North West England
Dressed up, waterfront to Hope Street
Worth dressing up for
Updated
Liverpool’s dressed-up dinners sit at two ends of town. Up on Hope Street, between the cathedrals, The Art School is the city’s big occasion restaurant, Vetch does a calm tasting menu and The London Carriage Works is handy for a concert at the Philharmonic. Down towards the waterfront, NORD cooks Scandi-inspired food on Old Hall Street, Hawksmoor fills the grand India Buildings, Gaucho does Argentinian steak and San Carlo is where the city goes for a glamorous night. In the Baltic Triangle, Manifest cooks modern British food in an old warehouse.
Our picks
Manifest
Watkinson Street, Baltic Triangle
Address: 4a Watkinson Street, Liverpool L1 0AG- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Romantic
- Foodie
Book dinner at the Michelin Guide-listed restaurant run by Paul and Charlotte Durand, cooking modern British food in an old warehouse in the Baltic Triangle.
Why it's a good date: The one to save for an anniversary: serious cooking without any stuffiness. Book ahead, especially at weekends.
The Art School
Sugnall Street, Georgian Quarter
Address: The Art School, 1 Sugnall Street, Liverpool L7 7EB- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book Paul Askew's modern British cooking in the airy dining room of a converted Victorian building behind Hope Street.
Why it's a good date: A spacious, stylish room, a strong wine list and polished service make it one of the city's big occasion restaurants. Pair it with a show at the Philharmonic or the Everyman.
Vetch
Hope Street, Georgian Quarter
Address: Vetch, 29a Hope Street, Liverpool L1 9BQ- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book the tasting menu at Vetch, a small Hope Street restaurant mixing modern British cooking with East Asian flavours.
Why it's a good date: A calm, pared-back room where the cooking does the talking, listed in the Michelin Guide. Book ahead, and walk between the two cathedrals afterwards.
NORD
Old Hall Street, Commercial District
Address: NORD, The Plaza, 100 Old Hall Street, Liverpool L3 9QJ- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Book dinner at NORD, where a Liverpool-born chef trained in Stockholm cooks Scandi-inspired food from local suppliers.
Why it's a good date: A big, modern room with cosy booths, good for a long dinner just back from the waterfront. Listed in the Michelin Guide. Book ahead at weekends.
Hawksmoor Liverpool
Brunswick Street, Commercial District
Address: Hawksmoor, India Buildings, 8 Brunswick Street, Liverpool L2 0PL- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Big night
- Romantic
Dress up for steak and cocktails in Hawksmoor's grand dining room inside India Buildings.
Why it's a good date: High ceilings and a proper sense of occasion in one of the city's great old office buildings. Start with a drink at the bar. Book ahead.
Gaucho Liverpool
Water Street, Commercial District
Address: Gaucho, 7 Water Street, Liverpool L2 0RD- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Big night
- Romantic
Book an Argentinian steak dinner in Gaucho's big, glamorous dining room on Water Street.
Why it's a good date: A big, dressed-up room and a serious Argentinian wine list make it a birthday or anniversary pick. It's a short walk from the Pier Head.
San Carlo
Castle Street, Commercial District
Address: San Carlo, 41 Castle Street, Liverpool L2 9SH- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Big night
- Romantic
Dress up for a glamorous Italian dinner at San Carlo on Castle Street.
Why it's a good date: A buzzing, glamorous room with plenty of people-watching. It's the place Liverpool goes for a big night, so book ahead at weekends.
The London Carriage Works
Hope Street, Georgian Quarter
Address: The London Carriage Works, Hope Street Hotel, 40 Hope Street, Liverpool L1 9DA- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Romantic
- Foodie
Book a seasonal dinner at the London Carriage Works, the restaurant of the Hope Street Hotel.
Why it's a good date: A smart, relaxed room with big windows onto Hope Street and an award-winning wine list. Handy before a concert at the Philharmonic, a few steps up Hope Street.
Quick answers
Is there a special occasion restaurant near the Philharmonic?
Hope Street has three: Vetch, The London Carriage Works at the Hope Street Hotel, and The Art School just behind it on Sugnall Street. All are a short walk from the Philharmonic Hall.
Where's a grand steak dinner in Liverpool?
Hawksmoor is in the old India Buildings on Brunswick Street, and Gaucho is on Water Street, a short walk from the Pier Head.
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