Christmas 2022: Alternative festive food in Liverpool - from pigs in blankets pizza to Thai green curried turkey

A new study has revealed that 'Marks and Spencer' is the UK's most Googled supermarket for Christmas food in 2022. But what about the days in between when you just can't be bothered to shake those pots and pans?

Maybe you're just sick of the sight of traditional festive food. Well, never fear we've got you covered.

We have been to three Liverpool restaurants with festive menu items which offer an alternative to those who are after something more than a bit of dry turkey and soggy sprouts.

Mamasan

This Asian restaurant in Liverpool ONE may not be your first thought when looking for a festive menu, but you might want to think again. They even have a cocktail which looks like Santa! Prosecco bubble contains citrus vodka, elderflower, cranberry bitters, passion fruit and Prosecco air.

After some Vietnamese shrimp crackers with some delectably spicy sauce, I started with the gin cured salmon. Baby beets, pickled lemon and horseradish snow, complemented the smoked fish.

For my main course I enjoyed a green curry of turkey ballotine (they also do a roasted squash version of this for non-meat eaters). Not only was this delicious and substantial it even gave me some inspiration of what to do with those leftovers that seem never-ending.

I went for the cranberry cheesecake with biscoff crumb and cherry sorbet for dessert. Never too cold for ice cream, is it?

Honest Burgers

Unchanged for ten years, the Christmas burger takes Honest beef, smoked bacon, deep-fried French camembert, cranberry sauce and rocket and brings them together in a toasted burger bun. The oozy, molten camembert is coated in a gluten-free poppyseed crumb, delivering a glorious cheese flavour.

The vegan option is no less indulgent, filled with a Beyond Meat burger patty, a double portion of Applewood Vegan cheese, shoestring fries for added crunch, cranberry sauce, and rocket. The dish has also been upgraded this year with the addition of La Vie bacon.

The dish is the perfect winter gift for the season and comes served with homemade rosemary salted chips, seasonal coleslaw or dressed green salad included.

Delivering the festive feel to foodies for one month only, the Christmas and Vegan Christmas specials are available at all 43 Honest Burgers' restaurants from now until 2nd January.

Pizza Punks

Pizza Punks is one of the newest additions to the Bold Street food scene.

On their festive specials menu, those who want what is essentially a roast on a pizza have a Punks Christmas Dinner Pizza. This is loaded with pulled confit turkey, pancetta sprouts, hot honey glazed carrots, garlic & rosemary roast potatoes, stuffing and gravy.

We decided to bypass this as it seemed too obvious; instead, we went for the Pigs in Blankets pizza - not your typical pigs, as they are candied in hot chilli honey - though it basically does exactly what it says on the tin.

We also tried the Vegan Christmas Dinner pizza, which has a white base, roast leeks, garlic & rosemary roast potatoes, sundried tomatoes, cranberry and gravy.

We also had a side of Pigs in Candied Blankets, which means, sadly, we didn't have any room for the churros and chocolate sauce.

Their festive favourites are available until the new year.