Best Dinner Places to Eat in St Helens

"What: Rooftop restaurants are a rarity in Manchester and rooftop restaurants with outdoor space even more so. Praise be for 20 Stories then, which offers a sleek and expansive outdoor terrace which benefits from sweeping views of the city. Something of a sun trap on sunnier days, guests here can top up their tans while tucking into a homely terrace menu which includes the likes of a fish finger sandwich, shepherd’s pie and a bao bun stuffed with Korean fried chicken.Where: No 1 Spinningfields, 1 Hardman Square, M3 3EB"

"Boasting the title of Manchester's highest restaurant, D&D's 20 Stories is worth a visit for the views alone. From its large roof terrace, diners can see right the way across Manchester's skyline to the Peak District - and it's planning to open for business on April 12. Bookings are available to dine on the terrace, with some limited walk-up spots reserved for people just wanting drinks."

"20 Stories Manchester is a rooftop restaurant with incredible views of the city. A cosy wonderland decked out with blankets and heaters in the winter, the outdoor terrace truly comes alive when the sun shines, as alfresco drinking and dining comes paired with luscious greenery."

"Maray, which has restaurants on Bold Street, the Albert Dock and Allerton Road, is set to reopen its Albert Dock venue next month. In a post on Instragram, Maray penned: "April 12th... "Bookings for our quayside tables at the Docks from April-May are absolutely flying, especially weekends! If your desired date and time isn’t available when you initially check, please try some alternatives on other days/times as we’d love to have you and there are slots at less busy periods."

"If you’ve been missing your shawarma wraps and spicy dishes dearly, fear not. Maray is the spot for you. Throw in some disco cauliflower (its coated in harissa, tahini, chermoula, almonds, pomegranate seeds, parsley and paprika), bhajis and harissa buttermilk chicken for sides and there you have some cracking lockdown grub available to ease you through the boredom."

"Serving irresistible Middle Eastern fusion small plates, Maray is a slow-burning smash hit. Inspired by (and named after) the Middle-Eastern flavours of Paris’ Marais district, it provides an informal, communal dining experience which revolves around excellent falafels, small plates, fine wines and cocktails."

"The story behind this restaurant is fantastic, as is the food, that’s why Mowgli is our number one destination for street food in Liverpool. Started by Nisha Katona after she left her job as a barrister to pursue her dream of bringing the culture and food with her from her home country of India to Liverpool Mowgli has gone from strength to strength. In a short space of time Mowgli was opened and had gained worldwide success as the first Indian street food restaurant in Liverpool."

"Mowgli prides itself on showing the truth about how Indians eat at home and in the street. A particular highlight would be the restaurant’s signature Yoghurt Chat Bombs for an explosion of taste. This restaurant emphasises mixing and matching up smaller dishes; a far cry from traditional Indian curry houses."

"If you have never heard about this restaurant before - then where have you been?. Mowgli serves Indian street food on Bold Street and Water Street and the people of Liverpool have been going crazy for it since 2015. The restaurant serves up a variety of meat and vegetarian dishes in tiffin boxes."

"Bundobust is another one of these underdogs which is completely turning the concept of ‘fine cuisine’ entirely on its head. No longer does good food feel the need to be served on white table clothes on fine Bone China and washed down with a 2005 Saint Emilion Grand Cru. Nowhere teaches us this lesson better than Bundobust with its 100% vegetarian Indian street food served in paper trays, paper cups and with as much craft beer as you can pour down your gullet."

"This laid-back Piccadilly street food favourite has canteen and booth-style seating, and bespoke artwork nodding to Manchester’s industrial heritage. The informal menu is entirely vegetarian: think spiced okra fries, or bundo chaat, a delightful mixture of crunchy samosa pastry, chickpeas, tamarind chutney and turmeric noodles. An excellent beer list showcases local breweries."

"Run by Dave Abe and his Japanese father, this hidden-away restaurant is one of Liverpool’s best kept foodie secrets. Set up by the pair when they noticed the lack of quality Japanese food in the North-West of England, Etsu hired the very best specialty chefs they could find and set about introducing Scousers to high-quality, authentic Japanese dishes. With over 70 years of restaurant experience between the staff, relax in Etsu’s cosy atmosphere and enjoy some jaw-dropping Japanese food, including traditional bento boxes for lunch, delicious curries such as Tonkatsu and Torikatsu, Udon soup noodle bowls and much, much more."

"Hidden from the main road within the concrete confines of Beetham Plaza, this A1 Japanese restaurant is easy to overlook. It's not a budget choice at night but, at lunchtime, it dispenses a variety of sub-£10 bento boxes. Served with rice, salad, steamed vegetables and a terrific tangle of sweet 'n' sour pickled cucumber, the pan-fried sea bass was excellent, its skin crisp, the lusciously thick ponzu dressing memorable."

"The Pen and Pencil is a Northern Quarter bar and restaurant that sits on the corner of Hilton and Tariff Street in Manchester. “The bar and eatery is open seven days a week from 10am ’til late. We take our name and inspiration from the infamous mid-20th century bar on East 45th Street in New York’s ‘Steak Row’, which was popular with newspaper journalists and ad men – the original ‘Mad Men’.”  They offer a bottomless brunch that includes dishes such as Steak & Eggs (6oz marinated rump steak, hash browns, fried eggs, hollandaise), American Pancakes (Maple syrup vt / Fruit compote and mascarpone vt / Bacon, maple syrup and pecans) and Avocado & Feta (Avocado, sundried tomatoes, rocket, poached eggs, feta cheese, sriracha, toasted pistachio nuts, pumpkin seeds, almond flakes, grilled sourdough)."

"What: Found in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, The Pen and Pencil takes its name from the notorious mid-20th-century joint on New York’s ‘Steak Row’, although there’s more than just sirloin on the menu. Head here for brunch dishes, burgers and light bites such as chicken wings or spinach and feta rolls. Sunseekers will also be glad to know that The Pen and Pencil has a large outdoor seating area for those who prefer to dine alfresco."

"Chaophraya is known for having the wow factor, and thankfully the food matches the atmosphere and décor. While being surrounded by Thai statues, patterns and furnishing you can enjoy the likes of chicken Thai tacos, tom-yum soup, chicken pad thai and of course green and red curries with your choice of meat or fish."

"The owners of Monolos were frustrated at the lack of eateries which truly catered to children and parents, so they created this unique “restaurant and playhouse “ which serves crowd-pleasing American food such as burgers, steaks and milkshakes, alongside a large soft play area. You can relax knowing that children of all ages will be entertained, whilst you enjoy your food and let them come and go as they please- they will return to the table to eat when they have tired themselves out!. This place has to be on our list of child friendly restaurants in Manchester."

"This 121-acre park was opened in 1868 and part of a set of Victorian public parks in Liverpool including Sefton Park and Stanley Park (mentioned above!). If you have a permit, you could even try a spot of fishing in the lake, how cool is that!. There’s a sports hub area for skateboarders, BMX, and scooter riders, as well as a playground if you want to relive your childhood."

"Manchester Opera House is the Palace Theatre’s little sister. It’s located on Quay Street, near Spinningfields. It is smaller than the Palace theatre however, there are still some amazing productions to see here."