Wreck

Possibly Britain’s most controversial chef, Gary Usher (the man behind the highly successful Sticky Walnut in Chester and Merseyside’s Burnt Truffle) turned to his loyal followers to get this, his fourth restaurant, off the ground back in 2017. A pop-up event at this old watch factory in the heart of Ropewalks was designed to raise the capital needed for the project and, like Usher’s other culinary ventures, was a storming success.

Usher turned the near-derelict building just moments from Liverpool Central train station into a large neighbourhood bistro with a laidback vibe. Exposed brickwork, wooden floors and tables, and an open kitchen are all simply done to allow the food and service to speak for itself, which is definitely does. There are eight to choose from, including breakfast, Sunday lunch, dinner, and a separate kids’ menu. There’s even a birthday cakes menu, which attests to how popular Wreck is for celebratory meals among locals.

Those popping in for breakfast can look forward to a small selection of classic breakfast dishes done well, including a full English (which can be made veggie or vegan), smashed avocado on sourdough with poached eggs, and porridge with seasonal toppings. The set lunch and early dinner menu offers excellent value with two or three courses, and includes dishes such as pressed ox tongue with celeriac remoulade and dill pickles, pan-fried sea bream with saffron risotto, buttered spinach and sea rosemary, and honeycomb semifreddo with chocolate sauce and fresh honeycomb.

On the dinner menu, you can expect the likes of burrata with butternut squash, Za’atar, charred lemon dressing and harissa spiced pumpkin seeds, and duck breast with crapaudine beetroot, duck leg croquette, orange blossom vinegar and caraway. Desserts, meanwhile, include salted caramel crème brûlée, sticky ginger cake with bourbon and orange caramel, malt ice cream and ginger snap, and a ring doughnut with whisky crème pâtissière, marmalade ice cream and cocoa crumble.

This British bistro in Liverpool is another of barnstorming chef Gary Usher's crowdfunded successes. Wreck serves up high-quality honest food in convivial surrounds, transforming what was once a derelict building in the centre of town into a 90-cover restaurant. The cosy dining room balances traditional and modern touches, with red brick walls and wooden furniture and flooring evoking the feel of a friendly local, while a beautiful blue tiled open kitchen highlights that food is taken seriously here.

There are two main menus available throughout the week: an a la carte offering and a regularly changing set bistro menu. The latter is available for both lunch and dinner and aims to provide diners with a great-value seasonal option using the best produce available that day.

While dishes change all the time, examples of starters might include smoked morcilla sausage with port reduction, pickled apple, parsley and crispy shallots, or goat’s cheese and pink peppercorn raviolo with charred green pepper dressing and crispy breadcrumbs. While mains might include pork ribeye roasted with salsa macha butter, red cabbage, sesame and lime salad and roasted pineapple. Finally, the sweet course offers more inventive takes on British ingredients, such as baked vanilla yoghurt with rhubarb and ginger compote and pistachio biscotti.

The drinks list includes a finely-tuned selection of wines by the glass or bottle, including a rotating wine of the month for those looking to try something a bit different. There is also a range of classic cocktails, mocktails, beers, cider and sweet wines to pair with dessert, if you like.

Wreck is part of the Elite Bistros restaurant group, which also includes Sticky Walnut, Hispi, Burnt Truffle, Kala and Pinion.