Food & Drink
10 Liverpool restaurants you must try in 2020
5 years ago
We’ve chosen 10 Liverpool restaurants we think you should try this year.
We have more restaurants than ever before in Liverpool so putting this list together was a difficult task.
Liverpoolâs food scene is off the scale. From super-star chefs to mind-blowing menus, our Cityâs reputation as a centre for culinary excellence is growing by the minute.
From the âtaste of Tianjinâ at Lu Ban to a quirky twist on the traditional at Roski and the foodie adventure that is Pilgrim; weâve got so much to get your taste buds intoâŠyou just need to take a bite!
Hereâs our guide to the âmust doâ restaurants in town right nowâŠ.
Lu Ban, Cains Brewery Village
Lu Ban serves up a fine-dining twist on your traditional Chinese and it has been causing quite a stir since it launched back in November. The super-cool space, which is housed in part of the former Cains Brewery site promises âa taste of Tianjinâ and boy does it deliver.
With a myriad of different menus to suit every taste (and budget) you can enjoy a taster of whatâs on offer with selection of three delicious snacks from the new Bar Menu and a glass of wine beer for just ÂŁ15 or go all-out with one of the private dining experiences in the Tianjin Private Dining Room, Food Lab, Wine Room or Chefs Table.
Cucina Di Vincenzo, Woolton Road
A classic Italian restaurant fuelled by generations of passion. Vincent has channelled his familyâs heritage in bringing authentic, Italian food and produce to the UK for well over a hundred years. Following in the footsteps of his parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, he has created a warm and relaxed dining hub serving the very best, authentic, Italian cuisine.
The menu is packed full of crowd pleasers; from hearty pasta favourites and classic meat dishes such as Tournedos Rossini, to delicate desserts such as the silky smooth Panacotta â itâs like a lesson on how to do Italian well. So, if you are sick of âsmall platesâ and fed up fine dining, Vincenzoâs can give you a much-needed comfort food hug just like Mamma made!
Pilgrim, Duke Street Market
The much talked about new Spanish small-plates concept housed in the Duke Street Market complex, the guys behind Pilgrim ended up relocating to Liverpool after securing investment on BBC Twoâs âMy Million Pound Menuâ from Liverpool-based Graffiti Spirits Group (Santa Chupitos, Salt Dog Slims, Santa Maluco).
Forget your existing interpretation of tapas, this place really does re-educate your understanding of what authentic Spanish dining is all about. Taking its inspiration from the flavours, traditions and tastes along the northernmost route of the Camino, Pilgrim manages to take your taste-buds on an enlightening journey of discovery without being âtoo coolâ along the way.
Think hearty Spanish fabada (stew) with haricot beans, Morcilla sausage and chorizo and simple grilled sardines with fiery aioli and youâll get the idea. Their geographically accurate menu changes with the season and you can expect all the clatter, noise and atmosphere that comes with its food hall setting. Not to be missed.
The Art School, Hope Street
One of the jewels in Liverpoolâs dining crown, The Art School has really helped put the city back on the culinary map. Driven by super-star Chef Patron Paul Askew, The Art School champions local talent and local produce from its magnificent base in the cityâs glorious Georgian quarter.
Think classic fine dining with impeccably presented dishes and fabulous flavours, The Art School epitomises class.
Alongside the Taster and A La Carte menus the super-value Prix Fixe (Lunchtimes and 5-6.15pm Tuesday to Saturday) offers a sublime introduction to Paulâs incredible cooking with star dishes including venison carpaccio, Peterhead hake with Menai mussels and roasted local pheasant with all the trimmings for a very palatable ÂŁ27 for two or ÂŁ34 for three courses.
www.thesrtschoolrestaurant.co.uk
Oktopus, Hardman Street
As tasty as they are ethical, this is cooking with conscience. Itâs often said, but these guys really do create dishes using only the finest, most fresh, local ingredients and their menus change regularly, depending what is in season and good that day.
Working with a hand-picked team of local producers, butchers, fishermen and bakers their menu is clean, seasonal and deliciously simple.
From clever small plates like the braised butterbean with roasted courgette and goatâs curd to more substantial mains â the delicate Lemon sole with parloude clams and IPA & clotted cream sauce is just divine, we think Oktopus hits all the right notes when it comes to big flavours, low impact and bags ingenuity.
Heritage, Castle Street
Unpretentious, relaxed and with wide culinary appeal, Heritage on Castle Street is all big flavours and industrial chic.
A great âgrab a bit with friendsâ option, the extensive menu serves up some cool classics and tasty twists on bistro favourites and the price point means you will have plenty of spare change for a cocktail or three.
Small plates, big plates and everything in between, we think its one of the best mid-range restaurants in the city right now and one that should be on your foodie wish list.
Six By Nico, North John Street
Having taken the cityâs dining scene by storm late last year, Six By Nicoâs reputation for fun fine dining shows no signs of slowing down.
Championed as âfine dining for the massesâ itâs perfect for your first foray into the heady world of the âtaster menuâ with its clever of offering of six set courses (vegetarian options available) changing every six weeks.
Nicoâs latest offering âNew Yorkâ offers six conversation starting dishes, all impeccably presented, with a clever mix of flavours that really encapsulate the city that never sleeps. From a twist on Eggs Benedict to the show-stopping big apple, start spreading the news guys â this is accessible fine dining at its finest.
Get more info and see what’s on the menu here.
Roski, Rodney Street
Arguably the most interesting dining experience in the city, Roski is run by the insanely talented Anton Piotrowski and his team.
A real life Masterchef (he won Masterchef The Professionals) this is eclectic British cooking at its finest.
The taster menu is absolutely the star of the show here. Culinary theatre from start to finish, its filled with exciting dishes and quirky interpretations of time served classics. Thereâs plenty of humour too, the beef nuggets with âchip shopâ sauce are an absolute triumph and the wagyu and oxtail with hotdog onions brings a touch of the fairground to a world class dish.
Clever, uplifting and gratifyingly relaxed Roski nails the balance between high-end foodie heaven and cool bistro perfectly.
The taster menu is the sole option on Friday and Saturday evenings (ÂŁ75) but thereâs also a very acceptable lunch menu (ÂŁ25) and a la carte (ÂŁ55) available outside these times.
Pinion Bistro, Prescot
The latest offering from renegade, crowdfunding super-chef Gary Usher, Pinion has brought bistro culture to Prescott! Having launched in a blaze of publicity late last summer, Pinion is now serving up Garyâs clever, unpretentious bistro food with a twist to the people of Prescott and beyond.
With a lunch, early evening and a la carte menu available from Wednesday to Sunday (they also have a dedicated Sunday Lunch menu) diners can expect everything from the famed pigâs cheek croquettes and much loved braised beef with beetroot ketchup dishes to classic crowd pleasers like beer battered fish, chips andminted mushy peas all served in the relaxed, reclaimed chic surroundings weâve come to expect from Gary.
Lerpwl, Albert Dock
The most anticipated launch for 2020, tickets to the opening of Lerpwl on the Albert Dock this February will be the hottest tickets in town.
Great British Menu star Ellis Barrie and his brother Liam will be winging back to Liverpool from North Wales to launch the dockside restaurant.
Following on from the success of their Anglesey based restaurant, the Maram Grass, the much-loved cheeky chappies have paid homage to their Welsh base in the name of the restaurant as Lerpwl is the Welsh translation of Liverpool and the fusion wonât stop there. Ellis has said we can expect some exciting dishes packed full of Welsh produce along with some home-grown influences from Merseyside too. Our advice â book in early as the queue will be round the Dock!
Keep it here to find out more as the restaurant gets set for launch.