What is the meeting point for this event?

Guests meet at The Bistro at the Courthouse, 75 Main St, Bushmills BT57 8QD before proceeding to Bertha's Bar in Castlerock.

Is the menu adaptable for dietary restrictions?

The menu is a set menu created by collaborating producers and cannot be adapted; notify the vendor before booking if you have serious allergies.

What is the minimum age to attend?

This event is for guests aged 18 and over; photo ID will be required at check-in.

Seating is unreserved and communal; arriving early improves your chance of sitting with a preferred group.

How long is the experience?

The Grazing Experience runs about two hours from the listed start time.

Is the venue accessible?

Accessibility details are limited in the listing—contact the host or Bertha's Bar directly to confirm specific needs.

Castlerock Grazing Experience: Artisan Cheese, Chocolate & Wine at Bertha's Bar

On the windswept curve of the Causeway Coast sits Castlerock, a compact seaside village in Northern Ireland whose evenings now hum with a new kind of local pride: A Taste of Castlerock Grazing Experience. Hosted in Bertha's Bar in the heart of Castlerock, this two-hour collaborative supper brings three artisans—The Giggling Goose Bakery, Braemar Farm, and The Chocolate Manor—together with expert pairings from Fairley’s Wines to map the flavors of this coastline.

The event opens at The Bistro at the Courthouse, 75 Main St, Bushmills BT57 8QD, where guests assemble before the short transfer or walk into Castlerock. Once seated in Bertha’s Bar, expect a succession of styled grazing boards that read like a topographic map of local produce: flaky artisan loaves and signature bakes from The Giggling Goose; regional charcuterie and seasonal crudités; creamy, grass-to-glass ice creams from Braemar Farm; and inventive desserts from The Chocolate Manor. Fairley’s Wines narrates each course with a three- or four-pour flight tuned to contrast or amplify salt, fat and sweetness.

What makes this night special is its sense of place. The producers are members of the Taste Causeway network, an active local collective that links food to the landscape—think cool Atlantic breezes shaping dairy pasture and mineral-rich soils feeding grain for baking. The grazing format encourages conversation and communal seating, so you might find yourself sharing stories with locals and fellow travelers as plates circulate.

Practical notes: seating is unreserved; the menu is set and cannot be adapted; the event is 18+. Accessibility info is limited; check with the host before booking. For visitors staying nearby, Castlerock’s long beach and sweeping coastal views make for a bracing walk before dinner. This is not fine-dining silence—it's convivial, loud, and generous, designed to showcase producers rather than bespoke substitutions.

For food-focused travelers, the Grazing Experience offers a rapid, reliable immersion into one small coastal food scene: a sampler that translates terroir into texture, spice and chill. It also functions as a social hub—Bertha’s Bar becomes a tasting room for the Causeway Coast food community and a place where makers meet tasters. If you want to come away with a list of local shops to visit, new favorite cheeses, and an evening that tastes like place, this is the event to book.

Bookings move fast once announced, so plan ahead. Wear a warm layer—the Atlantic breeze reaches inside even in summer—and bring a camera for close-ups of dairy texture, charcuterie marbling, and plated desserts. If driving, allow time for limited village parking; if using public transport, check timetables. Bring card or cash for retail purchases and linger after service to ask makers about their processes and local sources, and pick up treats to-go afterwards.

About The Chocolate Manor

The Chocolate Manor in Castlerock, Northern Ireland, is a boutique chocolate workshop and visitor experience led by Chief Chocolatier Geri Martin. The Chocolate Manor offers hands-on chocolate-making workshops, private group experiences, seasonal family sessions and specialist events that showcase artisan techniques and local ingredients. Participants learn tempering, moulding and truffle-making in guided sessions such as The Chocolate Box, The Truffle Shuffle, and the Taste Causeway Chocolate Experience.

Sessions range from one-hour kids’ workshops to two-and-a-half-hour artisan classes, and can be booked as private events for birthdays, corporate team-building and special occasions. Each workshop includes hot chocolate, take-home creations and access to The Chocolate Manor’s Chocolate Shop discounts where available. Special events like Truffles & Tipples pair chocolates with local liqueurs in collaboration with Dunluce Distillery, supporting community causes including Portrush RNLI.

The Chocolate Manor emphasizes transparent sourcing and hands-on education. Workshops include discussion of cocoa origins and use premium Belgian chocolate and local flavourings such as Bushmills Whiskey and Causeway Coffee. The venue delivers practical instruction suitable for families, groups and adult-only evenings, led by experienced staff with a focus on safety and enjoyable learning.

Located in Castlerock, the business attracts locals and visitors exploring Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coast. Booking information, session durations and age guidelines are provided for each trip offering. The Chocolate Manor combines craft chocolate skills, local collaboration and memorable, take-home results to create an approachable, reputable visitor experience. Advance booking is recommended during peak season and private workshops can be tailored to dietary or accessibility requirements.