MerseyMade Gordon Smith Cafe

This unique cafe – housed in the Grade II-listed 19th-century former Gordon Smith Institute for Seamen (providing support and assistance to the seafarers of Liverpool) – sits alongside retail space and studios for artists and creatives, so you can shop local then drop local.

Offering a relaxing space to unwind, the Gordon Smith Cafe also has a range of crowdpleasers for breakfast, brunch or lunch – or a nice slice of fresh cake made in the on-site kitchen. Licensed, the cafe also serves its own bespoke blend of coffee roasted by Liverpool’s Neighbourhood Coffee, alongside Brew Tea. Food-wise, and there are plenty of gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options, including a falafel burger and a crushed chickpea ciabatta. Five choices of loaded fries reveal pulled jackfruit and katsu yasai, so it’s very on trend, while further investigation sniffs out a vegan version of local favourite salt and pepper chicken. In a nod to those sailors of yore, there’s a classic fishfinger butty, poshed up with a dressed side salad, plus fish goujons and beer-battered fish and chips with peas, homemade tartare sauce and a wedge of lemon. Meat? Indeed. There’s lots, including a chicken and bacon club sandwich, chorizo and smoked Applewood bagel, and a BBQ pulled pork burger on brioche. Weirdly, there’s no beef, but who cares when you can build your own breakfast toastie?

Sweet offerings come in the form of more cakes than you could shout ‘Mary Berry’ at. From individual buttercream-enhanced cupcakes, rocky road slices and chocolate muffins to double-tiered delights loitering under glass cloches, we defy you to decide straight away.

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