The Native Years
After years of searching for the right spot, Rebekah and Stevie McCarry finally found it – an old boat club building at Coleraine marina. The plan was simple: sustainably sourced wild Irish seafood, reconnecting the public with the local fishing community. That was January 2020. Then the world stopped.
From Restaurant to Fishmonger
With the pandemic closing everything down, jobs gone, and rent still due, the focus shifted fast. Native Seafood & Scran was born as a fishmongers – selling online, delivering door-to-door, and using zero plastic packaging. It was direct access to the best local catch, and the North Coast loved it. Daily sell-outs became the norm.
When cooking was finally allowed, the doors opened – but in a kitchen the size of a food truck. The daily-changing menu was dictated by whatever the boats brought in: monkfish corn dogs, lobster rolls, squid shawarma, lobster sesame toast, fish dogs, monkfish pad thai, conger eel casseroles. Outside of service, Stevie and Rebekah visited schools to talk about sustainable seafood.
Growing pains + Big changes
The building needed serious work. Half of it was old shower blocks and the dining room looked like a 1970s disco hall. Just after winning Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland at the Slow Food Awards, diggers arrived for what became a 2.5-year renovation.
In the meantime, a tiny pod outside kept things alive – high-quality takeaway in compostable boxes, served “drive-thru” style. It became infamous, with queues out the car park and even a recipe published in The Guardian’s Food Observer Monthly. But space was tight, demand was high, and change was needed again.
The Pool Era
The move to The Pool in Portstewart was a homecoming – both Stevie and Rebekah had spent their summers there as kids. Just 10 metres from the sea, it gave them room for a full fish counter, live music, events, parties, tasting menus, and serious sunsets.
The awards rolled in: Best Sustainable Practices, Best Casual Dining, Local Food Heroes, Best Fishmongers in NI, and Best Seafood Restaurant in Ireland from Georgina Campbell. Critics raved. But shutters instead of walls meant winter storms could (and did) flood the place. One storm wiped out everything. The doors reopened thanks to loyal customers, local businesses, and friends in hospitality pulling together for food events.
Zero waste, Full circle
The Pool menu changed daily with the catch. Anything not used was transformed – fish sausages, concentrated stock, fish charcuterie – all developed with NRC Foodovation. It was a way to use every part of the fish, from cheeks and livers to bones and heads, and to highlight underused species like conger eel and ling.
Foraging days along the North Coast became a Tuesday ritual. The team worked closely with Rhee River Organics and other local producers, feeding waste fish back into the farm as fertiliser. Quality and provenance weren’t negotiable – suppliers were carefully chosen for their craft and care.
LIR: This must be the plaice
The next chapter: Lir at Coleraine Marina. A state-of-the-art kitchen and prep space. A restaurant, outside bar, fishmongers, and deli under one roof. Space to teach fish filleting, host events, and invite schools to see where their food comes from.
The drinks list leans heavily on craft Irish brewers and a thoughtful, natural wine selection by GM and sommelier Clare Smyth. Cocktails come from house mixologist Mia Christie, with a seasonal non-alcoholic juice pairing created by Jenny Regenass – a hit with drivers and anyone skipping booze.
The team’s grown, each member specialising in their own craft. Stevie still runs the kitchen. Rebekah is fishmonger by day, front of house by night. Together, they’re building a seafood experience like no other.
