A trip back in time to
As tastes and trends change, so does our local selection of restaurants. ANDREW BROWN takes a look back at where we once went to eat out
IT’S been a great year for new restaurants in Southport. But, while we have some superb new places to enjoy, it also reminds us of some fabulous venues where we used to eat out.
Times and tastes change and some things go in and out of fashion, while others have been a victim of economic issues.
Perhaps you enjoyed fun nights out at Ronnie’s Bistro, just off Hoghton Street. Great value, great atmosphere. Owner Ronnie Garner is now running Spiga restaurant, on Bold Street, in Southport.
Owned by the Scarisbrick Hotel, Cloisters was a stunning little restaurant situated in Bank Passage, just off Lord Street.
Top-quality cooking and ingredients, always very busy, its creation was a labour of love for former Scarisbrick Hotel manager Tony Cafferkey.
Sadly, when Britannia Hotels acquired the Scarisbrick, Cloisters was closed.
The Warehouse was an iconic Southport venue which habitually won places in the Michelin Guide, earning Bib Gourmand status for the high quality of its cooking at affordable prices.
Head chefs included the brilliant Marc Verite, who now runs Bistrot Verite, in Birkdale Village, and Matt Worswick, who has recently competed on Great British Menu.
Botanic Bistro, on Botanic Road, was the place to go in Churchtown. Classy, elegant, it offered superb, classic English and French cooking.
The building is now occupied by La Tabella.
The Spaghetti House ris- torante was a popular venue on Avondale Road, Southport, which later changed its name to Mario & Roberto’s.
The two friends had worked together at nearby Casa Italia, on Lord Street, before leaving to set up their own business.
The building is now occupied by La Veranda restaurant.
Nibbana Inde was one of the early restaurants to open at the new Ocean Plaza retail park near the seafront at Southport, in December, 2004.
The venue served modern Indian food, adding to a real diversity of restaurants at Ocean Plaza.
Southport has long enjoyed a great relationship with Scotland. It was best represented by Bobby Linton’s The Highlander, on Coronation Walk, in Southport, serving the best of Scottish food.
We have some great curry houses in Southport. One of the best was The Lal Qila, on Eastbank Street, in Southport, which has recently been replaced by Mini’s wine bar and eatery.
One of Lord Street’s most stunning buildings, once occupied by the busy The Old Bank bar, became home to the Ask restaurant chain.
It has since been taken over by Pizza Express, after it moved down Lord Street from its position opposite Southport Fire Station.
4 Corners opened to rave reviews when it took its place on Wesley Street. There were queues out of the door in the first few weeks, but sadly it closed just a few months later.
Who remembers Le Frog? The trendy bistro was the place to go back in the 1990s, before