Sanskruti Liverpool

The second of these completely vegetarian and vegan restaurants (the first is in south Manchester suburb Withington), Sanskruti takes its cue from the diverse cultures and cuisines of India, and divides the mains on its menu into South Indian Paradise, Gujarati and Punjabi.

Each is diverse in taste, methodology, flavour and presentation, from the gluten-free rice and lentil dosa pancakes of South India to the Mumbai chaats and distinctively spiced dishes and thalis (starters, mains, dal, rice, roti, salad, dessert and mini papad all on one plate) of Gujarat in the West, to the rich, unforgettable taste of North Indian curries – the tomatoey masala and the mild kormas are probably the most recognisable names in the Punjabi mains.

“Our menu is as diverse and colourful as the continent itself” the website states, and indeed Sanskruti also has starters and street food covered, so you can mix and match small plates – despite the variety of choices, we reckon you’ve heard of onion bhaji and chilli paneer in the first section, and crispy pani puri, chickpea samosa chat and the legendary (thanks to a veggie chain we won’t mention) Bombay burger, vada pav, in the second.

Don’t forget to choose from various healthy (and some less healthy, with fresh cream and butter) daals, different rice sides and all the roti, paratha and naan, plus some less well-known breads, including cardamon-flavoured sweet lentil-stuffed puran pori and bajra (millet) or juwar (sorghum flour) hand-flattened Indian rotlo breads. You have quite a feast on your hands.

And don’t shirk dessert: if you don’t have room for the gulab jambu sponge balls or the soft ras malai dumplings, at least try the pistachio-flavoured kulfi ice cream. The menu says it’s famous. What’s more, Sanskruti is fully licensed so you can wash everything down with a cold pint of Cobra, a glass of wine or even a cocktail.

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