Albert Dock and Water Street

www.liverpoolpictorial.co.uk

INTRODUCTION
Some of Liverpool's best bars and restaurants are close to the river, at the Albert Dock or in the Water Street area.

Whether it is due to the magnificent setting, with the water shimmering in the moonlight, or the fact that it is a little detached from the city centre, there tends to be a more refined air about the ALBERT DOCK. A few minutes walk away is WATER STREET which is also close to the river.

Water Street runs from the Town Hall downhill to the side of the Liver Building. Water Street crosses The Strand dual carriageway which runs along what used to be the shoreline, before the docks were built in the 18th and 19th centuries.

RESTAURANTS:
Let's start in the Albert Dock with its restaurant-bars. The BLUE BAR AND GRILL, with restaurant upstairs and stylish bar downstairs, has enjoyed a reputation as a haunt of sports stars, actors and actresses. L3 4AE, Phone 0151 709 7097.

Its success led to the owners opening up in the basement the more exclusive BABY BLUE restaurant-bar. If that wasn't enough, they then created BABYCREAM, just 40 yards away. Babycream (L3 4AE, 0151 709 7097?) opened in November 2003 as a "new bar and restaurant concept"; just lets say it is swish.

However Gwyneth Paltrow was taken on Valentine's Day 2004 to the PAN AMERICAN CLUB restaurant-bar (L3 4AD, 0151 709 7097), which is around the corner, just past The Beatles Story.

Next to Babycream is MISTER M's SEAFOOD Restaurant (L3 4AE, 0151 707 2202). Also at the Albert Dock is a large EST, EST, EST (L3 4AF, 0151 708 6969).

South of the Albert Dock, off The Strand (opposite the Customs and Excise building) is BLUNDELL STREET, a jazz bar-restaurant situated a little off the beaten track in the street it takes its name from. (L1 0AJ, 0151 709 5779). Best to take a taxi. Now in two distinct parts, BST and SUPPER CLUB.

The WATER STREET area is part of the city's business quarter, which extends to Old Hall Street. So it's not surprising that when the noted Northern restaurateur Paul Heathcote decided to open in Liverpool, he chose this district.
His glass-fronted HEATHCOTE'S, Beetham Plaza, The Strand, (L2 0XL, 0151 236 3536) is close to the pricey PLATINUM LOUNGE, also on Beetham Plaza, which serves meals too (0151 227 9501).

In Water Street itself is the NEWZ BRASSERIE (0151 236 2025) with the name deriving from the building in which it is housed, New Zealand House.

ZIBA, run by sister and brother Helen and Martin Ainscough, serves Modern British food in Chapel Street where it nestles next to the private members' Racquet Club. L3 9AG (0151 236 6676).

Close to Water Street, but on the other side of The Strand, is The Crowne Plaza Hotel. L3 0AA, Phone 0151 243 8000), with its French-style PLAZA BRASSERIE.

Not too far away, at the end of Old Hall Street, is the Radisson Hotel and its FILLINI restaurant, specialising in food from Sardinia. (0151 966 1500). Also in Old Hall Street, L3 9BS, is VIA VENETO (0151 258 1878). Near the Town Hall in Castle Street is FRANCO'S RISTORANTE (0151 236 3375).

BARS and PUBS
Some of the most fashionable bars have already been mentioned above in the restaurants section due to their all-round nature, such as Blue Bar, Babyblue, Babycream, Pan American and Newz.So we will focus on others. Entering the Albert Dock at the gates nearest the city centre, the first building you will come to is THE PUMPHOUSE, built in 1878 to steam-power the cranes and lifts, but brilliantly converted into a pub in the 1980s. There are not a lot of pubs in the Water Street area, but an interesting one is the historic PIG AND WHISTLE, with a brass plate dating back to pre-Victorian days that says "Emigrants Served Here". Apparently, it would sell food and provisions for the long voyage to America or Australia to emigrants, many of whom were desperately poor. The pub stands on corner of Covent Garden and Chapel Street, L2 8UA, and doesn't look much from outside. But fine inside. Often closed on Sundays.

REAL ALE
The BALTIC FLEET (0151 709 3116) is a Grade II listed building that stands on its own on The Strand, near Queens Dock.
Popular with office workers is MA BOYLE'S OYSTER BAR, situated off Water Street, in Tower Gardens. Check oyster hours on 0151 236 1717. You could find it closed on Sundays.
THE CORNMARKET (0151 236 2131) is a large old-style pub in Old Ropery, near James Street. Walls adorned with some fine photos of old Liverpool. PIG AND WHISTLE (0151 236 4760) in Chapel Street is thought by some to be the second oldest pub in Liverpool.

MISCELLANEOUS
Water Street runs from the Town Hall down to the side of the Liver Building, crossing The Strand, which is a dual carriageway that acts psychologicallly as a barrier separating the city centre from its waterfront. When leaving a bar or restaurant in the Albert Dock, it's not always easy to flag a cab down because many taxi drivers tend to prefer to cruise around the main city centre rather than around the dock.
So, unless you fancy a walk up to The Strand dual carriageway, it may be better to pre-book a taxi or private hire car from the restaurant.

The Strand dual carriageway runs along what used to be the shoreline, before the docks were built in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Liver Building and its neighbours were built in the early 20th century.