By MICHAEL OWEN
A competitive array of restaurants has built up over the last five years in Allerton Road, a suburban high street, off which runs Penny Lane.

In fact, when The Beatles penned the lyrics to their 17th No.1, they possibly had in mind the sights and sounds of Allerton Road, where John and Paul were frequent visitors. However that would not have sounded as good, or blended into the tune, as well as the more melodic sounding Penny Lane, which is mainly an uninspiring residential road.

With Penny Lane being a magnet for Beatles fans, and Allerton Road being a commercial centre for the affluent South Liverpool suburbs, it is hardly surprising that this boulevard is the setting for the biggest collection of restaurants in Liverpool outside the city centre.

Let me take you down. I shall start at the end of Allerton Road furthest away from the city centre, but nearest the airport. Postcodes are given so you can check their location on www.multimap.co.uk

Beneath the blue suburban skies, close to the library, at L18 6HG, are four attractive restaurants that stand almost in a row: Millon Tandoori (Phone 0151 729 0220), La Scala (0151 724 6434), La Bussola (0151 724 6411) and Eastern Diner (0151 724 2021), which serves Chinese food.

Then walking along Allerton Road (away from the library, towards Penny Lane and the city centre) we come to - at L18 2DD - The Other Place (0151 724 1234) and cafe bar Pod (0151 724 2255).

Across the road, you can see the cinema and Mezz Cafe Bar (0151 724 5558), plus Yates Wine Lodge and The New Yorker pub.

But continuing our walk, on the same side of the road as Pod, we come - at L18 2DA - to the cafe bar Vinci (0151 738 1000), the Greek Lefteris Taverna (0151 475 5777) and Fung Lok (0151 722 9560).

Then there is the shelter in the middle of a roundabout, Sergeant Peppers Bistro (L15 9EN, 0151 733 1818).

From here you can see Penny Lane Wine Bar, at the top of the famous road. (L18 1DQ, 0151 733 6229)

Behind the shelter in the middle of a roundabout, at the foot of Church Road, L15 9EA, is a neat cluster of three restaurants: Ark (0151 734 0202), The Left Bank (0151 734 5040) and The Patio (0151 733 7474).

Around the corner, on the main road towards the city centre (We are now walking along Smithdown Road) is The Tavern, a restaurant with a strong local following (0151 734 5555), then there is a Thai restaurant Siam Garden (L15 5AG, 0151 734 1471).

Further along, on the other side of the road is the locally acclaimed bar and restaurant Mustard, at 336 Smithdown Road, L15 2HD (0151 222 1123). Quite a way further along, at 473-477 Smithdown Road, L15 5AE, and now a long way from Allerton Road, is Jalons Restaurant (0151 734 3984) said to be popular with Premiership footballers and soap stars.