Heswall, French Restaurant Guide

“Breathtaking 360° views of the Mersey, the city and the region beyond” are the USP of the 34th-floor restaurant atop Liverpool’s West Tower, where “floor-to-ceiling windows” make it “one of the best places to watch the sunset”. Cathy Frost, head honcho for 14 years, passed the baton in early 2025 to Paolo & Donato Cillo (the brothers behind Gran Caffe), who promised to maintain the venue’s legacy of modern European dining (reports praise the “very good starters and mains”) while adding their own Italian/Mediterranean vibe; they also expanded afternoon tea opening in response to demand.

Next to Chester’s iconic Eastgate clock and at the front of the city’s poshest hotel (owned, like much of the city, by the Duke of Westminster), this posh pavement brasserie “has the hustle and bustle of a busy, big city destination” and even fans may concede that “the real reason to visit is the ambience (especially at Christmas time)”. It’s sometimes recommended in reports for a grand afternoon tea. On the downside, its brasserie fare can seem “overpriced” and service can take its time.