The Tavern Co

In theory The Tavern Co. serves up Mexican dishes, barbecue food, and Creole cuisine, but it is primarily known for its gobsmackingly amazing breakfast menu. People flock from all over the city and beyond to queue for one of the breakfasts here, and with the buzzing atmosphere and incredible food you’ll soon want to become a regular.

The Vibe

It’s won plenty of awards for the breakfast, The Tavern. Not just in Liverpool, but nationwide. For years it has been a venue that people would trek to from miles around, and the crowds would build every weekend, with queues sometimes lasting up to an hour or more – and it was always worth the wait. Even after a refurb that saw an extension downstairs and plenty more seating added upstairs, as well as the brunch menu extended to the weekdays as well as the weekend, and up to 2.30pm, there is still always a massive queue at the Tavern, and it is still worth the wait! There is absolutely loads of little trinkets and memorabilia from the American south to keep you entertained as you wait, including the replica tiny steam train that is mesmerising.

The Food

The soul food and Mexican flavour to the evening menu is all very good, we can’t fault it, but let’s not kid anyone, it’s the breakfast menu at the Tavern that you’re all here for isn’t it? The menu has extended quite considerably over the years, without any dip in quality. There’s a load of egg dishes, meat-free breakfasts, loaded potato skins, huevos rancheros, steak and egg, breakfast burgers, and stacks of pancakes. The two we’d always say to go for if you’ve never been to the Tavern, The Full English, and The American. The English has everything you’d expect, and it’s all done really bloody well (and it is this that was voted the best breakfast in the country!). The American on the other hand has bacon, beans, fried eggs, toast, and a warm pancake on the side and a load of syrup. It also has a pile of crispy little home fries (why don’t English breakfasts have these?!). This TiL writer thinks that the perfect breakfast is an American (with an added Sausage). How good the toast is, is often enough to make or break a breakfast. For us, the simple combination of white sliced toast with salty butter at The Tavern is enough to make us swoon. It doesn’t seem to matter when you go (and we’ve been going to the Tavern for breakfast for over ten years) the toast is always at its same consistent best.

The Price

The extensive brunch menu offers you one of the best breakfast experiences anywhere in the country, and you can get whatever you like for under a tenner, with tea and coffee refills throughout your meal. If you don’t live near the Smithdown Road venue, it is well worth the trip, and the certain queue – one of the best breakfasts around.