From new openings to hidden gems, here’s where to book in Liverpool as the evenings draw in .
Duke Street Market
46 Duke St
Home to five independent food traders, a bar and coffee kiosk, this lively food hall is perfect for social dining. Current traders include red meat specialist Bone and Block who offers indulgent red meat dishes, Cuban-inspired Cahita, with its signature Cubanos stacked with meats and cheeses and Cucina Di Vincenzo’s, with freshly made pasta and authentic Italian small plates.
There’ also Kelp, with fresh grilled and fried oysters available, and Ginger; the Asian-inspired kitchen, with warming Katsu curry, fresh Bimimbap bowls of goodness with sticky rice, fresh vegetables and Ginger’s signature chilli sauce. Grab a midweek deal with 20 per cent off all food and drinks.
Liverpool L1 5AS, dukestreetmarket.com
Röski
Rodney Street
It’s been a couple of years since a brilliant Jay Rayner review saw phones ringing off the hook at this Rodney Street bistro. ‘Use any excuse to eat here,’ he said, and people did. But then, there was the small matter of a pandemic to contend with. Anton Piotrowski and his partner Rose opened up in
Rodney Street in 2017, pouring love and enthusiasm into every detail.
Formerly the brilliant Pushka, there’s a good value set menu for lunch, with four courses for £45, too good really to resist. Look out for Anton’s simply named carrot cake - the dish that he served when he won MasterChef: The Professionals in 2012, complete with chocolate soil and popping candy. Jay Rayner was right, use any excuse to eat at Röski.
Liverpool L1 2TE, roskirestaurant.com
El Gato Negro
Walker House Exchange Flags
Sprawling across the grand corner site in Exchange Flags, El Gato Negro Liverpool offers dining space for 240 guests, with a striking charcuterie bar. Owner and chef Simon Shaw has brought over a number of his signature award-winning dishes from Yorkshire and Manchester, but with a Liverpool twist.
Favourites include morcilla scotch eggs with mushroom duxelle, apple purée and aioli; mini Catalan chorizo with Aspall cider; chargrilled octopus, new potatoes, capers, shallots and aioli, and Padrón peppers with Halen Môn sea salt. Solo diners or those looking to get closer to the action will love the chef’s table, where they can watch the team at work.
Liverpool L2 3YL, elgatonegrotapas.com/liverpool
Justino’s
380 Aigburth Road
Justino Romero runs this family-friendly neighbourhood restaurant in South Liverpool. From Wednesday ‘kids make their own pizza’ evenings to live music on Friday nights and Sunday roasts, there’s a regular programme of popular events. Menu highlights include fillet steak, scallops and carbonara, served with a glass of Amarone or a house cocktail. There are good menus for vegetarians, vegans and diners looking to eat gluten-free.
Liverpool, L17 6AE, justinos.co.uk
Bouchon
55 Castle St
Jonathan Poole and Paddy Smith opened this chic French bistro this summer, a sister venue to their established Salt House Tapas, Salt House Bacaro and Hanover Street Social sites.
Savoury menu highlights include oysters, classic French onion soup, charcuterie boards, rotisserie chicken, and sole meunière. Those with a sweet tooth can enjoy perfect Parisian patisserie, with buttery tarte tatin and rich chocolate fondant.
There’s an excellent wine list and French spirits, as well as some pleasingly Gallic house cocktails, including a take on French toast in a glass.
Liverpool L2 9TN, salthousebouchon.com
The Watering Can
64 Greenbank Road
Set within 12 acres of Victorian parkland in Greenbank Park, The Watering Can, which opened in April 2019, is a beautifully-designed glass-fronted venue, which brings the beauty of the gardens inside. The perfect location to wind down in the lush surroundings of one of Liverpool’s most stunning parks, it is open Sunday-Thursday from 9am-7pm and 9am-9pm on Friday and Saturday.
The menu has a good range of small and large plates, with a great range of salads – from virtuous grapefruit and mango to indulgent tuna nicoise. But it’s hard to beat their full Liverpool breakfast after a long walk through
the park.
Greenbank Park, Liverpool, L18 1HQ, thewateringcanliverpool.com
360 Sky Bar
Old Hall St
Formerly the Liverpool Echo and Daily Post building, the sandcastle on Old Hall Street is now home to new hotel INNSiDE Liverpool with its swish 360 Sky Bar, created by Gino D’Acampo. On the 18th floor of the hotel, the 360 Sky Bar has panoramic views of the city and beyond. The 100-cover venue has a menu of Italian small plates, cicchetti and cocktails.
The cicchetti menu is split into five sections – stuzzichini, pesche, carne, vegetariani, and dolci. Signature dishes include scallops, vermouth, lemon and parsley, salmon tartare, avocado, chilli and capers, burrata panzanella, and pork belly, radicchio and hazelnuts, amongst others.
Liverpool L3 9LQ, ginodacampohotelsandleisure.com/our-restaurants/old-hall-street-liverpool
East River
103 Allerton Rd
South Liverpool’s popular New York-style deli specialises in brunch dishes by day, and as night falls there’s a range of small and larger plates. Their most popular daytime choices are fresh bagels – such as the Croque filled with honey roast ham, Swiss cheese, dijon mustard and a poached egg. There’s also a range of breakfast trays – choose from a classic full English, the Hipster with vegetarian sausages, halloumi and avocado, the Deli, made with salt beef or the full Vegan breakfast. Delicious.
By night, don’t miss succulent soy and maple glazed fillet beef skewers, crispy skin seabass with a caper and gherkin relish and enormous tiger prawns.
Liverpool L18 2DD, east-river.co
Bacchus Taverna
14 Waterloo Rd
Restaurants come and go, but this hidden gem of a Greek taverna, tucked away on the old dock road, is always busy. Unflashy and traditional, you could easily feel you have been transported to a Greek island. The owner, Diamantis Vagianos, known as Diamond, had Renos’s Taverna, on York Street, for 16 years before he took over the unit from Frank’s Cafe more than a decade ago. The menu is a love song to his native Greek national dishes and they are done simply but very well. Greek salad is always a hit, and Diamond’s homemade dips are something special.
It’s a favorite of many of the city’s sportsmen and women, thanks to hearty and healthy kebabs and fish dishes, made using the best local produce. This is good, tasty, nourishing food, served with kindness and care.
Liverpool L3 7BB, bacchustaverna.co.uk
Queen’s Wine Bar and Bistro
8-10 Queen’s Avenue
Tucked away in one of Liverpool’s prettiest arcades, packed between law chambers, is R&H Fine Wines, a favourite independent wine shop for many in the city. Now, owner Devin Stewart has got together with friends to open the Queens Wine Bar and Bistro with handmade wines from traditional vineyards and seasonal cooking six days a week. They’ve brought together some of the city’s best young talent, including head chef Liv Alarcon, previously of Maray, to create a menu that’s authentically French, with plenty of seasonal variations.
Liverpool, L2 4TX, queensliverpool.co.uk
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