Restaurant 8 'by Andrew Sheridan'

Arrive at Restaurant 8 not knowing what to expect. Avoid everything but the booking page on the website. Let yourself be surprised by what unfolds. If you happen to glance at ‘immersive dining experience’, don’t be put off - this is the kind of place where you want to be immersed and are reluctant to leave.

Food started upstairs. Curtains were thrown open and an enormous, dry ice-emitting trolley bearing the 8 logo in glowing white light that housed chef’s snacks was wheeled forward. Such a theatrical opening needs the food to match. Snacks such as a bite-sized cone-shaped reinvention of cheese and pineapple immediately proved this would be the case.

Tone set and snacks finished, we descended into the cavernous underground dining room, which, despite being painted or carpeted black from floor to ceiling, was welcoming. The group of sixteen was divided in two and seated to be served chef’s table style. Having the person who made your food watch you eat it can be daunting, but the chefs at 8 were charming and engaging, all while preparing and plating seven (three savoury, two sweet and one cheese) multi-element dishes.

Each of these was excellent and beautifully presented, inventive without being pretentious and using well-known flavours like Malibu in a way that didn’t feel tokenistic or point-proving. A perfectly cooked scallop surrounded by a warming without being spicy curry sauce was the standout savoury dish. The sweet courses produced the best food of the evening, headlined by a pillowy soft Cornish saffron bun that expertly balanced potentially overwhelming flavours.

An immersive dining experience is only as good as its people, and it’s these that make 8 such a success. The result is a supremely well-executed and important venue for both Liverpool and the North West.

Restaurant 8 is a unique dining experience led by Liverpool-born chef Andrew Sheridan. Guests are invited to enjoy an immersive sensory experience, filled with nostalgic storytelling, incredible food and drinks, and a curated soundtrack designed to complement the meal.

Andrew Sheridan rose to prominence after competing on Great British Menu in 2018 and 2019, an educational experience that saw the chef hone his skills and eventually win the Welsh heat in the latter year. 8 is very much a summation of his time spent cooking on the show, as well as years of hard work and graft, pushing himself to be the best he can be. The concept originally launched in Birmingham while Andrew was executive chef at Craft Dining Room, but has since relocated to Liverpool.

The chef’s table can seat up to 16 guests, and the entire experience is themed around the number eight, from the types of dishes to the number of courses. At its core, 8 is based around simplicity, quality produce and flavour, using food to evoke childhood memories and nostalgia without any of the stuffiness associated with fine dining.

Menus are seasonal and constantly fluctuate throughout the year. In fact, its offering is given a complete makeover in April, July, October and January in line with what’s in season. An example of a meal you might expect to try there includes a selection of chef's snacks to start, followed by mackerel with gazpacho and horseradish, scallop with brown butter and dashi, wagyu beef with pickles and truffle, and jasmine rice with coconut and lime. Sweet things, meanwhile, might feature chocolate with salted caramel and pecan praline.

Restaurant 8 is open for dinner Wednesday to Friday, and for lunch and dinner on Saturdays. Split across two floors, there is an upstairs area for pre-dinner drinks and snacks, while two separate 10-cover counters are each staffed by two chefs.