Baltic Fleet

I don't know about you, but in amongst all the good meals, fashionable restaurants and what might loosely be termed the upper middle end of the restaurant trade, every so often I like to go for a bit of local colour. Increasingly difficult to find, once located they need to be cherished and returned to for irregular inspection, and very occasionally special chums can be introduced.

Of such an ilk is The Baltic Fleet, on the waterside in seriously maritime Liverpool, and even shaped like a ship. Furthermore, at what landlubbers refer to as "the sharp end" there is a micro-brewery producing some very creditable ales, including one called Wapping Bitter. Around 40 bottled beers from an international cast bring delight to connoisseurs of such matters.

It is one of those places where drinking takes preference over eating, a refreshing attitude, but after all the point from which pubs started. This is not to say you cannot eat there, but don't try it on during the evening. Lunch on weekdays is ok, and brunch is served until 4pm at weekends. At lunchtime keep an eye open for souse, the local stew served with bread and red cabbage. For the thoroughly decadent pinches of snuff are to be had.