Really great tea room. Themed Alice in wonderland cafe with cups, decor and music to suit…read more Definitely worth a visit if you're into that sort of thing. Staff are polite and food is good quality.

Pinder's is somewhat of a hidden gem in the local area, or at least to me it is anyway. I recently…read morestumbled across it accidentally whilst out in Southport and as my friends and I were quite hungry, we decided to head inside and try it out. From the outside, Pinder's just looks like your bog-standard café/greasy spoon but upon entering, you are greeted with an old-fashioned diner look, complimented by different figures decorating the café such as Betty Boop. Think a bit like those American 50s diners that are around now, but less tacky and more authentic-looking. The food there is a mix of sandwiches and toasties and good home cooking like freshly made apple crumble (which is deliciously sweet) and hotpot, a speciality of theirs. Drinks-wise, they offer a very good selection of hot and cold options, including cream tea, all of which are very cheap. The service there is quick and efficient whilst still being friendly and the whole place has a very personal and cosy feel to it. A lovely place to go for some good food or a hot drink.

From the owner: We specialise in our Hot Pot a recipe passed down from our grandmother. Fresh coffee ground to…read moreorder, fantastic breakfasts, and home baked pies. Just good home cooking

Rich's Ice Cream Coffee Shop and Gelataria is based along Southport's shopping boulevard. It…read moreprovides a welcome break after a long walk along the promeade because you can wind down in this lovely cafe whether it is to sip a mug of coffee, slurp on a luscious sundae or bite on a toasted sandwich. Most strikingly through their window, you'll easily see that their speciality is selling beautiful ice cream for your delights (at a cost)! However, you'll find a generous variety of flavours to make your mouth water. My favourite has to be Pistachio, which I found to be just as good as the one I had in Venice. Certainly worth the money if you enjoy it! As well as ice cream and hot drinks, they strangely combine their sweet business by offering a selection of savoury snacks, such as breakfast butties and soups with rolls. These dishes are are a bit pricey but when you consider it's prime location and fine dining experience, it is second to none. All this makes Rich's such a tempting place to visit and why not on a gorgeous day. "I scream, You scream, We All scream for ice cream!"

And now, back to an establishment that is a bit more traditional in Southport, Rich's Coffee Shop…read moreand Geleteria. Although, saying that, 'geleteria' does sound a bit exotic and unusual, doesn't it? It does sound more enticing than 'ice cream shop' though, so I can see why they'd use that instead. Rich's is primarily a nice little café at the quieter end of Lord Street which offers its customers a pleasant atmosphere in a reasonably-sized area that gives shoppers the chance to take the weight of their feet and have a hot drink and a sandwich or light snack. However, where Rich's really excels is in its range of desserts. As their sign says, Rich's sells ice cream in a variety of flavours and colours, meaning even the fussiest person could find a flavour to suit their tastes (I usually play safe and stick to chocolate myself, but each to their own). Their dessert menu also features a selection of homemade delicacies such as sundaes and huge chocolate éclairs which at three quid are pretty expensive but are definitely worth it, as my éclair-loving friend will testify.

There's lots on offer at The Edge of Ormskirk, which is very close to the bus station and across…read morethe road from the cycle shop. I had cheese on toast, which was chunky and strong, while my hungry niece had a milkshake and afternoon cream tea. She couldn't finish, so we helped her with the excellent slice of chocolate cake. Coffee is good, too, and the service is friendly, even when the place is packed. It did feel a little tight, though.

I went to The Edge of Ormskirk for the first time yesterday. I met a friend for a quick coffee at…read more11 am and after, coffee, hot chocolate, an amazing bacon butty, a delicious home made scone (still warm from the oven) and a delightful pot of tea complete with china cups and tea cosy we left at 1.30!!! Very lovely, friendly staff, very comfortable and reasonable prices. Love it!

You're homesick. You miss your mummy/daddykins/dog/significant other/catfish/weasel/antfarm. You…read moreneed some of that home cookin' to soothe your lonely soul, something traditional and warming and comforting. And while in this humid heatwave such thoughts might turn your stomach as much as they're turning mine, I'm thinking back to the cold winters of November when I visited Pudding and Pie in a chilly, wind-whipped Southport. It's worse on the coast, you know. Rumour has it that breeze is so sharp it can make your favourite jumper threadbare. True story. Look no further to solve those feelings than the very definition of stodge that is Pudding and Pie, a place where they do a mean fish finger sandwich (whether the fish were mean before they became fingers remains to be seen), a steak and ale pie that views your arteries as a personal challenge, Lancashire hot pot that could rival Betty's in the Rover's, soups designed to put hair on your chest when you're feeling infirm... all 100% home made. And if you've made the leap to the fat-is-flavour side of the river this far, you might as well finish yourself off with an equally cosy pud. Eccles cakes, or fly pies as my mother calls them (thanks, dear parent, for ruining a traditional north westerly baked treat), apple crumble so warm and juicy that Jim from American Pie would want to get a room with it, bread and butter pudding that ain't stingy on the bright yellow sticks of doom... it's all here, waiting to comfort you. The location is pretty delicious too; Wayfarers Arcade happens to be one of my favourite spots in Southport and the ornate architectural delight that it is blankets Pudding and Pie in even more loveliness. Plus it's super central, so once you've had your fill you can either walk off your heavy tummy by hitting the shops with aplomb or head straight to the beach for a lunch-burnin' sand hike. Either way, the staff are lovely and it makes a superb spot for a substantial lunch or naughty treat any time of the day... one I'd highly recommend.

A friend and I came here for Lunch. We got the Vegetarian Shepherd's pie and homestyle fish and…read morechips. The service was at Pudding and Pie is very good. The guy behind the counter was super nice and made a few jokes, the waitress was also very nice and accommodating. The food at Pudding and Pie was very filling and well priced. They even had free games and crayons to pass time. What a great place to just relax and have a good meal!

Whenever my mother wanted me to feel special she brought me here. Now now, get that vision of an…read moreuptight, stressed and stingy with love mother out of your head, we're not talking any central matriarch from We Need to Talk About Kevin here, I was one spoilt rotten kid, with affection, and materialistically. It's amazing actually that I've turned out as well-adjusted and selfless as I have. *Chuckles to self, recalls all 'you're not the centre of the universe!' comments from significant others* Anyway, lunch in Southport meant one of several options. It meant The Gallery if my grandmother was around, as she had lofty aspirations. It meant Pippins, Coffee Bean or a department store if both parents or my father were present. It meant somewhere silly with the brunette where we'd forego nutritional value in favour of empty calories. But if it was just Mum and me, it'd be Nostalgia. The cutest, sweetest, kitschiest place on earth. It is just stunning. You're situated above all the shops on Lord Street so the view out of the windows is fantastic, if you ever get round to it after taking in the view indoors. The ornate high ceilinged tea room is divine, and it's perhaps not one to take the partner to, considering that all the warmly-welcoming and efficient waitresses wear traditional tea room outfits. Ooh, matron. Well it is Nostalgic after all... Old-fashioned is the order of the day here, and that extends to the menu. High teas, quaint sandwiches, cream scones, soups, light bites, traditional main meals, scrumptious desserts, and plenty of warm and cold beverages to choose from. The food is rich and tasty and feels like a treat. There's a function room on the second floor and the place has won countless awards for just how accomplished and friendly its staff are. Don't think the posh vibe makes it all formal, you couldn't find a more relaxed and lovely ambience. It's easy to miss - there's a narrow opening by the Early Learning Centre and the tea rooms are located above that, up a rather heavy climb of stairs. Still, it's certainly worth the exercise and it's an overall memorable experience, one you'll want to relive again and again. Come along and be ladies what lunch! Or men, I'm sure the frilly aprons will entice you too.

I've been coming here since before I can remember; in fact I practically grew up here. So many…read morememories of my visits to southport include this place; from afternoon teas to family functions. This place has not changed! If you want to feel lady like and transported to another era this is the place to go! However the food is not so good since the new owners have taken over. It's simple food and really I'm picking at straws. But if you are looking for a quick bite and delicious scones then head here. My visit today I had the tuna toastie - the toastie was okay, maybe a tad more mayo ( or something with tang?) and the salad was pretty lifeless (do it well or not at all I say!) but overall okay. Also had the Bakewell tart which was lovely. But nothing to write home about. 3 for food 4.5 for service and ambience 10 for childhood memories!

How do I love thee Pippins, let me count the ways. First of all I always have and always will love…read moreyour quiches. They are amazing. They are served warm or cold (and warm doesn't mean soggy, they somehow stay crisp and light) with gargantuan side salads full of pasta and coleslaw and Waldorf and all sorts of lovely things. Varieties include broccoli and tomato, mushroom, cheese and onion, Lorraine, you name it, they've put it together. The sandwiches always taste fresh too. Prawns, egg, cress, all lovely with a cup of tea. The soup is always hearty and warming. The cakes, pies, slices and pastries are astonishing. But the most impressive fact about Pippins is that all this is homemade. Even their salad cream. I've been coming here for a bite ever since I was a little girl, and it hasn't changed a bit since then, apart from extending its opening hours to Sundays (perhaps a symptom of the recession but the fact that it's survived has made me woop with joy, it being open on Sundays just makes it even better). The same orange design, same cute apples with faces, same terracotta tiles, same trays, same kinds of things on the menu (but a wider drink choice and more options for veggies) all at the same great prices. In Pippins, there is a table full of magazines and newspapers to choose from while you eat. They always have a copy of Private Eye. This was our routine, my father and I, we'd grab Private Eye and a few supplements and settle down for lunch or a cake and a cuppa, him with a scone with clotted cream and jam (all homemade) and me with a slice of their stonking lemon meringue pie, their chocolate cake, a Millionaire's shortbread, an almond croissant, a giant cookie... there's just too much to choose from and I'd have them all if my body wasn't bound to reject that much sugar. The staff at Pippins are lovely, always accommodating and cheerful. When I was little I always had a glass of fresh milk with my lunch, it was the only thing I'd drink, and Pippins still to this day has a brilliant milk cooling machine with a poster on it encouraging kids to drink up. It worked on me. I might have switched to caffeine since but it's a great touch. Proper large pots of tea, enough for about two and a half cups accompany a really relaxed, quiet ambience. You could quite easily stay in here all day and it has a lovely view of Southport's main shopping street. It's a stone's throw from the station too, and make sure you walk straight past Nero because when Pippins is on the same street it might as well not even be there. This isn't just one of my favourite places in Merseyside, it's one of my favourite places in the world thus far. It might look a little dated, you might think you're the youngest person in there, but trust me, this adds to its charm. Gorgeous.

I went in here on a recent visit to Southport with my mum and sisters. Usually I would have walked…read morestraight past and ignored it. From the outside, Pippins looks really old fashioned and like somewhere only your grandparents would venture! There's nothing to entice you in, the café is actually up on the second floor, the entrance is tiny and is squeezed between Phones4U and M&S. After going up a big staircase, you enter the café. It's actually a large sized place, although it still feels quite old fashioned. The decor and ambience are more suited to old people! However they had a great selection of hot and cold food on offer and the prices were very reasonable. It was much busier than I expected, I had visions of us being the only people in the place, but it we were lucky to find a free table! Good place for a bite to eat at lunchtime, or a hot drink.

Contrary to what you might assume, Coffee Bean is not a new, Starbucks coffee shop wannabe but is…read moreinstead a lovely cosy café that has been around for several years. The café itself isn't particularly large but is certainly big enough to do the job and what it lacks in size it definitely makes up for with its quality food. Coffee Bean's menu has a range of hot and cold snacks as well as a small selection of main meals too. Their snacks include sandwiches and soups which are fairly tasty and reasonably priced. The main meals there are especially good though, with an excellent mixed grill available there for less than seven pounds; a great price for a meal that leaves your stomach fully satisfied. The staff there are friendly and are able to offer each diner a personal service, meaning a trip to Coffee Bean is always a pleasant one, whether you're going for a cup of tea and a cake or for a sit down meal.

This is another Southport stalwart I've been visiting since I was tiny, and I'm so glad it's…read moresurvived. Long before I gave up meat, when I was a littlun, my father and I had one very specific thing in common - we didn't like our bacon cremated. Years later when my mother's genetics started to fight with my father's, I came round to her way of thinking and proceeded to set fire to every piece of bacon I cooked, you know, when it's so burnt you can snap it. This broke my father's heart as I was his sole companion in the fussy bacon department but once you've had a crispy BLT you never go back. The point of this longwinded story is that the Coffee Bean (a great name conjured up long before coffee increased its importance in society, years before Starbuckses and Neros) always did bacon just as we liked - soft and yielding. And their bacon butties were legendary. It was the only place to go in Southport to get a decent down-to-earth bacon, sausage or egg sandwich, a greasy spoon with less grease and more class. I'm so glad it's still standing. It's a top little spot and you can get a great cup of coffee, pot of tea (or indeed glass of milk, as was always my poison as a youngster) to wet your whistle. The food is simple and lovely, the staff are happy to be working there and the atmosphere's fabulous. Please, keep these places going and don't let the chains take over our lovely little seaside town, it's imperative.

Café Jules is a lovely little café just around the corner from the similarly excellent Delizzis…read morecafé, that offers a range of lunchtime refreshments for all its diners. Priding itself on using local ingredients, Café Jules offers the usual selection of hot and cold sandwiches and panninis, all available at reasonable prices (and slightly cheaper than Delizzis around the corner, I might add). However, where Café Jules really shines is with its breakfast menu. Offering a cooked breakfast for just £1.99 before 10:30, Café Jules really does offer great value for money if you're feeling a bit peckish and you don't fancy a greasy Maccies McMuffin instead. For those of you who don't think the £1.99 breakfast is enough, there is also 'The Works Full English' breakfast available for a fiver which is pretty gargantuan, but delicious all the same and does the job very well. They also have a range of daily specials at Café Jules that are always worth checking out and the staff there are very friendly and attentive, making it a great place to go for breakfast or for a lunchtime snack.

This cosy little café/bar is carefully hidden away down a side street in the middle of Formby…read morevillage so could be easily missed. In the daytime, it is your typical little café, offering cappuccinos, lattes, various panninis and the like. However, it is of an evening when Café D'Art comes alive, as Formby residents flock there long after the other local drinking establishments close (they have late opening hours, ideal for those poor souls craving a replacement for Shorrock's Hill, Europe's number 1 hotspot). The drinks there aren't very cheap but by the time you get there you're usually too pissed to care, plus the beer they have there is pretty good compared to your usual pub draughts. The only negative is its size, meaning it can be full without really being that busy, which usually results in the action spilling out onto the alley and round the corner into the village but if you don't mind the squeeze then I highly recommend Café D'Art as a place to drink through to the early hours.

There is a distinctly French theme to Formby's backstreet eat-and-drinkeries, well to two of them -…read moreCafe des Crepes and this little establishment. Its quiches, soups, pizzas and paninis all round here; mostly homemade (or at least constructed on site) and with judicious use of sundried tomatoes and oil. Dessert-wise it's spongy cakes, teacakes and sticky tarts - great stuff. Of an evening the little place goes full-on wine bar and serves a selection of beers, wines and spirits in a brassiere style. Of a weekend there can be a real throng of locals in here dissecting the week's events over a vodka tonic or a petite glass of beer. The walls of the establishment are hung with local art, usually of a surprisingly high quality and in a variety of styles, all of which is available for purchase. Definitely one of the best destinations in Formby for a drink, some light lunch or some art-gazing. Fantastic.