Liverpool is blessed with a tremendous amount of beer gardens, and a new Italian restaurant in the city centre is set to add to that illustrious list.
Papa Pepinos is located within the Selina Hotel on Mount Pleasant. Its first days saw it host a Eurovision party and a screening of the Grand Final the following day.
Christopher Hakeem, the food and beverage manager at Pappa Pepinos, has said the venue offers a “contemporary Italian menu”, in addition to an “array of programming” from live DJs to movie nights in the cinema room.
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I visited to try out the food, having stumbled upon pictures of the restaurant on Facebook. The interior is a lovely place to be, with eye-catching graffiti adorning the walls. It’s got plenty of seating, natural light and seems like a good place to get some work done as well as eat.
The food was fantastic. The pepperoni pizza, priced at £12, was spot on, as was the £8 arancini. The excellent deep fried rice balls shows the restaurant’s commitment to Italian cuisine.
The highlight however was the £14 zanoli roasted chicken, which came with polenta, asparagus and gravy. The chicken was deliciously succulent, as were the vegetables, and the generous serving of gravy was the icing on the cake.
While I didn’t try the alcohol, Papa Pepinos seems to have a unique range of beverages, including Paulaner lager and House Party IPA.
But it wasn’t the food that impressed most - it was the outdoor area. It’s one of the largest I’ve seen in the city centre.
There's a section with outdoor furniture, covered by a gazebo for when the weather isn’t too good. There’s plenty of sturdy tables and benches too. Visitors are surrounded by striking artwork, including an incredible drawing of Peaky Blinders-esque figures.
It was quiet when I visited, but it was on a weekday afternoon and the restaurant has only been open for just over a week. I'd expect the beer garden to be packed out over the summer with people enjoying good food and some cold drinks.
Papa Pepinos is well placed to become one of the city’s best restaurants and outdoor social areas. Let’s hope the weather gives it the launch summer it deserves.
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