A Peculiar Tea is a restaurant in Belfast that turns dining into something between theatre and fantasy. It’s the brainchild of Chef Gemma Austin, who has become known across Northern Ireland (and beyond) for her inventive, story-driven menus. 

From the moment you walk in, you sense this isn’t your ordinary meal. The décor, the ambience, even the menu themes are designed to transport you somewhere else—childhood favourites, classic books, magical tales. Examples have included themes like Willy Wonka, Harry Potter, Cluedo, The Nightmare Before Christmas.  Every eight to ten weeks, the theme changes. The space is redecorated, the menus rewritten, surprises added to keep the sense of wonder alive. 

The menu offerings are split between afternoon tea (whimsical, playful, beautifully presented sweet and savoury bites) during the day, and a multi-course tasting menu in the evening. The tasting menu is sophisticated and uses local, high-quality produce. Often you’ll get six courses (or more depending on the season/theme), each reflecting the current narrative or literary inspiration. 

Sustainability, provenance, and creativity are all important parts of what they do. Ingredients are locally sourced; there’s a commitment to reducing waste; flavours are bold and imaginative. 

Recently, after closing in one location due to rising costs, A Peculiar Tea has returned in a new form—as a residency at McConnell’s Distillery, inside the historic Crumlin Road Jail in Belfast. This reopening continues the restaurant’s signature style with themed afternoon tea and tasting menus. 

All in all, A Peculiar Tea is less about just dining and more about storytelling—it invites patrons to suspend disbelief, to eat with curiosity, and to remember the sense of awe that stories can bring. If you like food that surprises you, makes you smile, and is as much experience as it is a meal, this is somewhere you’ll want to try.