Berry Street is finally emerging from the shadows of its popular neighbours

For as long as I can remember Berry Street, has sat in the shadows (quite literally) of the Georgian Quarter and Ropewalks. It was always the place you'd get a kebab after a night out while waiting for a taxi.

While it's forever been the main artery which flows out of the city centre, the streets surrounding it were more interesting, but this may be changing. For years, Berry Street has had a large share of empty units and businesses which come and go almost as frequently as Keir Starmer reminds us of his dad's former profession.

However, I've never seen the road in such a good position - bearing in mind that I'm not old enough to remember the days of The Masonic Pub, which served as one of the city's best venues for watching unknown bands. The amount of empty units I counted on the street this week was nine, which is the fewest I've ever known. Not only that, but the area has welcomed several new food and drink businesses this year, while more are set to open in the next few weeks.

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In February, Japanese soufflé pancake chain Fluffy Fluffy arrived on the street. For those who don't know, soufflé pancakes are made from whipped egg whites, giving them a distinct airy quality, and are cooked very slowly at low temperature. Fluffy Fluffy offer an array of toppings which include Oreo, strawberry and crème brûlée.

They also serve 'croffles', a pastry that combines the flavours of a croissant and a waffle which customers can choose to eat with sweet or savoury fillings. The bright yellow signage outside Fluffy Fluffy and pictures of their pancakes drew me in and before I knew it, I'd found myself indulging in a portion of Biscoff pancakes, which could only be described as like biting into a sugary cloud which rains cream and chocolate.

Pancake done, I went to speak to Sasha Brownlow, Operations Manager at Chamber 36, a contemporary Chinese restaurant and cocktail bar which has been on Berry Street for eight years. It also has a site on Smithdown Road. In the six years she has been at the company, Sasha says she has noticed the road becoming "more food-focused", something which is difficult to deny when looking at the street's newest additions.

She told the ECHO: “It's a big change I've seen in my time here. Before covid, we were more established as a bar; we’d have loads and loads of people coming in for drinks only. However, after covid we became a lot more restaurant based. Now we’ve got a nice mix of people who come in for drinks and come in for food. There are still bars on the street but we’re more of an early kind of stop. I like to see the area as the last stop before a night out."

Is Berry Street on the up? Sasha said: “I hope so, I can’t say for definite but there’s been a few really good businesses opening, and more opening over the next couple of weeks.

“I have seen loads of places opening and closing over the years, but the more businesses Berry Street gets, the more it’ll help the places which are still here.

“There's been a few more Asian-themed businesses opening up. I think that really helps the street because we’re so close to Chinatown. Then, we’ve got VOX, Yummy Thai is opening, and Fluffy Fluffy. I think that niche little shop-fronts like Fluffy Fluffy really serve the street."

She added: “It’s like we’re stuck in the middle of the two busy areas of Ropewalks and the Georgian Quarter and do we get forgotten about? Are we seen as more of a passing through place? Possibly."

Yummy Thai, which Sasha mentioned, is set to open in the "next couple of weeks". Run by dad and daughter Arm and Pawisa Srising, the restaurant will be "authentic and fun," Pawisa says. She told the ECHO: “We have a restaurant in Wallasey, Tuk Tuk Thai. We saw this place and thought it would be a good opportunity to see where it takes us.

“The menu is really authentic but toned down a little to suit the palates of local people. We’re originally from Thailand and we’re hiring chefs who are all Thai, so in that sense it is really authentic.

“We’re also thinking of doing a little karaoke; who wouldn’t mind a little karaoke or live music while they’re having their food? We’re hoping for it to be quite fun. We wanted to open this week but it looks like it’ll be in a week or two now."

So why open on Berry Street? Pawisa said: “There is a lot of foot traffic here, a lot of students walking past and it’s lively on the weekend. It could bring something - we just have to try. The place across the road is shut, there’s another which is empty but it’s still looking good."

A few doors down, popular New York-inspired sandwich shop DEREK'S is opening its third location on Monday (November 11). The company was founded by Allerton school friends Ethan Woodroofe and Adam Taylor in 2021.

With venues already in Allerton and Crosby, this will be the first time the business is tested in a city centre. Ethan told the ECHO: "I want to take it all over the country and I want everyone to be able to eat our food with us.

"The business has taken off quicker than we expected because we’ve had so much support from people. Also, every single penny we’ve made, we’ve put back into the business - I think that’s how you get three shops in three years."

He added that they've "doubled down" on sandwiches for opening day, saying: “We’re expecting a lot of people but I don’t want to get caught up in it all and be like, ‘We’re gonna be dead busy’ but I can’t be naïve either, and think that we’re not going to be busy.

"People have been stopping and saying they’re made up that we’re opening in town and loads of the local business owners are saying they’re really excited for it. There’s been a lot of local support from everyone, which is great. It's going to be a big day."

Exciting new additions to Berry Street this year such as burger joint Hi Kitty, karaoke bar VOX, Fluffy Fluffy, DEREK'S and Yummy Thai, as well as long-established venues such as Botan Kebab, Red Door bar, Bon Bon Bakery, Petit Cafe and Chamber 36 look as though they are leading a much-needed resurgence in the area. If the stars align and all can manage to be successful, I see the street becoming a real food and drink destination right in the heart of Liverpool.