Spotlight
Dish Cult Dines: Seasonality
06 Dec 2024
06 Dec 2024
The perfect places to eat out this autumn in Liverpool
Liverpool has some of the best restaurants that take pride in their locally sourced, high-quality ingredients. And with the darker nights and colder weather rolling in, this is the top guide to the perfect cosy spots to enjoy tea and cake, as well as more luxurious restaurants with a special autumn menu. Here’s where you need to be dining out this autumn in Liverpool.
The Academy Restaurant
British, Set Menu
Set within the Duke Street campus of the City of Liverpool College, The Academy Restaurant is dedicated to developing and inspiring the next generation of hospitality and catering professionals. Offering excellent value for money, the restaurant serves lunch and dinner menus that change monthly to match the seasons, in this case, the indulgent and hearty flavours of Autumn, and match what local produce is available. It also offers a Tasting Menu and Pre-Theatre experiences where students demonstrate their culinary and customer service skills.
If you’re looking for a special Autumn treat, look no further than The Art School. This restaurant is a melting pot for hearty, rich flavours and the finest produce in Liverpool. One of its seasonal specials includes loin and belly of rare breed Cumbrian Mangalitza pork with celeriac puree, chanterelles, pork fat carrots with cumin charred pointed cabbage and calvados jus. If that, coupled with a glass of red wine from the extensively stocked cellar doesn’t scream cosy comfort food, we don’t know what will.
LEAF began as a small teashop run by friends in a Liverpool city centre gallery in 2007, with the goal of bringing quality loose-leaf tea to the city in an intimate and cosy space. Due to its success, LEAF soon relocated to a bigger site on Parliament Street where it was able to host pudding clubs (yes, you heard!), album launches and vintage markets. It’s not surprising the owners have received accolades and awards, both locally and nationally. LEAF is a venue passionate about tea because it’s tasty, fascinating, varied, and full of history. It stocks over 60 rare loose leaf teas from across the globe and has won Great Taste Awards for several of its blends. As for the food, all of it is freshly made using the best locally sourced produce that is hugely inspired by Moroccan and Mediterranean dishes.
The Elephant Pub and Bakehouse
British, Pub
Image: Facebook
Located in the beautiful Woolton Village, an affluent and leafy suburb of Liverpool, the Elephant Pub and Bakehouse is the ideal pit stop after a fresh autumnal walk. Whether you want a light bite, just a coffee or something bigger to warm you up, The Elephant accommodates all. It originally opened in 2014 after extensive refurbishments saw it transformed to its former glory by Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch chef Simon Rimmer, who made his name with his award-winning vegetarian restaurant Greens. This is his first venture into pubs, which he opened in collaboration with Revolution Bars co-founder Roy Ellis. The location is idyllic, the quality of the food is amazing and the service is lovely. Food is at the heart of the kitchen, with the produce sourced locally. There is a mixture of traditional British pub grub like a prawn cocktail, fish and chips, a beef wellington and a classic steak. But if you’re feeling more adventurous, then there’s also main dishes including a chicken panang curry, pulled lamb shoulder kebab or a sweet chilli halloumi burger.
Belzan is special because its menu changes with the seasons. Some weeks nothing changes, other weeks three or four dishes might alter, which makes this a very exciting restaurant to visit all year round. Have you tried the autumn menu yet? Everything is made fresh and by hand! The wine menu is also carefully chosen based on Belzan’s ethos of serving nourishing food and drinks that are good for the planet, and pair amazingly with the seasonal dishes. Belzan is a quaint restaurant, so we highly recommend booking so you don’t miss out on the latest menu!
Tempest likes to keep things fresh, local and seasonal. From its in-house bakery to the bees on the roof producing the honey in its food and cocktails, as well as its own herb-garden, a lot of what Tempest on Tithebarn produces is seasonal and grown on-site. And if the staff here can’t grow it or make it, they’ll endeavour to source the most local, independent suppliers. A huge light bathed, plant-filled area for eating and drinking is Tempest’s main space – available for large table bookings, business lunches, after work drinks and so much more. At the rear of the main bar you’ll find a library area, which can be booked separately.
Nova Scotia
Bar, Locally Sourced
Nova Scotia is an independent bar and eatery that celebrates Liverpool’s forgotten Nova Scotia district that was an integral part of Liverpool’s maritime history. The menu items change with the seasons so in the autumn, prepare for hearty and indulgent food. Expect great breakfasts, brunches, small plates, hearty mains and delicious desserts with a wide range of drinks and signature cocktails. Located near Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock and directly opposite the famous Liver Building, Nova Scotia is in a brilliant location to soak up the history of the city and its beautiful architecture.
City Wine Bar + Kitchen
Bistro, Gastropub
If you’re looking for love, you will probably find it at the bottom of one of the AMAZING wines at City Wine Bar + Kitchen, but you may also find it after tasting the autumn menu. This place offers a cosy, relaxed atmosphere and really friendly service, which makes it a great hangout spot to sit, sip wine and put the world to right! There are some really lovely warming main meals, including traditional Liverpudlian Scouse and fish and chips, as well as lighter bites, sandwiches and burgers.
Hafla Hafla serves Middle Eastern inspired street food with local craft beer and exciting cocktails. It’s healthy, delicious and not the kind of food you’ll see on many other menus. It’s feel good food that has seasonal specials added to the menu alongside staple items. Think ingredients like pomegranate seeds, fresh pickled cabbage, harissa mayo and general deliciousness! We cannot recommend this place enough. The main restaurant is located on the infamous Lark Lane and the other location is a residency in the Baltic Market.
Manifest is a Michelin star restaurant that is not to be missed! Located in the heart of Liverpool’s coolest neighbourhood, the Baltic Triangle, this restaurant and wine bar serves the best seasonal menus and the autumn menu is almost here! The team specifically build their menu around what produce is in season at the time and pair their wines accordingly. The menu changes regularly, so it’s definitely worth booking a table to avoid missing out on some of the British/Liverpool inspired dishes.
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