Where to find Liverpool’s best sustainable restaurants

Free State Kitchen is the perfect spot for anyone looking for a relaxing eating experience. This city centre restaurant offers some of the best classics with a contemporary twist, including the creamy mac ’n’ cheese which pairs perfectly with the fried chicken and buffalo hot sauce. On the menu, you will find a mixture of burgers, deli sandwiches, homemade desserts and seasonal dishes, which are perfect for the whole family.

One of the biggest benefits of eating at Free State Kitchen is that the place uses home-grown produce from its own Free State Kitchen garden. It also saves leftover coffee grinds and uses them to fertilise soil, while everything else used is 100 per cent compostable and recyclable, so there is no waste in sight at FSK.

If you’re a small plate lover, Maray should definitely be your top choice. There are now a few restaurants around the city, although the best of the bunch is located in bustling Bold Street. Here, you can enjoy a selection of Middle-Eastern inspired dishes, including the funky disco cauliflower, the mouthwatering buttermilk fried chicken, and the Medjool date bread and butter pudding.

Maray is not only known for its beautiful dishes, which look and taste great, but also its sustainability mission. In November 2021, Maray became a certified carbon neutral company with the aim of becoming a carbon net zero brand. To achieve this, the team works with the Sustainable Restaurant Association, while supporting local farmers, sourcing fish and meat sensibly, and it’s also switched to green energy to reduce waste as a whole.

For completely carbon-free dining, you should head to Tusk, which is actually the first Liverpool restaurant to achieve carbon-free status. The team at Tusk and their customers have also planted 1,560 fruit trees, which provide sustainable food sources and education to people in developing countries.

Originally located in the Baltic Market, Tusk is now temporarily residing in 52 Rose Lane Bistro, where serving some of the best Asian fusion dishes in Liverpool. At Tusk, you can enjoy both veggie and meaty pan-Asian options, including customer favourites – the vegan sticky boxes, the delicious chick’un salad and the mouthwatering sticky Korean BBQ burger.

Squash Gardens Cafe is part of the Squash project, which operates a variety of food gardens on Windsor Street in Toxteth. The project was founded in 2007 by local Liverpool artists Becky Vipond and Clare Owens who created a community space with great values, good food and inspiring art. Squash’s food shop is now an award-winning space, after being awarded the BBC Food and Farming Best Shop award in 2019.

The Squash Cafe served all of the fresh produce from the gardens, so you can enjoy all the handmade and fresh goodness. The menu is always changing with the seasons. During the spring, for example, you should expect to see special dishes such as rainbow slaw, leek and potato soup and fruity chocolate meringue.

If you are in the north end of the city, you should definitely make a pit stop at the Little World Cafe, which is a zero-waste cafe and shop known for its amazing fresh food and coffee. Set out early to enjoy the beautiful breakfast options or boss bagels. You’ll also find a great selection of brunch, lunch, desserts and, of course, bevvies.

Before you leave, make sure you check out the Little World shop where you can pick up some package-less fruit and vegetables, reusable cleaning products and plenty more. Make sure you bring some empty containers with you, as Little World is completely plastic-free. While you are there, you should also inquire about any upcoming events, as Little World is always hosting the best activities such as the Car Boot Boogie and open mic nights.