Ma Egerton’s Stage Door

A traditional old boozer with Victorian charm, Ma Egerton’s has a long and proud history of association with the Empire Theatre which has the stage door opening out on to the pub. It is named after the pubs longest-serving landlady, who was also a theatrical agent who entertained visiting performers, such as Frank Sinatra, Charlie Chaplin, Judy Garland, and others when they were in the city. The pub was built in 1846, making it one of the oldest pubs in Liverpool, and with its central location right next door to Lime Street Station, it is a back-street pub with plenty of charm and warmth, and some quick and tasty food on offer.

The Vibe

The entrance to Ma Egerton’s is on a side street just opposite the back entrance to Lime Street Station and the Stage Door to The Empire Theatre. The little side street and the fairy lights on the pub make for a pretty magical and intimate setting, and when you walk through the door you are welcomed by a pub interior that has all the charm you would expect from a preserved Victorian pub. It is split into two, with the bar area to the right where performers pop in for a pint and regulars take their place at the bar or around the small wooden tables. It’s got that old pub vibe with dark wooden tables and memorabilia on the walls. To the left as you walk in is a bigger room, with larger tables that are perfect to order a pizza and a pint and sit with friends. There is also a regular quiz night in the pub every week, hosted by Tina Malone off of that there Shameless. Expect hilarious quizzing.

The Food

As well as serving up all the traditional ales, lagers, wine, and spirits that you would expect from an old-fashioned city centre boozer, Ma Egerton’s also has a great kitchen, with the pizzas a speciality. The rectangular, stone baked pizzas with a range of toppings (and also gluten-free and veggie options available) are a real hit. All the pizzas have names linked to film and theatre, to match the history of the stage door. The Laurel and Hardy is a meat feast pizza, the Sean Connery the classic margherita, and the Marilyn Monroe the roasted veg and feta cheese topped pizza. There is also a range of soups, salads, sharing platters, and side dishes, if you are after traditional pub fare instead of a pizza.

The Price

All of the pizzas are priced between £7 and £9 which is excellent when you consider the size of them, and the fact that the most expensive is where you can build your own pizza with a up to three toppings. The salads and small side dishes are reasonably priced a little under that between £3.50 and £6.50. Expect standard city centre pub prices for all the drinks behind the bar.