From the outside, The Bucks Head still looks like the village pub it has always been – a perfect spot for a pint and a bite after a hike in the Mournes. Step inside and there’s a cosy front bar, but head towards the back and you’ll find the newly built diningroom – brighter, sleeker but still relaxed.
Chef Alex Greene and Bronagh McCormick – both veterans of Belfast’s now-closed Deanes Eipic – bought and refurbished the property, reopening it in April last year. Greene’s name will be familiar to anyone with an interest in Northern Irish food. After stints at Petrus and Claridge’s under Gordon Ramsay, appearances on Great British Menu, and a Michelin star at Eipic, he’s back where it all began – scrubbing potatoes and washing dishes as a teenager in this very kitchen.
The new open kitchen juts into the room, Greene in plain sight as he finishes the plating under the heat lamps. There’s no chef’s table, no bar stools, and no theatre – just the quiet focus of a team getting on with the job.
The menu, spanning snacks, starters, mains and desserts, strikes a clever balance of comfort and ambition. There’s a snack of bread and butter pudding (£5.95), a savoury version, with thick slices of custardy bread sandwiched together with mushroom and black garlic, finished with a snowfall of Parmesan. The mushroom delivers a deep umami hit, while the black garlic adds a sweet, earthy depth, somewhere between miso and balsamic. It’s superb.
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Then there’s the mushroom tart (£9.95) – about six different mushroom varieties, roasted, pickled, and sliced raw – sitting on top of bacon jam in a filo pastry tartlet, finished with a herb and mushroom powder. Crunchy pastry, earthy mushrooms and the sharp tang of a brown butter sauce. It’s an assembly job, so convenient for the kitchen, but still very tasty.
More intricate is the ravioli (£13.95), three black pasta parcels filled with crab and pork. A langoustine sauce is poured over at the table, splitting the verdant pool of coriander oil. Rich but not cloying, it’s a light-handed reduction. The pasta is thin, delicate, and expertly made, while apple matchsticks and a scattering of chervil add freshness. A spoon arrives for the sauce, which tells you everything you need to know.
A 500ml carafe of Picpoul de Pinet (£22.95) from a list that offers 13 options by the glass and 11 by the carafe is a refreshing match with our fish-based dishes.
For mains, large Kilkeel scallops (£28.50) arrive seared – golden-brown and caramelised on the outside. They sit with roast cauliflower in a foamy beurre blanc, studded with a small dice of potato and a few pearls of salmon roe. The sauce is rich but light, with just enough chive oil to lift the flavour without overwhelming the scallops.
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The halibut – today’s market fish, at £32 – is equally well-judged, served with a side of baby potatoes roasted in their skins. It’s a generous piece of fish, golden and crisp on top, with charred broccoli, a tangle of lightly blanched kale, and a garlic and herb butter that’s rich enough to feel indulgent without being heavy.
Desserts are well-priced at £7.95. The apple crumble is straightforward – apple slices with a hazelnut crumble, whiskey creme Anglaise, and vanilla ice cream. It’s good, though those expecting the heft of a traditional crumble might be left wanting. The lemon tart, served as an individual portion in buttery pastry, is sharp, sweet and neatly done, with honey drizzled over the ice cream. Both are enjoyable, though after the precision of the savoury dishes, they lean more Bib Gourmand than Michelin star.
Still, that’s The Bucks Head’s charm. It is more interested in its diners than chasing stars. Some people want steak and chips, others scallops and langoustine ravioli, and that’s absolutely fine. Greene and McCormick have breathed new life into this 18th-century inn, balancing fine-dining finesse with crowd-pleasers. Underpinning this is Greene’s Michelin pedigree, with confident, unfussy cooking, and sauces that are skilfully executed.
This balance of ambition and accessibility sets The Bucks Head apart. Whether it’s scampi and triple-cooked chips in the bar or halibut and a glass of wine in the diningroom, the care and attention are the same. Some dishes wouldn’t look out of place in a Michelin-starred kitchen; others are simpler but just as satisfying. Either way, you leave planning your next visit – and wondering if you might even stay the night.
Dinner for two with a 500ml carafe of wine and 10 per cent service charge was £142.67 (€172).
The Verdict: 8.5/10. Confident, unfussy cooking, skilfully executed
Food provenance: Mushrooms, foraged and Hearty Growers, Belfast; seafood and fish, locally sourced; Carnbrook salt aged beef; and Rockvale Poultry.
Vegetarian options: Spiced carrot soup with sourdough, mushroom tart, and potato gnocchi with squash and hazelnut.
Wheelchair access: Fully accessible with an accessible toilet.
Music: Planet Wave House and Soulway in the background.
