I’m a Liverpool food writer – these are some of my favourite restaurants in the city

I’ve eaten all over the city but a few venues are worth screaming about

05:00, 08 Jan 2026Updated 07:12, 08 Jan 2026

Liverpool has so many phenomenal restaurants it was difficult to select only a few(Image: christopher megrath)

Liverpool’s food and drink scene is excruciatingly underrated in terms of a national gaze, in my humble opinion. You can visit London, Manchester and elsewhere as much as you like but you’ll be hard pressed to find the same atmosphere and community our city boasts in even the smallest venues.

Big names dominated the industry and their arrival fills nearby competitors with dread. Meanwhile, tucked away in cold, dark alleys are tiny spaces thriving as the truly authentic hidden gems they are.

As the ECHO’s senior food and drink writer, I’ve visited and critiqued my share of new, historic and eye-catching restaurants. Tossing aside questionable Tripadvisor reviews and targeted advertising, I’ve wrangled a list of some of my favourite spots you have to visit.

This list is dedicated to the independent ventures that make the city great, so you won’t notice national chains making an appearance.

I would love to share a longer list in the future but, for now, I’m going with a few stellar standouts across fine dining, crowd pleasers, takeaways and places that are simply delicious.

Below is my personal tried and tested guide to some of my favourite food and drink spots in Liverpool and why you should visit.

EtsuSushi at Etsu(Image: Not Trinity Mirror)

When someone asks for my favourite Liverpool restaurant, without hesitation, I say Etsu. The Japanese venue has claimed my custom for almost a decade, hosting my 30th birthday dinner evening and offering a place to dine and dirnk in the sun come summer .

The authenticity is felt through every bite of handcrafted sushi made in front of you if you opt to sit at the bar. For anyone who’d like to stick to the classics, ramen bowls and katsu curry is on the menu, but the sushi is where Etsu really shines.

The chef’s special sees a personal and ever-changing selection presented which may include salmon and tuna or egg and octopus. I always leave full and satisfied, though I wish I could sit for hours eating everything on the menu.

At this point, I basically have. There’s a reason Etsu has withstood the industry’s tides for nearly two decades and it’ all down to its phenomenal quality and service.

• Address: 25 The Strand, Liverpool L2 0XJ

DaffodilDaffodil at night(Image: InYourArea)

Daffodil’s setting is enough to call home but it’s far more than an Instagram background. What could’ve been a novelty restaurant quickly solidified itself as one of the best places to dine in the city soon after it opened December, 2024.

During the summer, the deck is full of casual drinks and people trying the lunch time menu. When the darker months and evening time creep in, the lights go on and the only place to be is on the main deck.

The menu sports an appealing array of land and sea options, from seasonal oysters, baked scallops and lobster spaghetti to beef short rib and honey roast chicken supreme. Ironically, my suggestion is the surf and turf – a 6oz fillet steak, butter-poached lobster tail, Café de Paris butter, confit tomato and king oyster mushroom. You won’t regret it.

• Address: Canning Dock, Liverpool L3 4AN

Kassap Steak HouseInside Kassap on Bold Street(Image: christopher megrath)

Kassap is relatively new on my radar. Tripadvisor recently unveiled the winners of its annual Travellers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Restaurants, celebrating the top-rated dining destinations worldwide, with Kassap coming third in the UK.

The remarkable feat was enough to grab my initial attention but the outstanding quality and service will keep me for years to come. In my opinion, the restaurant is very much a worthy competitor for the overall “best steakhouse in the UK” title.

The menu is split into three core categories – vegetarian fish and sea food, meat – with a huge selection in each. The steaks exist in a separate section of their own with 21 mouth-watering options. Kassap is the place to go if you want your steak cooked to perfection.

• Address: 77 Bold St, Liverpool L1 4EZ

ManifestManifest restaurant in the Baltic Triangle

Manifest strips away the pretentiousness of fine dining and focuses on a stellar menu you wont forget. The exposed brick interiors and industrial edge are a far cry from the soft, delicate plates cooked to perfection.

There’s no better taste experience than pink, juicy duck breast, soft enough that your knife glides through it without force, hitting your palate.

Manifest’s menu oozes around the world inspirations. You’ll find Lancashire mince pie next to venison tartare with Scouse lamb skewers acting as the nod to home. Truly a hidden gem in the Baltic Triangle.

• Address: 4a Watkinson St, Liverpool L1 0AG

BelzanBelzan restaurant, Smithdown Road(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)

Belzan is effortlessly cool. A tiny venue means nothing when the menu is as varied and ever-changing as Belzan’s. There are few places that do a little bit of everything and manage to keep the standards high but Belzan is a home run and has been since day one.

You should never judge a book by its cover because what’s hiding behind small doors is a packed menu of global influences that will have you coming back for more. If you want a great place to splurge on once a month, Belzan should be high up on your list.

• Address: 371 Smithdown Rd, Liverpool L15 3JJ

Susu’s New Orleans KitchenSusu’s baked oysters

Good old Southern comfort food found a permanent home in Liverpool with Susu’s. One look at the menu and your mouth will be watering.

There’s shrimp bread, poboys, Cajun jambalaya, crab dips, chicken wings, New Orleans gumbo, smash burgers and plenty more, offering a truly authentic taste of the deep South. Visit on an empty stomach because you’ll be filled in no time. Susu’s isn’t a place where they skimp on the servings sizes or flavour.

• Address: 25-27 Victoria St, Liverpool L1 6BD

Tiger RockTiger Rock’s small plates are unmatched(Image: Liverpool ECHO)

I’m not normally a fan of small plate restaurants but Tiger Rock can’t be faulted. When the selection, quality and prices are home runs, there’s little reason not to visit time after time again.

The restaurant specialises in East Asian cuisine with more than 50 dishes to enjoy. Stand outs include the zhengu (steamed seabss with ginger, spring onion and soy sauce), char sui fan (Chinese BBQ honey pork with bak choi and rice), goong bikini (king prawn and minced chicken pancake rolls), and fresh oysters at £3 each with plenty of dressings.

Everything is delicious and arrives quickly. One of my most embarrassing moments in life was when I ordered for three and the waitress thought it was on behalf of the entire table and not just my gluttonous self. You’ll be spoiled for choice.

• Address: 26 N John St, Liverpool L2 9RU

MadrePapa con crema from Madre(Image: Madre)

My mouth is watering before I even type the review. Any time I’m at the Albert Dock my body sways automatically to Madre no matter the season.

The tacos are some of the best you’ll find anywhere in Merseyside, but a real contender for best dish falls to the elote. It blows my mind just how stacked a corn on the cob can be. Madre serves food as it’s ready in what feels like a conveyor belt of sheer bliss. Although it may not be breaking new levels of culinary excellence, it’s just mouth-wateringly delicious every time.

Madre also once offered a Mexican Sunday roast – I wish it was brought back and made permanent.

• Address: 6, Atlantic Pavilion Albert Dock, Liverpool L3 4AE

Yanni’sYanni and Sandra Lawton from Yanni’s Traditional Fish & Chips on Lord Street, Liverpool. Photo by Colin Lane

For the hell of it, I thought I would include a chippy since “the best” is always a source of contention. Keeping the list city centre centric, I’ve gone for Yanni’s. For years, I darted between whatever takeaway was nearest until I tried Yanni’s.

The perfectly golden crispy cod, thick chunky chips and fruity chip shop curry locked me in for a lifetime, and I haven’t found one better.

• Address: 31-33 Lord St, Liverpool L2 9SA