top spot in the city centre for a lunch.

THE ROCKY ROADS ARE FLIPPIN OUT OF THIS WORLD.
Enough said.

I’ve been picking up the occasional quirky birthday gift and browsing the multitudes of kitchen utensils at Avoca for a few years now but for some reason I had never gotten around to trying the café until this week. It came highly recommended so I was looking forward to it.
There seem to actually be two different sides to the café. When you go upstairs, you’re in the middle of their small food hall (selling jams, chocolate, spices, oils, and all things yummy). Off to your right is a counter selling snacks and delicious-​looking cakes, scones, traybakes, etc. There are several tables and chairs on that side too, presumably for those who are just stopping by for a quick treat. Off to your left and down some steps is what I imagine is the main café, although it’s more of a restaurant really. It was in this part I had lunch.
I went on a Monday lunchtime and it was very busy even then — I would recommend booking in advance if you plan to eat there at a weekend. I was quickly seated at my table for one and my order was taken within minutes by the very friendly and helpful staff.
I had a glass of prosecco with raspberries and for my meal I chose the roasted chicken with a creamy mushroom sauce, perfectly crispy pancetta and creamed potatoes. It was very rich but also very delicious. Price-​wise, well, there are definitely cheaper options nearby but I’m not sure you would get the same quality for less.
The ambience is nice too. You forget you’re effectively upstairs in a shop and it’s easy to relax into the pretty décor and lowered lighting. Plus if you can’t manage a dessert after your meal, you can always stop at the dessert counter outside on the way to get something sweet to take away. Personally I brought home a huge slice of apple pie filled to bursting point with deliciously tart yet sweet apple — yum!
The only slight drawbacks for me were the price (for those on a budget it’s definitely a «once in a while for a treat» kind of place) and some of the clientele — there were quite a few bossy and arrogant ‘ladies who lunch’ there at the time and it made me feel a little uneasy to hear them ordering the waitresses around so rudely. Then again I guess it’s not exactly a criticism of the café that they’ve managed to appeal to the up-​market lunch crowd — after all these ladies don’t compromise on quality!
In summary, if you feel like indulging a little, Avoca café is definitely worth a try. I may be back soon for one of their yummy-​looking berry scones…

This place is getting rather popular isn’t it!!!
My wife and I got a meal voucher for the café last year and it was my first time ever venturing down to this shop. I was really impressed. It seems to really ooze quality and have its own style. It sells a complete range of household items to little nick knack things. I have friends that live near Avoca in the south of Ireland that I believe the chain originated from and they say the shop is a good representation of the actual place. I was kindly shocked to see them selling a bicycle… I thought this place is a little bit different… in a good way.
My wife loves this place and if we ever need to buy a small gift for someone or just get some ideas of something different to buy, this is our first stop.

It always amazes me that so many people absolutely LOVE this place. I’ve actually been in people’s houses where the whole house is kitted out in Avoca ‘lifestyle’ stuff, I mean the stuff is lovely but you don’t need to buy everything.
Any way’s it’s a pleasant visit if you in town even if just for a browse and the little café is well worth a visit. The lunches come highly rated and you will see gaggles of women lunching away most days.
There’s gift stuff, male and female fashion, bed wear, house and kitchen stuff plus there is quite a nice deli selection upstairs. I always seem to end up browsing the smallish book section and they do seem to have some interesting titles in there. Mostly humour, lifestyle and art related they’re perfect if you’re stuck for a gift for someone who’s into doing a bit of reading.
Pros: Some quite tasteful stuff, food is lovely.
Cons: Expensive and you either like it or loathe the style.

Avoca is sugar n’ spice and all things nice.
The front shop is a hodge podge of lovely girly things for your home. You’ll find yourself running around picking up things, ohh and ahhing like a kid in a candy store. Everything is wonderfully twee. The clothes are a bit old for me, but perfect for the yummy mummy brigade.
For me Avoca serves a different purpose than picking up some floral crockery (all in good time), I usually come in here with friends after a night of partying for the perfect hangover lunch. Even though we’re stuffing our faces with chips fried in duck fat, it’s healthier than a pizza, right?!
I have very fond memories of visiting the Avoca café with some of my best friends a few weeks ago. We had to wait absolutely agessss to get a seat. In the time we had spent waiting and eagerly willing people out of their seats with our minds we had all pinpointed exactly what we wanted from this smörgåsbord of yumminess, ie the menu.
The décor in the first floor café, is very fun, bright and imaginative. The floor has big square black and white tiles, than there are flowery fairy lights all over the place, the pastel coloured furniture is mismatched and very feminine.
When we got seated we ordered enough food to serve a ship of hungry sailors. I got the goats cheese salad with mango purée and some bread and olives, another companion got the thai crab noodle salad, my veggie friend went for some tortellini pasta. We also ordered some side portions of the aforementioned chips and I treated myself to a big jug of fizzy lemonade with some lovely fresh fruit in it.
Presentation counts for a lot Avoca and everything looks perfect. The food is to die for. Nothing Michellan starred or anything like that, but just great attention to detail. Like how well the crumbly goats cheese goes with the mango purée with the subtly of some sunflower seeds peeping through. The lemonade also comes recommend and is very refreshing.
All I will say is we were some very satisfied ladies after this mouthwatering munch brunch. The bill might leave a bit of a hole in your purse, but you can just go and buy a lovely new one downstairs then can’t you?!

Avoca really is like an Aladdin’s cave in Belfast! The place is crammed with beautiful home wear such as cushions, candles, frames, cups and everything in between. I especially love their children’s section which has loads of beautiful things you wouldn’t get in your local Smyths! The smell in here is equally awesome, like a giant bath salt! Even the furniture used to display all the products is awesome. Its the perfect place to go for a spot of Christmas shopping or for treating yourself to something unique. It isn’t cheap though so don’t come here if you’re skint as you’re bound to see a million and one things you want!
Just when you think this place couldn’t get any better you find the café… oh my god! This place is really really good. They serve everything from breakfast to sandwiches and nice hot lunches. I must say I’ve been here several times (like pringles, once you visit its hard to stop) and the standards have never slipped… I especially love their desserts! Everything is beautifully presented, tastes fab and never fails to impress!

I hadn’t ever been here before. I didn’t even know it existed before last week. So imagine my surprise when after reading all of the praise this place has received on Unilocal,I actually found it!
It is a terrific little shop filled with handy gifts that would act as a great present for someone you don’t really know that well and have to buy a present for anyways. I did not seen that much here that made me immediately think of a great present for a specific person. The gifts all look a bit general. It’s not meant to be an insult. It’s just they are nice bits and pieces but I would like to think I could find a more suitable gift than a decorated candle or a tea towel for someone.
The café looks quite nice. Although we didn’t actually eat in it, we did drop in for a cup of tea each. It is a relaxing little place, filled with lots of nice little things. But these things all seem a bit sore of useless. They would act well as a generic gift for someone, but unless I am out of ideas, I will probably only ever go for a walk around this shop.