Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter – full of rows of beautiful terraces – hosts some of Liverpool’s best pubs. This is the ‘go to’ area for lovers of real ale, and the Merseyside region has a growing number of excellent microbreweries, including Liverpool One, Liverpool Organic, Peerless and Liverpool Craft. The pubs below are among the best in the city to sample these malty, hoppy delights.
Should you be visiting Liverpool – or if you fancy a day of sampling the city’s best – try the following pub crawl around some of the Georgian Quarter’s alehouses. From the tiny, stripped-back Belvedere to the house-clearance ambiance of Peter Kavanagh’s; the late-night appeal of The Grapes to the epitome of the bustling Liverpool pub in Ye Cracke, these are the places where you’ll find Liverpool’s finest ales, and finest local characters.
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Peter Kavanagh’s
Start at the farthest reaches of the Georgian Quarter, a good mile out of the city centre. Your reward for the small journey is the enigmatic Peter Kavanagh’s, a quaint pub that serves up real ale and character in the bucketfuls. The only way to describe Peter Kavanagh’s style is as some sort of house clearance shop, or a bric a brac stall at a car boot sale. But this bric a brac room also sells great beers!
The Caledonia
Landlady Laura King has done a grand job of turning the Caledonia from a sad, tired old boozer to a thriving community pub. There are always new ales on at the Cale, but there’s also pub food and really good music nights where you can see some of Liverpool’s best bands, though be warned, these events are always packed out.
The Belvedere Arms
Located at the bottom of a cul-de-sac off Falkner Street, the Grade-II-listed Belvedere Arms is not the biggest of pubs with a small lounge and bar area. Because you can only get 30 people or so in the pub, it always feels busy and intimate. If you enjoy gin, then you will love the Belvedere Arms as they have a great selection as well as local ales and lots and lots of bottled beers.
During the summer months, the pavement outside becomes an extension of the pub and during winter, the open fire inside is always welcoming to everyone who need warming up.
Ye Cracke
A regular stop on pub crawls in the Georgian Quarter and a very popular choice because of its good ales and lovely beer garden + the fact it is in the city centre. The Beatles frequented Ye Cracke quite a lot back in the day and there is a really cool mural in the back room which has been painted by one of John Lennon’s art school tutors 50 years ago.
Ye Cracke is has a bit of an odd setup inside. The War Office snug provides a room within a room and is big enough to seat around 6 people comfortably. The War Office snug was originally built for Boer War veterans so they had somewhere to exchange stories and exploits without offending passing drinkers.
There’s always a good selection of unusual guest ales and the pub really fills up at night with theatre-goers, students and locals alike seeking a good pint and a chinwag.
The Grapes
The Grapes is great city centre pub with a very nice beer garden. Inside is a small bar which can get a bit crowded but that is because of its great range of beers and spirits. You might want to leave your visit to the Grapes until later in the night as luckily it stays open later than most pubs in the city centre.
60 Roscoe Street Liverpool, Merseyside L1 9DW.
The Roscoe Head
One of the oldest pubs in the city – and the most decorated in terms of national awards – the Roscoe Head is also one of the smaller public houses Liverpool has to offer; hole up in the tiny snug by the front door, if you’re physically able.
There are lots of quiz night and assorted activities, the pub screens football matches too, but this is a pub that made its reputation on beer – and simply being a really good pub.
The Dispensary
Arguably The Dispensary isn’t really within the Georgian Quarter, but it’s close enough and – crucially – at the bottom of the hill, so it should be easy to get to by this point. It’s also a great launching pad for a trip into the city centre’s late-night drinking spots, the culinary delights of Chinatown and one of several Indian restaurants on Renshaw Street.
The pub offers half a dozen real ales, always a warm welcome from busy landlord Dave and is a welcoming, warm haven in cold weather thanks to its open hearth.
87 Renshaw Street, Liverpool, L1 2SP.
If you’re determined to try more pubs in Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter, consider The Pilgrim, The Cambridge, The Fly In The Loaf, or The Philharmonic Dining Rooms. All have their unique charms and are within easy walking distance.
More Information
If you would enjoyed this guide, why not take a look at some more Liverpool attractions and events in our other Liverpool tourism and travel information guides.
