My love for Derry runs deep. It’s a diverse city, an expression of the old and the new co-existing, where third wave coffee shops are tucked away in the shadow of centuries-old city walls. Its diversity is also attributed to its history, its role as a border city, and its placement on the River Foyle. It’s a great walking city, so make sure you charge your Fit-bit before heading out.

There’s so much to enjoy in this city, it’s hard to narrow it down to just one day’s itinerary, but here we go.

BREAKFAST/MORNING COFFEE

To kick off the morning with a little brunch, I present…

The Warehouse

Hipster values: locally-sourced food, can work with GF, vegan and dairy-free dietary restrictions

The Warehouse features a Shop, a Gallery, a Cafe and a Bistro. For our morning kick-off, we head to the Cafe. With pastries, a breakfast menu AND a brunch menu (always a good sign!), you’re sure to find something to please everyone.

The cafe is tastefully decorated and invites you to sit and stay a while. According to their website, the food is “locally sourced, fresh and high quality produce with bread from Donegal, Cheese from Claudy, Bacon from Culmor,” and their coffee was “awarded the title of ‘Best coffee in the County of Derry’ by lovin.ie.” As for me, I appreciated the warm vibe and the friendly and helpful servers.

Warehouse Cafe Hours:

Mon-Wed, 9am-5:30pm

Thurs-Sat, 9:00am-9:30pm

Sun, 10am-5:30pm

(click on the image to enlarge)

SHOPPING

Before we venture out into the rest of the city, stop up at the Warehouse Store, which features…

Hipster values: unique home goods and gifts, promotes local artists, handcrafted

This is a great stop to kick off the search for perfect, local gifts for your friends and family back home! (Or for yourself…) Check out the 1st-floor store for exclusive goods.

Warehouse Store Hours:

Mon-Sat, 10am-5.30pm

Sun, 11am-5.00pm

Hours:

Tues-Sat, 10am-5:30pm

The Yellow Yard

Hipster values: Have a pay-it-forward program (or suspended coffee program), organize events for local artists and writers, part of Walled City Open Coffee (an initiative for open-late coffee venues), vegan + gluten free

While picking up my chai tea latte, I chatted with Kerri about the history of the building. The Yellow Yard warehouse (open for just over 2 years when I visited) used to be one of the old shirt factories in Derry! While the history of the block is interesting in and of itself, there’s a lot of good stuff going on here now. There are four shops housed in this space:

Little Acorns, which is the biggest independent bookstore in Northwest Ireland and seconds as typewriter museum with over 70 typewriters;

St. Jude’s Eatery, which has gluten-free/vegan/vegetarian options, and incorporates a used clothing section;

Abbazappa, which is the biggest independent record store in Northwest Ireland, featuring an impressive record and rock T-shirt collection; and

Little Blue World Gift Shop, which offers local, handmade and unique gifts (think: LEGO cufflink or record wall clock), in addition to other gifts brought in from other areas. What I bought here: music-inspired cufflinks for my brother

Smart Swag

Hipster values: They specialize in upcycled or recycled gifts, everything is handmade by owners, they limit packaging and focus on environmentally-responsible displays for their wares.

This shop sits across from St. Columb’s Cathedral, and don’t let the small shopfront deceive you–much like something from Alice and Wonderland (a reference you’ll get when you visit the shop), it seems to magically expand on the inside. (OK, one could also argue it’s like a Tardis, but they don’t make Tardis art there, so we’ll stick with the Alice reference?)

Owners Pauric and Domnall make all the lovely art and gifts on the main floor, ranging from graphic prints to jewelry, light fixtures to trendy bags. Though the prints and wall hangings do stick to a limited range of subjects (Alice in Wonderland, Derry, Mary Poppins, etc.), you can most likely find someone for everyone within the beautiful assortment of jewelry.

The basement houses an impressive collection of vintage furniture (get in here you mid-century modern lovers!) and an assortment of vintage clothes.

What I bought here: a unique string art wall-hanging of the Eiffel Tower (my parents had gone to Paris this last year, so it seemed a perfect memory)

Hours:

Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm

Sun, 1-6pm

What I purchased: shaving soap for my brother’s birthday. (He loves it!)

Hours:

Wed-Sat, 12pm-7pm

Sun, 10am-6pm

The Emporium

(First head upstairs)

Hipster values: local vendors and locally-sourced goods in pop-up shops, including second-hand clothing and vintage goods, uses space to promote local musicians and artists

OK, so the upstairs was a lot of fun. At the time of my visit, five different vendors claim space there, including the coffee shop owner’s mom. The vintage clothing section was well-stocked and stylish. In this shared space, you’ll be able to find everything from beauty products to art, clothes to records.

LUNCH

For lunch, just head downstairs to the Emporium Cafe.

Hipster values: locally-owned business, organic coffee

As I’m writing this post, the Emporium has been open for just 90 days, but already I’m wishing it well! Always on the hunt for good organic coffee, my husband and I first visited the shop on a Thursday morning. The downstairs was simply but attractively arranged, with a comfortable seating area and bar. (We’ll get to the upstairs in just a moment). I loved my Americano, but they definitely get points for having the only cold brew option I’ve seen thus far in Northern Ireland.

As for the food, we got the sausage rolls (I can never resist). There’s plenty of options in the weekly menu, from nachos to flatbreads to soups (especially inviting on a blustery fall day in Derry). This is perfect for the tourist who wants to support local businesses, eat healthy, but also need to fuel up for a day of walking around. Enjoy your lunch!

Hours: (see above)

AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES

Didn’t get my own picture, so had to use Google’s 🙂

Hours:

Tues-Sat, 11am-5pm

Sun-Mon, CLOSED

The VOID gallery

Hipster values: supports local artists, brings art to the outside community, makes art training available and accessible

This FREE activity is a must-see for anyone interested in the Northern Ireland art scene. The Void Gallery is pretty easy to find. Just head down Patrick Street, following the red brick facade until you reach the flag for the void. Head into the lobby, and the free gallery is on the right. Make sure to check the website if you want to know details of the current exhibition.

The VOID is a contemporary art space. On their website, they write, “Void exists to present the contemporary visual arts and to support artists, through a programme of exhibitions, related educational and outreach activities from a national and international perspective.” There are rotating exhibitions throughout the year.

When I went, I was able to wander through the “Collected Shadows” exhibit, featuring photographs from the Archive of Modern Conflict. As I walked through the main doors, I was greeted by a friendly receptionist, who offered me a guide to the art space. The exhibition space had three different rooms, capable of showing a considerable amount of pieces. There was a sense of peace and calm–perfect for lingering over each photograph!

St. Columb’s Park

Hipster values: great for bicyclists, joggers, walkers and all health-aficionados, safe for families, enjoy the “country vibe” while in the city

Now that you’ve been inside all day, it’s time for a good stretch of the legs! Make your way back towards the River Foyle, and cross that beautiful Peace Bridge. After you stop and take all the requisite photos (remember to look back at the city behind you), head down the stairs to your left and into St. Columb’s Park.

This park is beautiful enough to make us all jealous that we don’t have it in our hometowns. It’s well-kept, with flat, paved walkways, playgrounds, activity centers, frequent litter bins, benches, and picturesque views across the river.

As I walked, I loved seeing the families out, breathing the fresh and spending time together. The space can be shared by strollers, jogger, and dog-walkers, and still not feel crowded. My photos are from autumn, but I’m sure St. Columb’s Par is lovely year-round.

The only thing to note about the hours-for you Winter travelers, just remember the sun sets a little early this far north, so maybe consider switching up your shopping and walking schedule.

Since you’re already across the river, make your way back to the Peace Bridge and enjoy food and drink at…

DINNER

Walled City Brewery

Hipster values: Locally owned and run microbrewery and restaurant, locally-sourced food, has gluten-free and vegan options

Don’t get me wrong, a Guinness on tap is always a good thing. But sometimes, you just want to see what else is happening in the beer scene. Enter: Walled City Brewery. Opened just three years ago, this brewery/restaurant is a labor of love and a tribute to the pride of Derry. With cleverly-named brews on tap, and delicious locally-sourced food, you can’t go wrong investing a few tourist dollars here!

My husband and I wandered in after our walk in the park, ready to sit and enjoy. Nestled in a quiet corner of the city, this white-washed building looks everything “classic Irish” on the outside, but the renovated interior is definitely modern. Don’t worry, though-the trendy decor in no way lessens the coziness of the room. Though the space isn’t terribly big, we still got a sense of privacy at our table as we looking out on the twinkling lights across the River Foyle.

A very helpful waiter helped us pick our sampler–we chose the “Boom,” the “Cherry-Londonderry,” and the “Derry Milk.” While each was noteworthy, my favorite was the “Boom;” I feel like it takes a lot to surprise me in a Pale Ale, but this one certainly did the trick! The citrus notes, while not overwhelming, accentuated the flavor of the ale, and definitely made it stand out.

As for food, we went with a few “pintxos,” or small plates. After intense negotiations with my husband (I exaggerate), we decided on the Thai pork cakes with homemade sweet chili jam, the smoked chicken with almond terrine and blackberry ketchup, and the fish croquettes with the caper and chili salsa and roasted garlic aioli. On top of that, our helpful waiter brought out a new Baja bean soup for us to try, which was delicious! Our meal was a perfect blend of sweet and savory.