14 things you can do this week in Liverpool (28 Sept – 3 Oct)

As we come to the end of September, we are welcoming Autumn to Liverpool and there’s loads happening!

From live streaming concerts to bringing the kids for a day out, there’s something for everyone in Liverpool that you get safely involved in this week.

Remember, if you are heading out this week, stay safe and bring hand gel and your face coverings with you. To keep you and everyone else safe when you’re out and about, regularly wash your hands, using sanitiser, keep your distance and avoid anywhere that you feel is not COVID secure.

See the latest Liverpool lockdown measures here.

Cook like Wreckfish chef Gary Usher with Elite Bistros at Home

Because owner Gary Usher has demystified the whole process of making restaurant quality food by creating a delivery service for all the ingredients you’ll need to make starters, mains, sides and desserts that you’d normally find on their menus – signatures like the braised featherblade of beef or braised octopus. You just need to get in the kitchen and make the magic happen.

Check out the Elite at Home food and drink menus here.

Book your own bowling alley at PINS on Duke Street

The cocktails, pizza, gaming tables and rooftop bar with fantastic views are all a big draw at PINS on Duke Street, but there’s really only one main event … the bowling.

PINS has 12 full-sized lanes as well as private ones in The Spare Room if you and your teammates prefer to go for the VIP option and get food and drinks with waiter service to celebrate all those strikes. Stick to the rules by keeping party sizes to six and you’ll find extra measures including social distancing, one-way routes, staggered seating and tables, QR code ordering and hand sanitisers so you feel safe while you play.

Book a lane here.

Experience the new outside tour of Liverpool Cathedral

Liverpool Cathedral has recently been named in the top 10% of global tourist attractions, according to reviews on TripAdvisor, so this seems like a perfect time to discover – or rediscover – one of the city’s most magnificent landmarks.

Book on the outdoor Hidden Cathedral tour, which lasts 45 minutes, and you’ll hear stories of how Liverpool Cathedral came to be located on St James Mount, how the architect was chosen and where its stone came from. There’ll also be a chance to find creatures, symbols and seagoing vessels hidden in the intricate carvings, and learn more about the people who built the cathedral over 74 years. 

There are tours this Thursday and Saturday, then through October, bookable here.

Visit The Cavern which is now back open

After a long summer lockdown, and a trial reopening for Virtually Beatleweek, the legendary Cavern Club finally opened properly again on September 18 with a new air conditioning system to make its cellar safer.

That’s a big relief to Fab Four fans from Liverpool and around the world, but also anyone who just loves music. In line with restrictions, capacity has been reduced and groups are limited to six, but there’s still plenty of entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays thanks to a hybrid of live music performances and pre-recorded sets shown by video.

Find out opening times and what to expect here.

Try the new Macello Meat House in West Derby Village

Steak lovers will feel like they’ve walked into heaven at Marcello Meat House, which has just opened its second branch in West Derby Village.

It’s already well known in Childwall as one of the best steak houses around, thanks to its unreal prime cuts – think marbled Texas and ribeye, and tender Filet Mignon – and its attracted quite a few Reds stars including Roberto Firminio and Sadio Mane. Now it’s spreading the love to West Derby so even more people can find out just what all the 5-star reviews are about, and maybe get to try the showstopping gold wagyu …

Book a table here.

Immerse yourself in a virtual world at FACT’s latest exhibition

There’s always something interesting and visual going on at FACT, including its new exhibition ‘Augmented Empathy’. The exhibition will have visitors step into a virtual world and explore new visual identities using their phones.

From a tranquil animated woodland to Instagram filters which give you scales and deep blue skin, the exhibition draws on the power of nature to elicit our understanding of each other and our kinship with the Earth.

Created by artist collective Keiken, with dance artist Sakeema Crook and CGI artist Ryan Vautier, Augmented Empathy mirrors the way we, and specifically young people, learn to interact using social media as a tool for expression. Using Instagram filter technology accessed via your phone, and a meditative film installation, the exhibition is an exercise in unlearning the ways in which we construct identity.

Find out more here.

Enjoy the new live stream from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Fancy a little classical music at home to bring you calm? If so, from Wednesday you can watch the Phil’s master at work, Vasily Petrenko, conducting music by Hindemith, Stravinsky and Shostakovich through video on demand. 

Before the concert, there’ll be a live talk on Zoom at 7pm with BBC Radio 3 broadcaster and author Stephen Johnson, and a post-concert Zoom Q&A with musicians, conductors and composers, where you can take part and ask questions. Details of how to join the Zoom will be sent after you buy a ticket.

Book your ticket here.

Go Iberian at new Castle St bar BoBo

Say hola (or olá) to this great new bar serving Spanish and Portuguese-inspired drinks and snacks.

On the menu are chorizo sausage rolls, charcuterie and cheeseboards and – dessert heaven – fresh pastel de nata custard tarts.

Combine that with jugs of sparkling sangria, a great wine list and offers lined up to make your visit even more special, and it’s a welcome addition to Castle Street and perfect for its new #withoutwalls continental feel.

Visit the BoBo website here.

Learn about the Titanic at the special Mersey Maritime Museum exhibition

The sinking of this Liverpool-registered liner on her maiden voyage has captivated people’s interest for more than 100 years, which is what makes the permanent exhibition, Titanic and Liverpool: The Untold Story, such a popular one at the museum.

Then the largest ship in the world, Titanic left Southampton for New York on April 10, 1912, with 922 passengers rising to 1316 after calls en-route. Four days later, she struck an iceberg and sank with the loss of more than 1,500 lives. 

Told from perspectives of key personalities in the drama, this fascinating exhibition gives a unique insight into events surrounding the launch, voyage, sinking and its aftermath.

Book your slot here.

America meets Liverpool at What’s Cooking on Albert Dock

There’s Stateside inspiration for this popular bar and grill which is always a good choice if you head down to the waterfront.

Dishes are prepared to order with ingredients from local suppliers, and the something-for-everyone menu includes hand-crafted burgers, fall-off-the-bone barbecued pork ribs, and succulent grilled beef steaks.

There are loads of delicious desserts and a varied drinks menu – including cracking cocktails that it reckons ‘are the best value in town and pack a real punch’.

Book a table here.

Take the kids climbing as Awesome Walls reopens

Many people have felt like they’ve been climbing the walls during lockdown but there are some walls we can enjoy tackling, like those at this Liverpool adventure attraction which has now re-opened.

Started to introduce people to quality climbing back in 1999, it’s grown ever since with walls to suit those wanting to progress in the sport of climbing, to those who just want a fun and challenging activity.

But it’s not just walls in the Athol Street centre, there are ropes and boulders to get to grips with too and food and drink available.

Book a slot here.

Order some takeout cocktails from The Alchemist

If it wasn’t enough that the Brunswick Street bar created some of the most spectacular cocktails with theatrical effects for you to enjoy, they’ve now developed an amazing selection for you to have at home.

Concoctions for Collection is a range of takeout cocktails which you can pick up from the bar and, once collected, become a true Alchemist by following the instructions from their master mixologist.

The Concoctions to help you recreate The Alchemist’s magic at home include the Dead Red Zombie (£7) with Bacardi Carta Blanca rum, Wray & Nephew Overproof rum, Grand Marnier, lime, pineapple, cranberry, Zombie mix (!) and smoke; and Lightbulb Moment (£6) with Tanqueray gin, Pimms, Double Dutch ginger beer, Bristol Syrup raspberry, lemon and mint – and this one you can serve cold or warm so it’ll see you into winter.

Find out more here.

Cook the best local produce at home using LIDS

If you fancy staying in and cooking a fab family meal or a romantic dinner for two, you can bet it’ll be far nicer using fresh, local ingredients – and with LIDS you’ll be supporting local businesses too.

Liverpool Independent Delivery Services was set up during lockdown to help people get the groceries they needed, and stores to get them out, as well as offer a helping hand to people in need.

Set up by Lu Ban restaurant’s head chef, Dave Critchley, LIDS is an online shop and delivery service offering quality fresh produce from 14 different local suppliers, with everything for sale from meat and fish, freshly-baked bread and cakes, to cheeses, wines and spirits, teas – and cleaning and other household products –  and, from Dave himself, Chinese-inspired meal and recipe boxes from Lu Ban.

You can even use LIDS to pay it forward, with a donation to help to provide fruit and veg boxes or kids’ packed lunches to some of the most deprived areas of the city. And, just by buying from LIDS, shoppers support others in need because Dave donates a percentage of profits each month to Knowsley Kitchen which helps to give residents access to fresh and nutritious food.

Orders can be made via the website or by phone – 0330 107 0754. Most can be delivered next day, and all within 48 hours.