From gourmet tapas to towering burgers – by way of sushi, Chinese and vegetarian food – we’ve done our best to lasso together an inventory of Liverpool’s best restaurants. At some we’ve gone nuts for the food, in others it’s all about the venue. So, if you’re looking for the city’s most moreish plates, or simply somewhere to be ‘seen’ whilst eating, this is the guide for you.
El Gato’s home in Liverpool is the beautiful stone-clad Walker House, part of the landmark Exchange Flags building. Overlooking the iconic Nelson monument and Liverpool Town Hall, this stylish open-plan restaurant and bar offers a wide range of options for dining and drinking. You can even enjoy tapas al fresco, sat in our fully covered and heated patio area.
Bacaro elegantly and effortlessly serves up a taste of the Mediterranean – Italian cicchetti plates, to be precise. Which means: herby focaccia, arancini, meat boards and fritto misto (or fried fish). With dusky walls, moody lighting and intimate booths, it’s the perfect place to share some tapas-style dishes, washed down with the Italian classic, Campari. Don’t miss the affogato dessert, too. Why? You’ll see.
For the best sushi in Merseyside, there’s no other place – Etsu provides an authentic and stylish Japanese cuisine experience.
Venture a little further out to this cosy bar and bistro, serving authentic Jamaican food in leafy South Liverpool – you won’t be disappointed.
A Scandi-inspired restaurant (included in the Michelin Guide) that celebrates Northern hospitality, with a seasonal menu made from locally-sourced ingredients and an inviting 60s interior.
Gordon Ramsay’s modern European restaurant has finally landed in Liverpool ONE, taking over two floors and featuring all the classic Bread Street Kitchen dishes such as beef wellington, butter chicken curry and the Hell’s Kitchen burger.
Belzan is a modern bistro serving delicious food in a relaxed and friendly setting, in an unexpected location – fancy and friendly, the perfect Scouse combo.
The Art School’s tasting menu differs from most, in that rather than a series of tiny plates the dishes are fewer in number but gradually increase in size and intensity, reaching a crescendo with the masterpiece plate of Galloway beef – easily one of the top ten dishes in the North. The experience doesn’t come cheap but event dining of this quality rarely does.
This restaurant prides itself on its fresh and local approach, with an in-house bakery and bees producing honey on the rooftop garden. It’s a good looking venue that’s light and airy, matching the style of the food on the menu. The cocktails (which often make use of the aforementioned rooftop honey) are also superb.
17 floors up and with 360° views over Liverpool Gino D’Acampo’s Sky Bar is a great spot in Liverpool. We particularly love the afternoon tea there, but the extensive cocktail menu is also a big draw for those wanting to sink a few fruity, sugary treats while overlooking the River Mersey.
Serving excellent Pan-Asian dishes and quirky cocktails, Chamber 36 is a stylish restaurant on the edge of Liverpool’s China Town.
Manifest is a Michelin Guide, casual fine dining restaurant and wine bar in the Baltic Triangle, serving seasonal dishes and delicious wines from small scale producers. It might take you a minute to find it but once you do, you won’t want to leave.
The ever-popular Maray’s third site, based at the Royal Albert Dock in Liverpool, has beautiful views and flavours in equal measure.
Sanskruti is a vegetarian and vegan Indian restaurant in Liverpool’s Business District, serving an array of fresh, brightly coloured dishes that you’ll be thinking about for a long time after the meal.
Lauded by Jay Rayner as “one of the more intriguing venues I have eaten at for a long while”, Camp & Furnace brings together vintage caravans, towering shrubbery, roaring fires and the biggest public screen in the city all under the roofs of three old warehouses and a coach shed.
Yes, as the name would suggest, this place is in on the Americana trend – but where else can you eat pulled pork and buffalo wings in the grounds of a former convent?
Press Bros is one of Lark Lane’s best coffee spots, with coffee made from locally roasted beans and delicious breakfasts.
The Botanical Gin Garden is a seasonal outdoor gin bar, open six months a year, serving a wide selection of delicious gin drinks.
Mahoe Blue is a bar and bistro that serves authentic Jamaican food in a cosy venue in South Liverpool.
Love Lane Brewery offers delicious food and a wide selection of beers as well as tours of the brewery and gin distillery.
Hidden in the Georgian Quarter, Ye Cracke is a historic Liverpool pub, known for being John Lennon’s local in his student days
A pleasant pub on the famous Penny Lane, ‘The Dovey’ has a classy interior, lots of outdoor seats and a good atmosphere.
Artefact combines vintage finds with a laid-back coffee shop experience, plus a busy schedule of events from open mic nights to exhibitions
Rudy’s Pizza on Bold Street is the perfect casual dining experience, serving delicious Neapolitan pizza with monthly seasonal specials.
Lovelocks is a chilled café on the outskirts of Liverpool city centre, serving delicious sweet and savoury foods and championing inclusivity.
Nightcrawler Pizza is the ultimate casual dining – tasty New York-style pizza slices served out of a small kitchen inside The Merchant bar.
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