All seven Michelin Guide restaurants in Merseyside

The prestigious Michelin star has eluded Liverpool's restaurant scene ever since the Michelin Guide was established. In fact, Merseyside has only ever had one star, awarded to Huyton-born chef Marc Wilkinson's Fraiche in Oxton, which sadly closed its doors last year.

The nearby Lancashire village of Aughton has become known as the Michelin capital of Britain, with four stars shared between three restaurants: Moor Hall, The Barn at Moor Hall and Solo. But alas, while the town has a Liverpool postcode, it isn't part of the same county.

The Michelin Guide is the most trusted restaurant guide in the world, operating in over 30 territories across three continents. Restaurants featured are usually a level above others in terms of the dining experience they offer.

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There are seven Merseyside restaurants in the Michelin Guide currently, despite none being awarded a star. Here's a list of all the venues.

NORD

NORD made it into the prestigious Michelin Guide after only opening in March 2023. Since opening in The Plaza on Old Hall Street, the restaurant has gone on to win multiple awards, including being named one of the best in the country by Condé Nast Traveller.

It is led by executive chef Daniel Heffy, from Liverpool, who is known for having worked in Michelin star restaurants across the world, including in Stockholm. The restaurant's culinary style is described as "Travelled British" as it pays homage to local traditions while incorporating global influences inspired by Chef Daniel's travels.

The guide praised the "variety" on offer at NORD, which includes a mix of "international influences." The interior was also described as "modern décor with an almost futuristic edge", by Michelin guide reviewers.

Many of the ingredients on Nord's menu are locally sourced, including fish from Ward's in Birkenhead, meat from Edge and Sons Butchers in the Wirral and ingredients from the Growing @ Field 28 in Warrington.

The seasonal à la carte menu includes dishes such as beef tartare with tallow emulsion, macadamia and pickled cucumber, as well as fazzoletti pasta, green asparagus, walnut cream and confit egg yolk. Desserts include table chocolate and malt mille-feuille, and gooseberry and almond tart with chantilly cream

The Michelin Guide entry for the restaurant itself reads: "Located in the heart of the city, this spacious restaurant sports modern décor with an almost futuristic edge thanks to the pod-like booth seating. The menu offers plenty of variety, with a mix of international influences resulting in dishes ranging from tandoori beetroot to cod Kiev and asparagus tagliatelle to a traditional Sunday roast.

"It’s all carefully executed by the kitchen and doesn’t lack for flavour thanks to judicious seasoning. The cheery and chatty service team add to the appeal."

Bistrot Verite

Bistrot Vérité was opened in Birkdale Village in 2009 by Marc & Michaela Vérité, serving French and international-inspired dishes. It is now run by Marc and Michaela's sons head chef Jacques Vérité and Maitre’d Charlie Vérité.

The place has been modelled on a traditional French bistro and serves dishes such as seared scallops with leeks, seafood bisque and rouille, as well as roasted Creedy Carver duck breast and confit leg with black cherry and port sauce. Desserts include creme brulee and Eton mess.

The Michelin Guide describes the restaurant as: "A friendly, bustling neighbourhood bistro, serving gutsy French dishes with a classic base, punchy flavours and the occasional international touch. It’s a family affair with mum Michaela, dad Marc and their sons all involved, either in the kitchen or front of house. Pop into their next-door bar, Petite Vérité, for pre or post-dinner drinks."

Revered Michelin starred chef, Marcus Wareing named Bistrot Vérité as one of his five favourite restaurants in the country when speaking to to Conde Nast Traveller. Marcus, who is originally from Southport, said: "Bistro Vérité is a bistro in Southport, started by Marc and Michaela Vérité, who I went to catering college with. When we left school I moved to London. He went to a country house hotel and then stayed back in Southport. It’s the most fabulous French bistro in Birkdale village; it’s warm and friendly and serves beautifully cooked food in a town not recognised for food.

"It’s very much a local favourite for those who want a family-run offering of unpretentious but utterly delicious food. I go just because of him whenever I’m home. I actually don’t order anything when I go. I just sit and get what I’m given.

"The food is as local as they can get it but with a Gallic theme. So, you’ll find things like Southport shrimps and Cumbrae oysters on the menu alongside classics like crispy frogs’ legs and escargot."

'8' By Andrew Sheridan

Andrew Sheridan opened '8' last year on Cook Street, Liverpool city centre following the success of his previous site of the same name in Birmingham. The restaurant, which offers a tasting menu, describes itself as "one of the UK’s most progressive dining experiences". The restaurant seats 16 people and "all guests dine together, enjoying the same unique, immersive sensory experience and nostalgic storytelling, which is focused on food, drink and music".

Andrew Sheridan was born in Liverpool and grew up in North Wales, beginning his career as a chef when his dad got him a job at a local pub. He previously told the ECHO: “There’s no love story about my grandmother teaching me how to cook. I didn’t actually want to be a chef.

“I got into it because my dad got me a job at the local pub and then realised that there’s more to cooking than just microwaving food - which is what we were doing there - so I went and started working in some decent places. When I was 20, I worked for Michael Caines who had two Michelin stars and he basically taught me how to be a chef."

He continued: “‘8’ in Birmingham was the first place I ever owned so it was a make or break venture that I didn’t know was going to work - I’m glad it did. Moving '8' to Liverpool in 2023, Sheridan will "never look back". He said: “We saw a gap in the city’s food scene. However, there are more independents popping up now so we're seeing some really good food."

The restaurant's menu includes dishes such as sea trout with whey and apple, and Iberico sirloin with fennel and madeira. The Michelin Guide says: "Chef-owner Andrew Sheridan relocated his immersive restaurant from Birmingham to this city centre Victorian property in his home town of Liverpool.

"Guests gather in the dimly lit lounge for drinks and precisely made snacks, before heading downstairs to one of the two 8-seater counters, each with its own chef. They cook in front of the guests and talk about the dishes, making for an engaging experience. The cooking takes influences from around the globe and showcases bold, distinct flavours, with quality produce underpinning it all."

OXA

Andrew Sheridan also owns OXA, which is housed in the former site of Fraiche in Oxton. Less pricey than '8' but still serving a tasting menu, the restaurant describes itself as "relaxed social dining".

The menu offers plates which include salt aged pork with Wye Valley asparagus and carrot, as well as hake with mussels and cauliflower, and goats cheese with beetroot. The six course tasting menu is £70, while eight courses is £80.

Andrew told the ECHO: The old Fraiche site came up in Oxton and I thought: ‘We’ll take that!’ Fine dining food must have worked there because [Marc Wilkinson] was there for years. So we opened OXA and that’s doing really well."

The Michelin Guide says: "The pretty suburb of Oxton is home to this attractive neighbourhood bistro which offers an appealing selection of small plates and sharing dishes, as well as an excellent value lunch menu. Cooking has a British base and the occasional Asian touch, with dishes such as tuna with dashi and onions providing great depth of flavour. There’s a lovely atmosphere about the place and the interesting wine list features almost exclusively British choices."

Belzan

Chris Edwards, Owain Williams and Sam Granger are the friends behind Belzan on Smithdown Road, Wavertree. The dream team came together after years in the hospitality industry honing their crafts in cafes, hotels and kitchens respectively but sought a joint venture due to the relationship they built.

Chris told the ECHO: "Owain and I set up our first company in late 2015. We opened a tiny cafe bar called Filter and Fox in Liverpool on Duke Street and at the time Sam was the head chef at Marray. He was a good friend of ours and a regular and so we just became really good friends that way.

"We wanted to expand the unit and we found a new place out of the city. The plan was originally another small café bar but Sam said he likes what we do and asked if we have any openings for him. It ended up spiralling into the three of us opening a restaurant and Sam came on as the chef."

Chris added: "We wanted a place that delivered honest food and drinks to the community. Finance took us there as it was low rent. We knew we could deliver a product and atmosphere that could bring people to it. We believed people would come, we just needed to get there."

Belzan cooks up dishes such as barbecued courgette with romesco, sheep’s yoghurt and honey, as well as Dorset hogget with roast tomato salad and labneh. Desserts include maple & amaro ice cream, and chocolate mousse.

The Michelin reviewer said: "Its somewhat unassuming location makes this smart, modern bistro stand out even more. The cooking offers well-judged, interesting combinations, with portions that are as generous as they flavoursome, but while sharing is encouraged, dishes work better on their own; the Guinness rarebit potato is a must. They also offer a good value early dinner menu. The narrow room has a cosy feel, and service is confident and clued-up."

The Art School

The Art School, based on Sugnall Street, is the brainchild of chef Paul Askew. Throughout his career, the gastronomy expert had a hand in developing some of the city's most famous culinary experiences, from the London Carriage Works and Philharmonic Hall to the Art School, with the latter celebrating 10 incredible years of success on September 2.

Paul moved to Liverpool from Sunderland when he was just four years old. He didn't grow up with your typical plate of Scouse, nor was it in Liverpool he discovered his passion for food; he started his culinary journey on the other side of the world.

Paul told the ECHO: "My dad was a merchant navy sea captain so we travelled a lot. He got posted in Dubai when I was 11 which is where I spent a lot of my youth. That's where I went to school and that's where I started to discover food. I don't think I appreciated being there as a child but looking back and recognising I got to experience that cultural difference is incredible.

"In Dubai, there's a lot of lamb, goat, brazed rice dishes and Arabic food is really perfumed in general. It's fragrant with a lot of spices and very different from what you get [in Liverpool]. When I smell things now I get transported back there."

In 1997, Paul and his family moved to Singapore where he found a new home wandering the fish markets and examining the food stalls. Paul would travel back to Merseyside during his school holidays which is where he got his first taste in a professional setting, working as a kitchen porter in Thornton Hall.

He said: "Up until that point, I never decided I wanted to work in a kitchen. I started to enjoy the camaraderie, the hustle and the challenge, which is what swayed me to become a chef."

Paul's Art School serves up plates such as Pan-seared Loch Fyne scallop, served in the half shell on a bed of creamed leeks with Southport potted shrimps, and sirloin of Cumbrian Galloway beef with Menai oyster beignet, cauliflower couscous and puree, pickled walnut and red wine & tarragon jus.

The Michelin Guide says: "Bright red chairs contrast with crisp white tablecloths at this elegant restaurant which is flooded with light. The experienced local chef carefully prepares a bewildering array of ambitious modern dishes full of colour and contrasts; choose a dessert containing honey from the local hives."

Manifest

Manifest on Watkinson Street in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle has received a number of accolades since opening in March 2022. The restaurant comes from the owners of The Little Shoe, the family run brasserie and micro bakery which had branches on Bold Street and in St George’s Hall.

The restaurant and wine bar’s name, plus the menu, is inspired by the Baltic Triangle’s historic shipping trade. Owner and chef, Paul Durand, has created a “modern British menu with wine firmly in mind”. It features “high quality, seasonal goods” from local producers and a wine list from “small scale and sustainable” manufacturers.

Manifest is “uniquely scouse”, according to Paul, who was born and raised in Anfield. He opened Manifest with his partner Charlotte Jones after running The Little Shoe for a number of years, and having to close due to the coronavirus pandemic gave him the “time to step back and reflect”.

Paul decided to “try to create the type of place we’d like to go to on our days off”, with the change to get back to “real hospitality”, which he felt had been lost during the pandemic when social distancing was encouraged and bars and restaurants made changes such as using QR codes and apps to allow for visitors to order.

Instead, Manifest is all about “bringing back old school hospitality”, where visitors are welcomed at the door and able to speak to staff properly. Dishes at Manifest include beef tartare with capers, mustard emulsion, pickled shallots and sourdough crisp, as well as turbot with baby gem, celeriac, hen of the woods mushroom, aged caviar, bacon and quail egg.

The Michelin reviewer said: "Set on the ground floor of a converted warehouse; an open plan kitchen dominates the room and there are counter seats for those who wish to be close to the action. Carefully cooked, flavourful modern British dishes are accompanied by a well-presented wine list, with each wine available by the glass."