On the outskirts of Belfast, in Dundonald, sits a beautiful 18th‑century mill, complete with a still‑working water wheel. It was originally used as a dog boarding kennel before becoming a café, gift shop, and restaurant. It became a bit of a tradition for Mum to pick me up from school and take me there for a special treat. I felt so grown up with a large pot of tea, and I could choose any traybake I wanted – always a Fifteen.

The Old Mill remained a favourite for years, but sadly it closed in 2020 and lay vacant for some time. Until 2024, that is, when Carlos and Lucie Capparelli took on the challenge of lovingly restoring the mill to its former glory and transforming it into a wonderful Mediterranean restaurant – with backing from one of my favourite chefs, Yotam Ottolenghi.

Needless to say, I had to visit. One sunny November Sunday we headed along to enjoy their Sunday lunch. It brought back such great memories driving into the car park and seeing the Mill again. It looked just the same, yet also different – new life having been breathed into it.

On the ground floor there is a small café and deli (I had to resist buying everything), and upstairs is the restaurant: a bright, open space which I think, from memory, sits where an old greenhouse once stood.

We were shown to a table in the middle of the dining room, which was so light and airy with the sun peeping in. We were there for quite an early sitting, so the restaurant was still relatively quiet, but within about 30 minutes every table was full and there was a lovely chatter of families and friends settling in for Sunday lunch.

It was hard to choose what to eat as everything sounded so good. We’d been out for dinner the night before, so we were sensible with our choices. To start, we shared the Roast Aubergine with Feta Yogurt and Pomegranate – a light, fresh beginning to the meal – along with some really lovely bread and olive oil.

For our mains, we chose the Roast Rump of Beef with Yorkshire Pudding, Horseradish Sauce, Roast Baby Potatoes, Honey Parsnips and Carrots, and the Rigatoni with Beef Shin Ragu and Grana Padano. The Sunday roast was perfectly cooked (so someone was very happy!) and incredibly filling. The Rigatoni was equally delicious – perfectly cooked pasta with a rich, comforting ragu. I could easily have gone for seconds.

It would have been rude not to have dessert, and we both chose the same: the rich, velvety Chocolate Basque Cheesecake with Sour Cherry Compote. A perfect way to finish the meal.

It’s lovely to see the Old Mill restored to its former glory, and to have such an excellent new addition to the Belfast food scene. I’m already looking forward to visiting again – perhaps in the summer. I imagine drinks on their terrace in the sunshine would be rather nice.

Getting There

Capparelli at the Mill is somewhat in the countryside, so transport is a little limited; however:

By Car:
Around 25 minutes from Belfast city centre, or 6 minutes from Newtownards.

By Public Transport:
From Belfast City Centre, you can take the Ulsterbus 505, 5, 7 or 9. From Newtownards, it’s the same bus numbers in the opposite direction. All buses leave you a short walk from the Mill.

By Taxi:
There are many taxi companies in Belfast, with ValueCabs and FoneACab being the most popular.

If this visit was anything to go by, the Old Mill is entering a wonderful new chapter. I can’t wait to see how it grows and I’m sure it will. Do you have memories of the original Old Mill? Have you visited Capparelli? Let me know in the comments.