OX

Stephen Toman and Alain Kerloc'h opened OX in 2013 on Oxford Street, overlooking the River Lagan, after meeting while working together at Alain Passard's L'Arpège in Paris. Toman, born in Belfast, trained in Michelin-starred Paris kitchens including the three-star Taillevent before returning home. The restaurant earned a Michelin star in 2016 and has kept it every year since. Dinner runs Wednesday to Saturday from 5:30pm, with lunch added on Fridays and Saturdays; the kitchen closes for a month annually so staff can rest. Menus change with the seasons, built around a monthly larder of produce sourced across Northern Ireland and plated with little adornment. The dining room seats a small number of covers, keeping service close and unhurried.