Adam Noble is swapping wheels for walls, but this won’t be a traditional Greek taverna
Adam Noble from Fazakerley is opening Medusa in Waterloo after finding success with his food truck(Image: Adam Noble)
St John’s Road in Waterloo has quietly been transforming in recent years. Once best known for its barber shops, nail salons and discount furniture stores, the street is now finding a new energy, with cafes, eateries and bars drawing in locals and visitors alike. Soon, it will welcome another addition – and this one promises a sun-drenched twist.
Next month, Medusa will open its doors, bringing Greek-inspired small plates, cocktails and a laid-back Mediterranean spirit to the heart of Waterloo. Behind the project is 30-year-old Adam Noble, from Fazakerley, who already runs the popular Noble’s Kitchen food truck, touring the country to cater to festivals and other events.
For Adam, Medusa represents a long-held dream. He told the ECHO: “I started as a food truck and that’s still very much ongoing. The end goal was always to have a restaurant.”
He’d been quietly keeping an eye out for the right space when the premises of Il Capitano’s – a successful local Italian restaurant – came up for sale. The owners are relocating around the corner to a bigger space due to demand.
Adam explained: “A lot of restaurants go up for sale for the wrong reasons. But this place had worked as a restaurant for six years, so that really caught my eye.”
While he’s no stranger to Crosby and Waterloo, Adam admits he didn’t know St John’s Road well until recently. That first visit left an impression.
He said: “I was surprised how communal it is. Everyone’s so friendly and welcoming. The people there are dead proud of where they live and just want you to do well. That community feel really caught me by surprise.”
The name Medusa hints at the concept. Adam and his partner are passionate about Greece – they’re even getting married there next year – and they’ve been serving Greek dishes from the food truck for the past two years.
Adam Noble from Fazakerley is opening Medusa in Waterloo after finding success with his food truck(Image: Adam Noble)
But this won’t be a traditional Greek taverna. Adam said: “I absolutely love Greek food but what I don’t love about Greek restaurants is, for example, if you order moussaka, you just get a big slab of it – it’s a bit much. I like to experience other flavours.
“So what we’re doing is taking these classic Greek dishes and turning them into small plates. Tapas places are really popular right now because people like sharing and trying different things together.”
The menu will feature favourites like moussaka, reimagined for grazing and sharing, as well as gyros and souvlaki. There will also be Greek-themed cocktails to pair with the food.
Adam adds: “We want to bring a bit of Greece to Waterloo – and a bit of its glamour. Greece is ancient, which is what it’s loved for, but we want to put a modern twist on it.”
Adam’s vision is about more than food. He wants Medusa to be a place where people linger: “When we go to Greece, we always say it feels like home. That’s what I want people to feel like when they walk in – greeted like they’re walking into their second home.
“I want them to feel comfortable, have that second bottle of wine because they’re enjoying themselves. I don’t want people to just turn up and eat to leave.”
With the keys in hand next week and minimal work needed to the space, Adam hopes to open at the start of September. If all goes to plan, St John’s Road could soon have its own little slice of the Aegean – minus the airfare.