Cosy Woolton Village hideaway, Coast, has been a firm favourite for both Liverpool locals and tourists alike, pretty much since it opened three years ago. Whilst the covered garden is the ideal summer, aperol-sippin’ hangout, the authentically old, vintage style building complete with wooden beams and a roaring fireplace makes for the perfect, cosy evening out as they start to introduce their brand new Christmas food and drink offerings. We headed down to Coast for a gin-packed Saturday night of food and festivities, and here’s how we got on.
As you step carefully inside the grotto-like venue full of stripped back wood, fairy lights and bare brick there’s no denying that Christmas time really awakens Coast’s majestic interior. With a friendly face to greet you at the door and delicious towers of homemade cakes sitting temptingly along the back wall, you’re instantly hit with that unmistakable feeling of home.
We were seated in the window, overlooking the centre of Woolton village (and the giant Christmas tree) and handed a gin and tonic menu, packed full of different gins (including Liverpool!) and a range of Fevertree Tonics – a pick n mix for adults. We paired the Whitley Neill Rhubarb gin with a refreshing Sicilian Lemon tonic for a citrus-sy tipple with a twist. If gin isn’t your thing, Coast’s new drinks offerings also consist of classic Christmas beverages from times gone by (think warm mulled wine and Snowballs) as well as the slightly more refined Prosecco and Kir Royales, so you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to Christmas drinks out.
The food menu can best be described as ridiculously delicious but slightly refined comfort food with a selection of meat and vegetable sharing boards, meat and veggie small plates, loaded fries and a range of side dishes. Our choices included the mixed board, pigs in blankets with a chilli sauce, brie n bacon loaded fries and an entire camembert inside a whole sourdough loaf. Aaaand breathe.
Our food was brought as and when it was ready so we ordered another drink and began making our way through the gorgeously presented sharing board packed full of cheese, deli meats, chutneys and crackers – antipasti heaven. This year, it seems that Pigs in Blankets have become a popular small plate option and it’s safe to say Coast’s were some of the best we’ve sampled, served alongside a really tasty chilli dip. Next up were the brie n bacon loaded fries – homemade crispy chips topped with melted brie and small pieces of chunky bacon – an old American classic combined with traditional Christmas flavours and they were to.die.for. Ridiculously rich (but that was expected) we worked our way through the generous portion throughout the evening – melted Brie on chips – a Christmas miracle.
We’d nibbled far too hard to even contemplate dessert, but if you do have a sweet tooth, the homemade cakes at Coast have a reputation for being pretty unbelievable. From classic Carrot and Victoria Sponge through to Reeses, Rolo and Lotus Biscoff, there’s no better place for cake lovers and if you can’t have a glass of wine and a big fat slice of cake at Christmas time – then when can you?!
If you’ve tried Coast’s new evening menu, you’ll be in total agreement that it’s not just a gorgeous interior but also somewhere to enjoy a creative, well-thought out menu, with that unbeatable edge of indulgence that comes with homemade, hearty Christmas food. Whether you’re after plenty of gin and a small plate Christmas feast, or a warm mulled wine and a slice of cake, Coast is your new, go-to evening hangout.