'Sensational' - My verdict on three of Liverpool's tastiest alternative Christmas menus

Are you after a Yuletide treat with a twist or just too exhausted to cook? Don't worry, we've got you covered. I have been to three restaurants in Liverpool to try out some of the best alternative and special items on offer in the city this Yuletide.

The first destination on our whistle-stop food tour is MerseyMade. Not only are they a champion of independents, but they also have some pretty tasty food on offer too. 

The first thing I tried was their Christmas croque monsieur with turkey, bacon, cranberry sauce and brie. This was also the stand-out for me, offering a twist on the classic French sandwich. They tell me this is a best seller for them, and I can see why. 

Next up was their Ciabatta, generously filled with turkey, stuffing, sprouts and cranberry sauce (the condiment of the season). Christmas on a butty, well executed and satisfying. 

They're also offering a traditional roast - turkey with all the trimmings: crispy roast potatoes, honey and orange glazed carrots, creamed sprouts, Yorkshire pudding, braised red cabbage, maple roasted parsnips and gravy.

To finish, I enjoyed their sensational festive sticky toffee, a crowd-pleaser for sure.

Rudy's Neapolitan Pizza have three locations across the city centre, and this festive season, they have two winter specials on offer. 

Guanciale & pear is a white pizza topped with fior di latte, gorgonzola, Guanciale (cured pork cheek) and fresh pears. The fresh thyme really came through, and I adored the crunch of the toasted walnuts sprinkled on top. I was unsure how I'd feel about fresh fruit on my slice, but it's perfectly balanced out by the saltiness of the cheese and meat. My date and I swiftly demolished this. 

The Zucca ('pumpkin' in Italian) pizza features a pumpkin cream base, topped with fior di latte, goats' cheese, roasted garlic chestnut mushrooms, finished with a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds and chilli flakes. Suitable for vegetarians, there's a fantastic crunch from the seeds, followed by a meaty umami from the mushroom, after which a real sweetness from the pumpkin shines through. 

For my final stop, I headed over to Bold Street to Honest Burgers. Unchanged for over a decade, the Christmas burger takes Honest beef, smoked bacon, deep-fried Président camembert, cranberry sauce and rocket and brings them together in a toasted burger bun. The oozy, molten camembert is coated in a gluten-free, glorious poppyseed crumb for an added crunch. 

 They also have a vegan option available too. 

We hope that's given you some food for thought and maybe even some inspiration for any leftovers you might have kicking around this festive season. Watch the video above for our full feature.