The Top 8 Fine Dining Restaurants in Liverpool

Thanks to its centuries of seafaring tradition, Liverpool has long been one of the UK’s most cosmopolitan cities, a fact perfectly reflected in its rich and varied smorgasbord of cuisines. You can travel the world in this city, tasting anything from classic haute cuisine to modern British cooking, Japanese sushi to Indian street food, in a melting pot of gourmet experiences. Culinary heroes – among them Paul Askew and Andrew Sheridan – have flocked into the city too, bringing their gargantuan gastronomic talents with them, and Time Out recommends Liverpool as the most exciting fine dining city in the UK. Here’s our choice of the eight top gourmet restaurants in Liverpool.

Renowned psychologist Carl Jung once described Liverpool as “the pool of life”. Try some of these fabulous Liverpool fine dining spots and you’ll soon realise why!

Arguably the best fine dining restaurant in Liverpool, The Art School Restaurant, as its name suggests, is located in the city’s erstwhile art school – and indeed works by former students line the walls of the bar. This long-term standard-bearer for classic haute cuisine is run under the capable auspices of Chef Paul Askew, a giant on the Liverpool epicurean scene and a familiar face from TV favourites Great British Menu and Celebrity Masterchef. His sophisticated dining room is all crisp white tablecloths and bright red chairs, and there are menus to suit all pockets, from the seriously expensive flagship tasting menu to more wallet-friendly small plates served in the Cellars Bar. Askew oversees the provenance of his ingredients carefully – from the fresh English-grown herbs to the North Sea black cod loin – favouring only the best of traceable and organic produce.

• 1 Sugnall Street, L7 7EB
• Open Tue–Sat noon–2:15pm, 5pm–9:15pm

Another hotspot in the Liverpool fine dining stakes, Panoramic 34 perches sky-high over Princes Dock on the West Tower’s 34th floor, and is just as acclaimed for its spectacular wrap-around views – from the Liver Building, the cathedrals and Radio City Tower to the River Mersey and the Welsh hills – as it is for its unrivalled modern British cuisine. Dark wood panelling, leather banquettes and white linen add a touch of 1970s glamour to the dining room, where you could easily while away the hours between lunch and supper watching the ever-changing vistas, which peak at sunset on cloudless days. But enough about the views; the lavish and seasonal dishes plundered from the British larder – Scottish scallops, Welsh beef, Cornish fish – are a tribute to the sublime skills of Chef Nathan Booth, himself a Liverpool lad who served his apprenticeship under Paul Askew at The Art School.

• West Tower, Brook Street, Liverpool L3 9PJ
• Open Wed–Sat 11am–9:30pm; Sun 11am–8pm

Having made his name in a Birmingham eatery of the same name, award-winning chef-patron Andy Sheridan of Great British Menu fame relocated his prodigious talents and immersive dining experience back to his Liverpool homeland in 2023. He operates at the rather more outré end of fine dining in Liverpool, with guests gathering for drinks and canapés in a darkly lit bar, before all sitting down at communal tables in a show kitchen surrounded by lights and mirrors with music playing in the background. The big, bold flavours (think Iberian pork served with dashi and wasabi, or warm chocolate mousse with goat’s cheese) of his divine tasting menus are conjured into eight delicate courses cooked, plated and served in front of you as they explain all the ingredients and cooking methods. You can also enjoy one of the best wine pairings in Liverpool (for an extra charge).

• 16 Cook Street, Liverpool, L2 9RF
• Sittings Wed–Fri 7:30pm; Sat 1pm and 7:30pm

Nestled within the storied Municipal Hotel, Seaforth Restaurant brings together Liverpool's rich maritime heritage and contemporary gastronomy in an elegant dining experience. The décor is opulent yet understated – polished wood, marble floors, and warm, ambient lighting that showcases the thoughtfully preserved architectural elements of this historic building. Named for the long-serving dock that's Liverpool's maritime gateway to the world, the restaurant honours this legacy through its cuisine, celebrating the bounty of British produce with a modern twist. Signature dishes include their reimagined Scouse, a refined take on Liverpool's traditional stew, and their Thai-inspired sea bass with a coconut broth and crispy noodles. A carefully curated wine list complements the seasonal menu, with selections from English vineyards and beyond.

• The Municipal Hotel & Spa, Dale St, Liverpool L2 2DH
• Open daily noon-10pm

Another Scouse chef who found fame on Great British Menu and has returned to his home turf to run his own show is Daniel McGeorge, formerly of the award-winning Rothay Manor in the Lake District. His dainty blend of Nordic, Japanese and modern British cuisine is beautifully presented in an equally striking and monastically simple setting; dishes utilising these international influences include shokupan milk bread, savoury aebleskiver (Danish fried pancake balls) and an elegant, flaky hunk of cod served with kohlrabi, sake and pak choi. "Sustainability" and "delectability" are McGeorge's watchwords, and his refined dishes are created using seasonal, often foraged or home-grown produce, local meat, game and seafood. Lunch and early-bird menus are available as well as two multi-course tasting menus at dinner, with wine flights also an option.

• 29a Hope St, Liverpool L1 9BQ
• Open Wed 6pm–9pm; Thur–Sat 1pm–3pm, 6pm–9pm

Etsu is a lively Japanese restaurant and Liverpool stalwart since 2007, and it’s the first stop in the city for those-in-the-know about sushi. Tucked away just off the iconic Liverpool waterfront, it’s a hidden gem with a simple interior hung with origami cranes that belies the top-notch quality of the food. Everything is freshly prepared and the vast menu of sushi, kozara (sharing plates) and ozara (main dishes) runs the gamut of authentic, modern Japanese cuisine. Favourite dishes include stuffed lobster rolls, beautifully presented tuna sashimi and donburi rice bowls topped with panko-fried chicken; bento box takeaways are available too. For a complete immersion in Japanese fare, the bar stocks an impressive array of shochu, sake and plum wine.

• Beetham Plaza, 25 The Strand, Liverpool, L2 0XJ
• Open Tue–Thur 5pm–til late; Fri–Sun 4pm–til late

Enjoying its moment to shine on Liverpool’s fickle fine dining stage, this small plates joint has a cracking location on the Royal Albert Dock waterfront (there’s another branch on Bold Street in the city centre) right opposite The Beatles Story Museum. The generous cooking is a combination of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern tastes, and its mezze sharing dishes are so popular with locals and visitors alike that you’ll need to book ahead of time to grab a table. Everything is made to order from scratch; tuck into dishes such as whipped goat’s cheese topped with pickled apple or arayes pockets filled with lamb and labneh, and be sure to choose a selection of dips for dunking the freshly baked slabs of pitta. The drinks list is a winner too, showcasing Lebanese, Turkish and Greek wines as well as zingy bespoke martini and negroni cocktails.

• Unit 4, Britannia Pavilion, Liverpool L3 4AD
• Open Mon-Thur 12pm-9pm; Fri–Sat 12pm-9.30pm; Sun 12pm-7pm

The brainchild of entrepreneurs Suresh Raje Urs and Srini Sundaram, the Indian Tiffin Room brings Indian street food to the grateful palates of the North West. The vibe might be casual in the bustling dining room hung with vivid Indian artworks, but the food is delicately spiced, well balanced and perfectly presented. Choose among sharing plates drawn from across the subcontinent, succulent tandoris and curries, or the signature South Indian lentil and rice dosa pancakes. Anyone with a sweet tooth will love traditional desserts like kulfi (similar to ice cream) and phirni (Indian rice pudding), and you can keep the kids happy with a menu featuring family favourites such as dosas stuffed with cheese and the UK’s much-loved "homegrown" curry, chicken tikka masala. Drinks-wise, there’s a short wine list, with Indian beers and a host of cheerily psychedelic cocktails being the preferred accompaniments to the food.

• 130 Duke St, Liverpool L1 5AG
• Open Mon–Fri 12pm–10:30pm; Sat 1pm–10:30pm; Sun 1pm–9:30pm

Whether you pick established favourites on the fine dining scene or make a beeline for exciting new kids on the block, Liverpool’s dynamic culinary prowess is bound to shine. Keen to find out more about this vibrant city? Discover the stories behind its eye-catching architecture, or choose a park to spend a few relaxing hours in.