Suntrap 'secret garden' restaurant many don't know exists

Tucked away in Liverpool city centre, you'll find a restaurant with a "secret garden" many people don't know exists.

Free State Kitchen opened on Maryland Street in 2013, serving American classics "with a contemporary twist". Husband and wife Kate Hughes and Gary Williams, both 42, ditched their jobs in sales and town planning to open the restaurant, inspired by their travels around the States.

Kate runs the front of house at Free State Kitchen, while Gary runs the kitchen. The menu is made up of a large selection of burgers, from chicken and beef burgers to vegan and gluten-free options, that have been rated among the best burgers in the UK. The menu also includes a range of other American-inspired dishes such as buffalo hot wings, Boston clam chowder and creamy mac 'n' cheese.

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Kate told the ECHO: "We were inspired by places we've been to when we've been over in the States. At the time there wasn't anywhere offering the same thing as American-style burgers and good quality, without it being gimmicky.

"We took something we'd experienced in the States and replicated it simply in Liverpool without it being a cliché. We wanted something that was quite humble without it being in your face."

Walking past Free State Kitchen, based just off Hope Street, you'd have no idea of the huge garden tucked around the back. Attending to the garden is very much a family affair, with Kate's mum looking after the plants.

The restaurant also grows its own fruit and vegetables, from herbs and tomatoes to apple trees that are used to make homemade apple pie in the autumn months.

Kate said: "I walked past this location every day to go to uni and didn't have a clue it was here. People in their 70s said 'I've passed here for years and didn't know it was here.' You can see it from the road.

"When we found the location we were like 'We've got to make this work.' Where are you going to get space like this in Liverpool or another city?

"We're a restaurant garden, so we offer the full service that you get in the restaurant in a garden setting. We spent a lot of time doing the garden. It's a real labour of love. When you get those first cracks of sun you get really busy."

Kate said the key to serving some of the country's best burgers is consistency in the production process and fresh produce, with fresh bread, potatoes and ground beef being delivered to the restaurant each day.

Since the restaurant first opened it has witnessed the growth of the Hope Street area, where the arts and culture scene has been accompanied by a growing food and drink destination. Two pubs - the White Hart and the Engineer - opened on Hope Street this year. Asian fusion restaurant Liu Shi also opened in February at 60 Hope Street, while the Philharmonic Hotel opened for guests just before Christmas.

Kate said the restaurant has benefited from new businesses opening in the area, where a nice neighbourhood has been created, with each venue looking out for each other. The close proximity of the city's universities attracts lecturers at lunchtime, while the Philharmonic Hall and the Everyman Theatre attract guests for a pre-theatre dinner.

Over the last 11 years, Free State Kitchen has welcomed customers on first dates who have since returned to hold their wedding party at the venue. Kate added: "We're thankful to all of our regulars for all their support over the years. We've got people who started dating and ended up having wedding parties here and come in with babies and second children. They've become our extended family."

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