An interactive American-Italian barbecue experience

Smoke & Dough at 14 Paradise Street in Liverpool ONE offers a unique, interactive American-Italian barbecue experience. Everything is included in the price: it starts with antipasti, breads and pizza, then a grill is brought to your table with a selection of meats and sides, with lava coal pits on every table so you can cook to your taste.

What to order

The menu features homemade specialty pizzas, flatbreads, salads and cold meat and veggie options, with toppings such as duck and chicken tikka. The interactive grill of meats and fish is the centrepiece of the experience.

Who it’s for

Smoke & Dough is a good choice for a fun meal with friends, a family outing or a hands-on dining experience. The all-inclusive, cook-your-own format suits groups especially well.

Questions and answers

What kind of cuisine does Smoke & Dough serve? American-Italian barbecue, with pizza and grilled meats.

What should I order? The all-inclusive experience — antipasti and pizza, then the table grill.

What makes it special? Lava coal pits on every table so you cook your own meat and fish.

Where is it located? At 14 Paradise Street in Liverpool ONE.

Opening hours

Quirky gourmet burgers on Bold Street

Fat Hippo at 78 Bold Street is a Liverpool favourite for burgers, known for its quirky flavours alongside the classics, with a covered and heated outdoor seating area. Reviewers praise the very tasty meat, the sauces and the hand-cut chips.

What to order

Signature burgers include the PB&J (beef topped with peanut butter and bacon jam), the Swiss Tony (bacon, Swiss cheese and mushrooms) and the Born Slippy (double beef with braised rib, jalapeños and chilli jam). Sides include loaded dirty fries and cheese balls.

Who it’s for

Fat Hippo is a good choice for a casual bite with friends, a family meal or a hearty burger fix. Its generous portions and reasonable prices make it convenient any day.

Questions and answers

What kind of cuisine does Fat Hippo serve? Gourmet burgers, with quirky and classic flavours.

What should I order? The PB&J or Born Slippy burger, with dirty fries.

Is there outdoor seating? Yes — a covered and heated area on Bold Street.

Where is it located? At 78 Bold Street in Liverpool.

Opening hours

An authentic Italian restaurant and bar on Castle Street

Riva Blu sits in the heart of Liverpool on Castle Street, an authentic Italian restaurant and bar with an open kitchen, a cocktail bar and a large alfresco terrace. The plush, nautical-inspired interiors give it a stylish, vibrant atmosphere.

What to order

The menu spans sharing plates, bruschetta, antipasti, salads, pasta, risotto, ravioli, pizza and steaks. The seafood linguine and the king prawn bruschetta are particular highlights.

Who it’s for

Riva Blu is a good choice for a meal with friends, a date or a relaxed dinner. Its stylish setting and alfresco terrace make a visit enjoyable.

Questions and answers

What kind of cuisine does Riva Blu serve? Authentic Italian — pasta, pizza, risotto and steaks.

What should I order? The seafood linguine or king prawn bruschetta.

Is there outdoor seating? Yes — a large alfresco terrace.

Where is it located? On Castle Street in Liverpool.

Opening hours

Contemporary Spanish tapas on Hanover Street

Salt House Tapas is a vibrant contemporary Spanish tapas and charcuterie eatery on Hanover Street, set in a stunning Grade I listed building in the heart of Liverpool. The kitchen works with fine ingredients to turn out small plates based on traditional recipes, backed by an impressive drinks list that runs to eight sherries, cavas, cocktails and a 30-bin wine selection.

What to order

Build a spread from the 20-plus tapas plates: perfectly salted cured ham, pan-fried scallops with pea purée and seared fillet steak with a crisp potato croquette are standouts. There are plenty of vegetarian choices and a Spanish cheeseboard, and a glass of sherry or cava makes the ideal partner.

Who it’s for

Salt House Tapas is a great choice for sharing plates with friends, a relaxed date or a long lunch. Open from morning until midnight, it suits everything from an afternoon glass of wine to a late dinner.

Questions and answers

What kind of food does Salt House Tapas serve? Contemporary Spanish tapas and charcuterie — small sharing plates.

What should I order? Cured ham, pan-fried scallops with pea purée and seared fillet steak with potato croquette.

Is there much for vegetarians? Yes — plenty of vegetarian tapas and a Spanish cheeseboard.

What’s the drinks list like? Extensive — eight sherries, cavas, cocktails and a 30-bin wine list.

Where is it located? In a Grade I listed building on Hanover Street, central Liverpool.

Opening hours

A textbook Italian on Wood Street

Villa Romana is an authentic Italian restaurant on Wood Street that has been a Liverpool city-centre favourite for decades. The setting is wholeheartedly rustic — exposed brickwork, tiled floors, arches, beamed ceilings, chunky wooden furniture and checked tablecloths, finished with Italianate frescoes and murals. It’s quaint, old-fashioned and refreshingly unpretentious, with famously fast, attentive service.

What to order

The kitchen’s pride is genuine Neapolitan pizza, hand-made on site — from a classic margherita to spicy pepperoni and folded calzone. Alongside it sits a wide range of Italian cooking: freshly made pasta (carbonara, spaghetti bolognese, lasagne), grilled and pan-fried meat and fish, antipasti, speciality breads and salads. The seafood spaghetti is a regular highlight.

Who it’s for

Villa Romana is a great choice for a relaxed dinner, a date or a family meal. Its unpretentious charm and quick service make it as good for a casual bite as for a longer evening.

Questions and answers

What kind of food does Villa Romana serve? Authentic Italian — Neapolitan pizza, fresh pasta, meat and fish.

What should I order? A hand-made Neapolitan pizza or the seafood spaghetti.

What’s the atmosphere like? Rustic and unpretentious, with brickwork, arches and frescoes.

Has it been around long? Yes — a Liverpool city-centre favourite for decades.

Where is it located? On Wood Street in central Liverpool.

Opening hours

An intimate steakhouse on Seel Street

Cowshed is a vibrant steakhouse on Seel Street where prime cuts, good drinks and lively hospitality come together. The menu is intentionally concise and focused on doing a few things exceptionally well — so much so that the restaurant earned a place in the Good Food Guide’s Top 100 for 2024. The atmosphere is relaxed and intimate, with a quirky character that regulars love.

What to order

Steak is the star: a selection of prime cuts with indulgent sauces such as blue cheese and peppercorn, and sides like fries, sweet mash, maple carrots and savoy cabbage in chorizo cream. For the indecisive — or for sharing — the ‘Greedy Cow’ lets you sample multiple cuts with your choice of sauces and sides. The menu shifts slightly each month, but the steaks remain the constant.

Who it’s for

Cowshed is a great choice for a special dinner, a date night or a meat-lover’s treat. Its intimate size makes it ideal for a relaxed evening, so booking ahead is wise.

Questions and answers

What kind of food does Cowshed serve? It’s a steakhouse focused on prime cuts with classic sauces and sides.

What should I order? A prime steak with blue cheese or peppercorn sauce, or the ‘Greedy Cow’ sharer.

Has it won any recognition? Yes — a place in the Good Food Guide Top 100 for 2024.

What’s the atmosphere like? Relaxed, intimate and full of quirky character.

Where is it located? At 104 Seel Street in central Liverpool.

Opening hours

A Venetian bacaro on Castle Street

Bacaro brings a slice of Venice to Castle Street in the heart of Liverpool. In Venice, a bacaro is a workingman’s wine bar where small snacks called cicchetti are served alongside a small glass of wine, and this spot — from the Salt House group — captures that spirit. The room is handsomely fitted out with alluring lamp lighting, leather banquettes and a Campari bar, striking a balance between stylish and relaxed without tipping into pretension.

What to order

The menu is built around cicchetti — Italian small plates designed for sharing. Highlights include pancetta croquettes, arancini balls, burrata mozzarella, dressed crab crostini and octopus. The idea is to order several and graze your way through, ideally with a glass of Italian wine or an aperitivo from the Campari bar.

Who it’s for

Bacaro is a great choice for a relaxed date, drinks and small plates with friends or a leisurely graze. It sits in the middle on price but at the top for atmosphere, food and service.

Questions and answers

What kind of food does Bacaro serve? Venetian-style cicchetti — Italian small plates for sharing.

What should I order? Pancetta croquettes, arancini, burrata and dressed crab crostini.

What is a bacaro? A traditional Venetian wine bar serving small snacks (cicchetti) with wine.

What’s the atmosphere like? Stylish but relaxed, with lamp lighting, leather banquettes and a Campari bar.

Where is it located? On Castle Street in central Liverpool.

Opening hours

Latin American flavours in Liverpool ONE

Las Iguanas brings the colour and spice of Latin America to Paradise Street in Liverpool ONE. This lively spot serves up South American favourites in a festive, buzzy setting, with legendary cocktails and a famous bottomless brunch. A separate vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menu means there’s something for everyone.

What to order

Graze on bold small plates and tapas — crispy empanadas, sizzling skewers and other craveable bites — or go for an aromatic curry or sizzling fajitas. With dishes drawing on Brazil, Mexico and beyond, it’s easy to build a varied, shareable spread. Pair it all with one of the bar’s signature cocktails.

Who it’s for

Las Iguanas is a great choice for a lively meal with friends, a bottomless brunch or pre-night-out drinks and bites. Its festive atmosphere makes it a fun pick for groups and celebrations.

Questions and answers

What kind of food does Las Iguanas serve? Latin American — tapas, curries, fajitas and Brazilian-inspired dishes.

What should I order? Empanadas, skewers and fajitas, with a signature cocktail.

Is there a bottomless brunch? Yes — with a main and unlimited drinks.

Are there options for dietary needs? Yes — a separate vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menu.

Where is it located? On Paradise Street in Liverpool ONE.

Opening hours