The Walled City Brewery

On Wednesday last I was dining out with a friend and we decided to finally check out one of Derry’s newest contemporary restaurants, The Walled City Brewery on Ebrington Square. This new eaterie has a fully operating brewery alongside the restaurant in the same building. It’s the first of its kind in the country. The ethos behind this business (says their website) is to provide both locals and tourists with a ‘taste of the North West’ through crafting local, authentic, premium quality, flavoursome beer and food.
On arrival I was immediately struck by the simpleness, yet the elegance of the building from the outside. Quaint in appearance and yet simply stylish with decorative flower boxes on the windows. As we entered the restaurant, again my first impressions were immediately very positive as I took in the blue tone of the surroundings. Laughter and chatter filled the air, and immediately I realised I could be in New York, or Paris. The door was closed and it didn’t feel like I was being seated in a local restaurant. And that is how the night panned out.
I decided to order the ‘Garden’ from the simple, yet very descriptive menu, alongside a glass of house white. Although not a beer drinker myself, my friend and companion did indeed sample a selection of 3 crafted beers. And all were given the thumbs up! She ordered ‘Cow’ from the menu and we both enjoyed the main immensely.
When the dessert menu arrived, we just had to make room. So a platter of dessert and a cheese board were ordered. Both equally divine.
This was a true, original dining experience. The staff were casually professional, and never over imposing. They catered for our every need and yet remained ever present but in the background.
The seating is seated quite near each other and yet their is an air of privacy. The brewery is brewing and yet there is no overpowering smell of beer.
The blue tone of the interior sold it to me. I really felt like I could be dining anywhere in the world. On a beautiful summers evening (one of the few we’ve seen), this setting was allowing me to switch to ‘holiday mode’.
As we left the restaurant around 9pm, it was to a sun filled Ebrington Square. Again this bright, warm night allowed us to imagine being further afield, and yet we were right here on home shores.
As I walked away I took a glance behind me and smiled. This quaint, simply decorated exterior has a way of encapsulating you and drawing you to it. I continued walking but a return visit will certainly be had. This North West Culture gal wants to sample more of this menu and enjoy more of this authentic surrounding!
GMcC