The ultimate guide to Liverpool’s Bold Street - where you can eat around the world in 80 ways

Known for its cafés and the Bombed out Church at the top of the road, Bold Street is a hive of activity and interest.
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With bags of character, Bold Street is well-loved by locals. Located in the Ropewalks area of the city - named so due to the craft of rope-making for sailing ships that dominated the area until the 19th century - it is bustling with international eateries and some of the city's longest-running independent shops.

⛪ At the top of Bold Street sits St Luke's. If you're a local, you'll know it as the 'Bombed Out Church'. Almost entirely destroyed during the May Blitz of 1941, leaving just its external masonry standing. A shell of its former self. The site lay derelict for over 60 years serving as no more than a landmark at which to meet friends. It's now reopened to the public and hosts markets, cinema nights, theatre festivals and more.

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🍻 The longest-running cafe bar in Liverpool, serving the city for nearly five decades, Cafe Tabac opened in 1974 in the style of the great Bohemian cafes of Europe. Serving food and drinks to the creative residents of Liverpool, it attracts artists, actors, singers and performers.

🧥 If you're a vintage clothes lover, then Bold Street is the place to go with the likes of Pop Boutique and Sohos. With pre-loved, one-of-a-kind and small indie labels available, shopping sustainability has never looked so good.

☕ Need your caffeine fix? Bold Street Coffee has been a staple on the scene for over a decade. As well as serving blends from independent roasters, they dish out an impressive brunch menu, including their signature egg buoy. They also host exhibitions from local artists.

🍽️ It's often said you can eat around the world without leaving the street with cuisines to suit almost every taste, from Turkish to Korean, Lebanese to Italian. Nisha Katona opened her first Mowgli Street Food venue here, and it's also where you can find the original Maray, home of the famous disco cauliflower.

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📖 News from Nowhere is Liverpool's not-for-profit radical & community bookshop - established in 1974 and run collectively by a women workers' co-operative. They stock literature which aims to empower and inspire people to make positive changes in the world. This isn't actually the shop's original location, but they've called Bold Street home since the 90's.

🎦 You'll have to forgive us for cheating slightly with this one, as it's not actually on Bold Street, but it's just around 50 yards away. FACT Liverpool on Wood Street has two large art galleries, three cinemas, a media and events space, a lab for learning, and a bar and cafe. From groundbreaking exhibitions to the latest blockbuster releases, it's somewhere to explore digital culture in the heart of the Ropewalks.

🏪 Mattas International Foods is another icon of Bold Street. The family-run business stocks a range of ingredients from a wide range of cuisines. With a focus on vegetarian and vegan products, with fresh vegetables, tons of spices and plenty in between. Whether you're looking for a taste of home or you're after some culinary inspiration - you can most likely find it here.

🚉 Alight here for the Northern and Wirral line. Liverpool Central Station is the city's busiest train station despite being a bit smaller than Lime Street. It serves passengers on the Merseyrail Network, providing a hub for commuters and day trippers alike. But when you're on Bold Street - why would you want to be anywhere else?

Watch the video at the top of this page for our full feature on Bold Street.