Ellis Barrie, recognisable from the BBC’s Great British Menu and soon to star as one of the celebrity chefs on Ready, Steady, Cook, is set to open a new restaurant in Liverpool with his brother and fellow chef, Liam Barrie, next month. The pair already has a well-established restaurant in Anglesey – The Marram Grass – but decided to return to the city in which they grew up to launch their second restaurant.
Lerpwl (pronounced ‘Ler-Pool’) is the Welsh name for Liverpool, which is fitting since the restaurant plans to use Welsh produce on its seasonally-inspired menu, alongside international ingredients that celebrate the trade links Liverpool has with the rest of the world.
No menus have been released yet, but a few posts on the Barrie brothers’ social media accounts reveal that dishes such as whole turbot and freshly-baked sourdough are in the pipeline. These are similar to the kinds of dishes on offer at The Marram Grass, though the Anglesey restaurant operates a blind tasting menu whereby diners are asked to trust in the chefs’ capabilities to produce a series of stunning dishes.
The only other information known about Lerpwl just yet is the building itself. Located on the Royal Albert Dock, the space has been designed to reflect its industrial surroundings. It will feature a restaurant on the ground floor, a mezzanine level that will house a DJ booth and a private dining room upstairs. Other restaurants located on the Dock are mainly chains, including Gusto and a branch of Rosa’s Thai Café, so Lerpwl already has a certain edge.
Lerpwl was supposed to open in February, but is now expected to open in April instead. We will, of course, keep you updated with any further information as and when we get it, including menus and opening hours.