Bistro Este

Bistro Este occupies a corner unit on Upper Newtownards Road in Ballyhackamore village, run as a husband-and-wife operation serving contemporary European food built around locally sourced ingredients. The kitchen changes its short evening menu regularly rather than running a fixed carte, with starters, mains and a dessert list geared toward seasonal produce and daily deliveries. The wine list runs alongside a small selection of cocktails and Northern Irish craft beers, and the dining room seats a modest number of covers with a smart-casual, neighbourhood feel rather than formal service. It is open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday, with an early-bird menu earlier in the evening. The restaurant has built a steady local following in an area of east Belfast known for its cluster of independent food businesses along the same stretch of road.