The Best Places to try Liverpool’s famous dish - Scouse
Liverpool is famous for many things; The Beatles, football and being very friendly (we were voted the UK’s friendliest city after all!), but one thing we’re also super proud of is our local dish, Scouse. Everyone in Liverpool has their own recipe for Scouse, passed down through the generations, it’s always a staple dish on the dinner table in the winter months and we’ll be celebrating Global Scouse Day this year with a giant bowl of our own!
Coming from the word Lobscouse, which was a dish commonly eaten by sailors travelling across Northern Europe; the hearty stew generally consists of meat, either lamb or beef with potatoes, carrots and onions and served with pickled beetroot or cabbage and some crusty bread on the side. Sounds amazing, right?
If you want to give it a go but don’t fancy making your own batch of the local stew, we’ve put together some of the best places in Liverpool to visit to sample the local’s favourite cuisine while you’re out exploring the city.
Liverpool Cathedral
Inside Liverpool’s stunning Anglican Cathedral is what we’d call a proper hidden gem. The Welsford Bistro is known for serving some of the best Scouse in Liverpool. It’s proved popular with bloggers from all over the world.
The bistro is open from 10am - 4.30pm Monday to Saturday and 12pm - 4.30pm on Sunday.
The cathedral is also free to enter and their tower tour which runs 10am - 5pm Monday to Saturday and 12pm - 4pm is a great way to see the city from above - in particular the pretty Georgian streets below.
There you go, not only a stunning bowl of scouse to enjoy but a wholesome day in Liverpool!
Maggie May’s
A self-proclaimed ‘up-market greasy spoon’, Maggie May’s is a proper, traditional Scouse cafe, that’s been proudly serving Scousers and non-Scousers for decades! Their white and green facade stands out on Bold Street in the city centre.
The recipe is a close-kept secret that comes from the chef, Lea’s Grandmother but one thing the chef does say is that ‘proper Scouse takes time.’ So rest assured, there’s a lot of love in a bowl of Scouse at Maggie May’s and a crusty cob on the side.
Choose from a selection of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to go with your dish and take a wander along the Ropewalks area of the city, where Maggie May’s is located. An area that got its name from the craft rope-making for the sailors' ships that dominated the area in the 19th century. Could there be a more apt place to enjoy the famous hearty stew?
Ma Boyle’s Alehouse & Eatery
Ma Boyle’s Alehouse is one of the oldest and prettiest pubs in Liverpool. It’s tucked away in Tower Gardens, (or next to Liverpool Parish Church) and a two minute walk from Liverpool’s Pier Head and Three Graces.
The iconic Tower Building has seen Ma Boyles Originally opened by landlady, Kay Boyle in 1860 as a coffee shop, it then went on to be an oyster bar and now an alehouse an eatery. There’s a bursting traditional pub menu with your classic scouse, a blind scouse (no meat) that come served in the usual way - in a bowl with bread and butter - or in a pie! With chunky chips or spring onion mash. Ooooooh sounds delicious.
If you go on a Saturday night, soak up some live jazz from 8pm in the cosiest corner in Tower Gardens!
Ma Egerton’s Stage Door
Built in 1846, Ma Egerton’s - affectionately known as Ma Edgies, has deep roots within the city’s theatrical heritage and has welcomed many stars of the stage through its doors ever since.
Aside from attracting musical talent and serving up top ale, it also offers a brilliant bowl of Scouse, the perfect pre-show dinner. If you’re lucky enough to head down on a Sunday, they serve their Scouse inside a giant Yorkshire Pudding! This is a twist on the local classic that we could definitely get on board with.
Homebaked
If you fancy a different way to experience the classic Scouse flavour then head down to Homebaked right by Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium. The community-owned bakery has been serving match go-ers, (reds and blues) for some time.
Get yourself one of their Scouse filled pies. It might not be the traditional way to eat Scouse in Liverpool but that’s no bad thing. Having won awards for this pie in particular, it’s worth the visit to Anfield for and would also make for the perfect pre-match snack. Check their Instagram for their pre-match menus, and pop-up bakery outside Goodison if you’re heading to watch the blues.
Lunya & Lunyalita
How about mixing things up with a Catalan take on our classic dish? At Lunya Liverpool in Liverpool ONE or Lunyalita on the Royal Albert Dock.
Lunya has come up with its version with a Spanish twist. Sticking to a traditional recipe of potatoes, lamb and vegetables, they have added chorizo, morcilla (Spanish black pudding) and some classic Spanish flavours for that extra special twist. Make sure you give it a go next time you're there!
BONUS: Both venues are dog-friendly!
The Bluecoat
Tucked behind Liverpool bustling Church Street is the City Centre’s oldest buiding, the 300 year old Bluecoat. A stunning building that was previously a school, is now a contemporary arts centre, with a year-round calendar of exciting events and workshops.
There’s a garden in the centre of the Bluecoat that’s a real sun-trap come summertime! And of course, there’s a cafe that serves a small selection of, homemade lunch time bites which includes, a lovely bowl of Scouse! It’s the perfect place to stop off for lunch and enjoy their exhibitions whilst you’re there.
The cafe serves food until 3.30pm and hot drinks until 4pm.
With Scouse being Liverpool’s famous dish there are plenty of places to give it a go, but remember, Scouse in Liverpool isn’t just for Global Scouse day, it’s for life, so it will always be around for your next visit to the city! Let us know what you think of it over on our twitter @VisitLiverpool.
