The Caledonia

If it’s a knees-up you’re after, and eating is an aside, then The Caledonia has you fixed, offering live music while you line your stomach and lots of drinks choice, with a good stock of Belgian beers, including lambics and sours, plus craft and world brews, and local and guest ales.

On the food front, the entire menu is plant based, from the chips and Guinness gravy right through to the hot or cold gooey chocolate fudge cake. There’s a whole section of fries (we like the sound of a “tickle of sliced spring onions” on one choice), perfect for chowing down on while you watch the Minouchetones or one of the other bands setting up their gear.

Wings are another option, with chunky “chimken” strips crispy fried southern style and treated to various sauces or Liverpool fave salt and pepper, tossed with mixed peppers, onions and fresh green chilli. Under burgers, there’s a choice of chimken or “meaty” patties. Of the latter, gluten-free versions are available, as are doubles, and variations with baecon, but the classic incorporates a juicy 1/4lb-er, melted chs, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles, and sauces: ketchup, mayo and mustard. Faux fowl, and there’s a katsu curry choice, a sticky Korean BBQ number and a Thinger, with chilli jam and smoked chs.

The one for us, though, is the XL Poutine, which looks to involve everything on the menu, which we’re not going to complain about: two crispy Chim patties with smoked chs, fries, baecon, garlic butter, baecon mayo, pickles, onion and Guinness gravy. Woah, there.

We probably can’t manage one doggone cocktail after that, but the list runs from the Beagle to the Samoyed – Ketel One vodka and Fair Café liqueur on the rocks with a vegan double cream pour, inspired by the fluffy white Siberian breed. The Cal is “ultra dog friendly”, after all.

Want to be the first to receive all the latest news, tips, articles, guides and updates from Confidential Guides? Sign up here.