Restaurants and cafés have always loomed large in our lives. We are very sociable, and love to meet up, as a family, or with friends and enjoy a lunch and/or dinner, mainly outside last year! And we were always more than happy to do restaurant reviews in the region.
WORDS: Jean Hill
We welcome hospitality back into our lives with open mouths! The Olive Tree Bistro is a cherished ‘local’ restaurant where we visit so often we have become friends with the owners! We have enjoyed the best Sunday roasts here (though my family is careful to never say that they are better than home-made, though I suspect they are). Neighbourhood Café, nestled amongst leafy suburbs close to Penny Lane, is another favourite, where they do an Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon which is to die for.

Hospitality has needed to be inventive and resourceful this last year. The standard of take-away meals and deliveries, has been impressive, with the intention of duplicating exactly the experience of eating at the restaurant itself. Yet we have so missed the thrill of dining out! Talking in a group of six will be a heady experience. Seeing friends in 3D may be a little overwhelming at first.
It is very exciting to be back out there, having a proper sociable life again. There are too many wonderful restaurants to mention, but we intend visiting The Royal Albert Dock, Metquarter and Liverpool ONE eateries, and then working our way outwards in ever increasing circles, with ever expanding waist-lines, until we have visited all the much loved old haunts.
As we emerge into the sunshine, we hope for a summer like last year. We remember fondly all those wonderful occasions where we enjoyed beautiful food and great company. Something to be utterly grateful and thankful for after long separation. So here is to hospitality and the more of it the better.
Due to open up again in May (you can book in advance): https://www.olivetreenb.com/eat
Check for details: https://www.facebook.com/neighbourhoodcafe/