Olive Press - Liverpool

The Olive Press in Liverpool, with a sibling in Manchester was once part of the Paul Heathcote empire, but now belongs to the burgeoning stable of Living Venture group of restaurants. The restaurant bills itself as a 'pizzeria, bar and grill' and it's ideally situated in the heart of the city's financial quarter, just a stone's throw from the nightspots.

The char-grill and brick-fired oven hold centre stage and deliver everything from Italian burger in a focaccia bun with mozzarella and pesto, served with fries to pork cutlet saltimbocca with cured prosciutto. There are also salads and a range of self-style 'handmade artisan pasta and risottos', a great selection of pizzas and seafood dishes such as roasted hake with salsa verde, potato and egg. To finish, indulge in one of the luscious Mediterranean sweets like tiramisu, Nutella and mascarpone calzone or how about hot chocolate brownie served with pistachio ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Kids have their own menu and are encouraged to make their own pizzas from scratch. The well-chosen global wine list hits the target, with plenty of lively drinking on offer together with a tasty cocktail menu.