'New chapter' - Beloved Liverpool restaurant Maranto's to close for huge revamp after 43 years on Lark Lane
Lark Lane's cherished Maranto's restaurant is closing in January.
The family-run restaurant that has been part of life on the Lane since 1983, and is preparing for its “biggest refurbishment to date”.
The venue will close in January 2026, with the owners reassuring customers that the revamp will keep everything people love about Maranto’s while introducing new features that make it ready for the years ahead.
Founded by husband-and-wife duo Steve and Ruth Maranto, the restaurant grew from a “labour of love” into one of Liverpool’s best-known family businesses.
Salvaged pews, wrought iron from Preston station and a bar from Altrincham town hall gave the Grade II listed Victorian building its unique character, and for years Steve and Ruth lived in a single room above the restaurant while work was completed.
Today, their daughter Anna and her husband Joe run Maranto’s, supported by a loyal team - many of whom have been with the restaurant for decades.
Anna said: “Maranto’s has always been about family and food, and that will never change. It is still the same family, the same recipes and the same welcome, but we are excited to give the building a new lease of life.
“The refurb will help us look to the future while keeping hold of everything people love. The menu will stay true to the Italian-American favourites that customers return for, while the interiors will be refreshed with rich greens, mosaic tiling and those little touches like the Tiffany lamps that have been part of Maranto’s since day one.”
Upstairs, the bar area will be revived with a new games room created. Chesterfield booths, shuffleboard and darts will bring a new energy to the space, and the toilets will also be fully modernised, including a new women’s bathroom overlooking the lane.
Maranto’s will close in January 2026 and reopen in time for Valentine’s Day.