Best restaurants in Liverpool

Having recently had a £1million refurbishment, Bem Brasil offers up a unique and authentic Brazilian dining experience.  Unlike most restaurants you don’t choose from a traditional menu, instead pile your plate high with salad from the bar and then choose you meats as they are bought round the tables and carved directly onto your plate. Choose from the likes of cap of rump, chicken wrapped in pancetta and leg of lamb.

As part of the Everyman Theatre, the Pen Factory is a relaxed and casual bistro, ideal for a lunch stop while exploring the city of Liverpool. Serving seasonal small plates including the likes of king prawns in paprika, smoked salmon and pea risotto and soy and honey glazed chicken wings everything is made for sharing. Given it is so close to the Theatre it’s the ideal spot to enjoy a craft ale after a show too.  

Set in an old converted church, Alma de Cuba mixes Cuban, Hispanic and Latin American cuisines to create exciting and unique dishes. Honey & Thyme Goat's cheese bonbons, mojito lamb rump and passion fruit posset with homemade shortbread are just a few of the things you’ll find on the menu. With live entertainment and a gospel Sunday brunch, you will never get bored dining here.

Nord juxtaposes quirky, minimal design with some broad strokes international cooking, but somehow makes it all work. Dishes range from barley risotto with asparagus and watercress to mushroom skewers with yuzu kosho, but everything is beautifully executed at this restaurant which is fast gaining national attention. 

Bringing life to an old converted warehouse, Manifest is a relaxed dining room and bar where great service is key. The open plan kitchen takes centre stage with counter spots for those who want a front row seat. Visit for a best of British menu that changes with the seasons.

Claiming to be the only Catalonian fusion restaurant in the UK and doubling up as a deli, Lunya is located in the popular and buzzy Liverpool One area. Serving up the likes of Ibérico Pork Ribs, seabass sliders and patatas bravas the tapas style means you can try lots of different dishes in one sitting. Before you leave the restaurant don’t forget to try some of the authentic Spanish cheeses and olive varieties from the deli either.

Championing simple and seasonal food and using local produce where possible, Belzan is the sort of cosy neighbourhood restaurant that everyone wants to live near too. There’s a great breakfast menu for early risers, too.

With long communal tables, industrial décor and an exciting menu, Maray is located in the centre of Liverpool and is the ideal spot for a casual lunch or dinner. This restaurant is all about sharing plates so you can try a bit of everything. Serving up a mix of cuisines from Middle Eastern to British, expect to find the likes of lamb koftas, falafel and halloumi on the main menu.

Aiming to bring the street food of India to the UK, Mowgli serves all its dishes in metal tiffin boxes, the same  kind that people in India have at lunchtimes. You can enjoy your meal, in the quirky and rustic restaurant. Expect the like of gunpowder chicken, Goan fish curry and Mowgli house keema. It even has extensive gluten free and vegan menus and is the ideal place to visit if you are dining with people who have dietary requirements.    

With stunning 360-degree vistas from the 34th floor of the West Tower, there isn’t a better table view to be had in all of Liverpool. Panoramic 34 can be anything you want it to be – bar bolthole, a venue for afternoon tea or a cash-splashing evening out with fine wines, top Champagne and contemporary cooking –  just the place for big-0 birthdays and proposals. Dishes you can give a try include poached halibut, goosnargh duck breast and a white chocolate almond fondant.

As one of Liverpool’s most established restaurants, having won copious awards over the years, this is the restaurant to visit for a special occasion. Part of the London Carriage Works hotel which was built in the 1860’s, it has recently been revamped and features a number of different menus going from breakfast all the way through to dinner. Expect to find the likes of smoked haddock with poached eggs on the breakfast menu and lamb rump niçoise, seared sea bass and coconut pannacotta.

Fast becoming one of Liverpool's most talked about spots, KaiBaiBo delivers big, comforting Asian flavours, from killer bao buns to massive ramen bowls and a must-order meat donut. FYI: Kai Bai Bo is the Korean name for Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Hawksmoor has travelled far and wide these days, but Liverpool might just be the group's best marriage of concept and killer location so far, bringing immaculate British cookery to Liverpool's Grade-II listed India Buildings. As for the rest, it's just as good as always, from huge sharing steaks to God-tier triple-cooked chips. 

Fresh off a successful stint as head chef of Rothay Manor in the Lake District, Great British Menu 2021 Champion of Champions Dan McGeorge has returned home to his native Liverpool to open his debut solo restaurant Vetch. Unsurprisingly, it's an absolute barnstormer, showcasing McGeorge's delicate, Asian-flecked cooking in a homely dining room on Hope Street.

Every city needs a reliably old-school Italian restaurant or two and Casa Italia delivers on its promise of comfort food and a convivial atmosphere. Crown your checkered tablecloth with lasagnes, pasta dishes and homemade pizzas.

Housed in the former Home for Destitute Children (circa 1888), this beautifully appointed restaurant pays homage to the building’s more recent role as an art school, with commissioned works by former students covering the walls. The cooking from chef-owner Paul Askew is every bit as artful, involving robust and often challenging flavours and including vegan, vegetarian and pescatarian menus. Serving up modern European cuisine, you can expect to find, menai mackerel with summer vegetables, confit leg of duck with roast orange puree and salted caramel and dark chocolate lemon drizzle cake.

Restaurant 8 is about as immersive as dining experiences get in Liverpool, but it never loses sight of the importance of delivering delicious food. Tasting menus incorporate a huge range of elements but the experience is finely-tuned and precise. Make no mistake, Restaurant 8 is a thrilling experience, and an important restaurant for the city. 

Captivating Turkish barbecue flavours are the main draw of Elif. Begin with hot and cold meze, before moving on to juicy lamb ribs or whole fish, all served with an abundance of mixed leaf salad.

What was once a derelict building in the city has now been transformed into a 90 cover restaurant, while still keeping some of its charming and authentic features. Owned by famous chef Gary Usher and serving up beautifully presented dishes that include the likes of smoked chicken wings, hot smoked salmon fish cakes and buttermilk pannacotta. Following in the footsteps of Usher's other restaurants, Burnt Truffle, Hispi and Sticky Walnut, you know you’re in for a treat when you visit Wreckfish.

This café/ tea shop is great for casual and affordable all-day dining. Whether you visit for brunch or dinner, you can choose from an extensive menu. Expect all the brunch classics such as eggs benedict and royale. For lunch and dinner a selection of sandwiches, burgers, flatbreads and dishes including seafood linguine, Goan vegetable curry and pan fried chicken are on offer. The quirky décor includes exposed brick walls, chesterfield sofas and rustic wood furnishings which all add to the charm.

Acting as a wine bar, cocktail parlour, restaurant and gig space, you can do an entire night out at the Buyers Club from start to finish. Often hosting BBQs and art exhibitions, there is always something going on at this bar/restaurant. On the menu you’ll find the likes of leek & cheddar arancini, harissa fried chicken and beef shin ragu pasta. Dishes are served tapas style so you can try a little bit of everything.