Belzan Explained

Mapframe:yes
City:Liverpool
Country:England
Current-Owner:Chris Edwards
Owain Williams
Sam Grainger
Head-Chef:Sam Grainger
Food-Type:Fine dining

Belzan is a restaurant on Smithdown Road in Liverpool, England. It was named one of the country's best restaurants by The Good Food Guide and has been featured in the Michelin Guide.

History

Belzan was opened in 2017 by friends Chris Edwards, Owain Williams, and Sam Grainger. Williams had previously worked at Liverpool's Hope Street Hotel.[1] Grainger is also executive chef and has been a contestant on Great British Menu.[2]

Description

Belzan is a modern bistro.[3] The Michelin Guide commented on its "cosy" interior and "unassuming location", while both The Guardian and Lonely Planet described its style as relaxed but sometimes challenging.[4] [5]

Talking to BBC Radio Merseyside, Grainger described the restaurant's cuisine as fine dining with seasonal British produce. He tries to cook with ingredients from within 30 miles of the restaurant as much as possible, such as using pumpkins from a customer's local allotment and wild garlic from Sefton Park.[6] [7]

The restaurant's signature dish is its Pommes Anna baked with a Guinness rarebit top, served with a Bois Boudran-style sauce of tomato, tarragon, and vinegar. The Guardian writer Grace Dent said that the highlight of her visit was rice pudding flavoured with tonka bean, a substance banned in the U.S. because it is fatal in large doses.

Reception

Belzan has been named as one of the country's 100 best local restaurants by The Good Food Guide. In 2023, it was featured in the Michelin Guide.[8] It has also been noted as one of Liverpool's best restaurants by The Guardian, Conde Nast Traveller, Time Out, and BBC Good Food.[9] [10] Delicious magazine listed it as one of the best restaurants in the country for solo dining.[11]

American actor and comedian Will Ferrell made headlines when he dined at the restaurant during a visit to Liverpool for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Megrath . Christopher . 7 October 2023 . Friends 'trying to do something different' created a top UK venue . 6 April 2024 . Liverpool Echo . en . 6 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240406055821/https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/friends-trying-something-different-ended-27797992 . live .
  2. Web site: BBC Two - Great British Menu, Series 18 - Sam Grainger . 6 April 2024 . BBC . en-GB . 6 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240406152203/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/vKq8qkcND5jd2qngY7H8Y6/sam-grainger . live .
  3. Web site: Belzan – Liverpool - a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant . 6 April 2024 . MICHELIN Guide . en-GB . 6 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240406055820/https://guide.michelin.com/gb/en/merseyside/liverpool/restaurant/belzan . live .
  4. News: Dent . Grace . 20 April 2018 . Belzan, Liverpool: 'A rare feat – relaxed as hell, but a bit challenging, too' – restaurant review . 6 April 2024 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077 . 6 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240406055819/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/apr/20/belzan-liverpool-restaurant-review-grace-dent . live .
  5. Book: Lonely Planet Great Britain . 9781787015715 . Albiston . Isabel . Davenport . Fionn . Duca . Marc Di . Dixon . Belinda . Harper . Damian . Nevez . Catherine Le . McNaughtan . Hugh . Parkes . Lorna . Symington . Andy . Ward . Greg . Wilson . Neil . 15 February 2022 . Lonely Planet .
  6. Web site: 19 August 2023 . BBC Radio Merseyside - David North, 19/08/2023, 'Belzan' named as one of 'Britain's 100 Best Local Restaurants' by The Good Food Guide . 6 April 2024 . BBC . en-GB . 6 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240406072341/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0g7n1ng . live .
  7. News: Naylor . Tony . 12 November 2021 . The Mersey eat: Liverpool's 10 best restaurants and food halls . 6 April 2024 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077 . 6 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240406072341/https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2021/nov/12/liverpool-10-best-restaurants-and-food-halls . live .
  8. Web site: The best restaurants to eat in Liverpool . 6 April 2024 . Good Food . en . 6 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240406160519/https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/travel/uk/best-places-eat-liverpool . live .
  9. Web site: 22 April 2022 . These are the best restaurants in Liverpool right now . 6 April 2024 . CN Traveller . en-GB . 6 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240406055819/https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/best-restaurants-liverpool . live .
  10. Web site: 14 December 2023 . The best restaurants in Liverpool right now . 6 April 2024 . Time Out Liverpool . en-GB . 6 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240406055819/https://www.timeout.com/liverpool/restaurants/best-restaurants-in-liverpool . live .
  11. Web site: Finney . Clare . 26 April 2022 . Would you eat out alone? Plus the UK's best restaurants for solo dining . 6 April 2024 . delicious. magazine . en-GB . 6 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240406161258/https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/the-best-restaurants-for-solo-dining/ . live .