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!

Firstly, May I point out how fantastic, friendly and warm the service was! It was simply…read moreunbeatable. You could hold a conversation as if you've knew them for ages and are having a general catch up as it were. Now, onto the food. Delicious. No, heavenly. For starters I had the minestrone soup which was freshly prepared for me, then for the Main I had the Chilli con carne, my brother had the barbecued pork if I remember correctly which he wolfed down (considering he's a fussy eater this was a great result!) and my grandma had the vegetarian option. The chilli con carne was slightly piquant, but delectable all the same. Also, don't forget that the food cooked here is ALL home-made. Twinned with the ambient surroundings (and the service!), you have the most fantastic dining experience. Theres no long wait as you'd find in Pizza Express, and the food is piping hot without fail. They have a desert trolley with all home made cakes made by the chef, if I had my way I would have had them all. No over exaggeration. I ended up going for the lemon meringue like my brother whilst my grandma settled for the apple crumble. We all enjoyed the deserts thoroughly. Taking into account the quality of the food, service and surroundings you'd be expecting a hefty bill when you go to pay. Do not fear, I was pleasantly surprised when the waitress told us how much it was. Absolutely outstanding, it really is. So, if your looking for a pleasant restaurant, that is ideally situated in Southport with top-notch, fresh home-made food and don't want to splash the cash then the Little Gourmet is perfect for you. Go on, give it a try. I promise you won't regret it. (Next time I'm up North that's my 1st stop.)

Fantastic food and the choice of menu. Staff are friendly and the surroundings are nice. The…read morerestaurant was a lot bigger than expected as it doesn't show this on the website. Would definitely come again.

This was my first visit to Southport and was taken by my colleague to The Office Bar & Restaurant…read more We arrived just before opening at 11am and were allowed in as it was raining. Although the kitchen didn't open until 1130am, we were able to order drinks. The person I was with frequents the establishment on a regular basis, so knows the staff well. When it came to food, there was a very good menu with a wide range of dishes catering to most people's requirements. Food quality was excellent and service was very good (this was standard to everyone & not just because my colleague knows the staff). I paid the bill and was very pleasantly surprised at the cost. It came out far better than I expected. I'd recommend this establishment to anyone and when next in Liverpool, will be making a special effort to eat here. Well done to all the staff.

It was an amazing selection of the most juiciest foods. I was really hungry and devoured the 2…read moresausage chips meal with curry and beans. Restrooms were as clean as ever and the drinks were icy cold so it was all fresh, the chips were not soggy and were delicious as well as the fish being an absolute masterpiece, the curry was sweet and great. Overall I really enjoyed. One more thing, the employees are the most thoughtful and nice people, they are very nice and easy to talk to, they are helpful and always willing to cater to your needs. Overall I had a fantastic time at The Dolphin.

Fish and chips. The staple of any seaside community. They're either moreish, lipsmacking and…read moredelicious, or mediocre. There seems to be no in between. Thankfully in Southport you're spoiled for choice and Dolphin is one of the best chippies in the vicinity. It's not just a chippy though. It's an actual restaurant, which might take away from the takeaway feel (do you see what I did there?) but you can still get your tucker all wrapped up in paper to sit on the promenade with so it shouldn't make a difference. If you do go for the dining in option, you'll be treated to excellent service as well as friendly banter and a choice of cod, haddock, fillet, plaice, scampi or fishcake or perhaps a pie, burger, sausage, egg... anything you'd find in your regular greasy spoon but neither greasy nor cheap-tasting. You can also get traditional dishes like gammon and pineapple, roast beef or chicken, lamb or turkey, boiled ham or a salad for prices between around a fiver and £7.25. At this place prices really are cheap as chips. Puds include apple pie, banana split, gateaux or knickerbocker glory and it's all very quintessentially British. As you can imagine with a menu like this it's a great place to take the elders, and aptly enough there's a special senior citizen's menu. Very Southport, very English and very cute.

Silcock's Funland sits proudly on Southport's seafront, making it one of the prime entertainment…read morelocations for visitors. I used to love amusements and I still do because of the variety of games I could try my luck at (without spending too much of course); easier said than done! This amusement centre is one of the biggest I have been to and hosts a whole array of gambling machines, fun games and features a small cafe. It's not exactly Vegas but for Southport, it shall suffice!

I'm sorry, but to a child this is horribly misleading. Funland? I saw that big lit up sign as a…read morenaive seven year old and went running up to it as fast as my little legs would carry me. There was a FUNland on the edge of PLEASUREland?!? I thought my heart would explode with the joy! What wonders could this amazing indoor Funland offer in addition to the vomit-inducing thrill rides and demonic-looking wooden horses of Pleasureland? What dreams were hiding behind that door? If my seven year old self knew how to swear, I'd have been effing and blinding with disappointment. Behind the garish neon glare of Funland's veneer were coughing old men, indulging in the promises of '80p tea and coffee', gambling their pensions away on fancy fruit machines. Okay, so there are a few family-friendly treats here, but mainly in the form of those mechanical animal rides they always take the mick out of on my favourite American cartoons. I'm thinking of that episode of The Simpsons where Bart's birthday party is held at Wall-E-Weasel's, slogan to which is 'we cram fun down your throat'. It's got a quaintly cheap café which sells the aforementioned inexpensive hot beverages as well as traditional meals and sandwiches, but you come here for a fill-up rather that cordon bleu. If you like arcade games it might just be the place for you, but I can't look past that youthful disappointment I once experienced. Oh well. I guess fun is a very subjective word.

I have a friend who frequently waxes lyrical about the film 'Highlander' starring Sean Connery…read more I'm not totally sure he's actually seen it, but he loves to twitter on about it anyway, throwing references to it into conversations whenever he deems it necessary. The Jolly Highlander is a restaurant that specialises in traditional British cuisine but despite this, it seems somewhat out of place in an English seaside town. If anything, it would seem more at home in a popular Spanish holiday destination like Benidorm, where holiday goers love a little taste of home whilst catching some rays on the beach. The food on offer is quite tasty, home cooking but don't expect anything too sophisticated; the menu features such dishes as fish and chips or steak and kidney pie and chips. Not sure if there's any haggis on the menu though, or deep fried Mars bar (although I'd love to try it). I'm sure they'll have Irn Bru though, if you ask nicely.

Want to hop into a pretty hotel and eat at a very nice restaurant? Perhaps on the seafront, where…read morethe air is fresh and salty and the wind might make your hair inexplicable? Well you've found the very place. You've got the ultimately perfect view here as the restaurant is in a conservatory right at the back of the hotel and outside of it is a very well put together garden with walls and a decked area where you can walk out and enjoy everything a seaside location has to offer. Meanwhile the food, service and ambience is all top notch. Definitely one to try if you fancy being beside the seaside.

The Bay Horse in formby is part of the Toby Carvery chain. Located on Church Road at the back of…read moreWaitrose, it is easy to find and has plenty of free parking. The restaurant is laid out like a country style house, with lots of different areas and cosy corners. It has a warm and cosy atmosphere and is great for families. The staff are very friendly and helpful and service is good. There is a separate bar area where you can just go for a drink, they also have a pub food menu if you just fancy a light bite to eat rather than the full blown carvery. The main restaurant is a carvery restaurant. There are several different meats on offer, served by a chef, you then help yourself to as much vegetables, potatoes etc as you fancy! It's a great idea and the food is delicious. There is plenty of choice and it is all freshly cooked. Great value at about £5 before 7pm and £7.50 after.

Good quality food and a nice family atmosphere. Well worth a visit, especially for the carvery.read more

This has to be the best pub in Lytham st annes. The drinks are reasonably priced with the hidden…read moregem being the food. The pub sell bar snacks all day that are homecooked and excellent quality and value for money. If you are after something more substantial then there is the restaurant to the side which is relaxed well staffed. With fantastic prices such as 3 courses for £9.99 you can't go wrong. The staff are all excellent and the pub landlord runs a very tight ship which is what makes it such a great place to go. This is why when you go in you will find all age ranges from young to old. Oh and beer is pretty good too!

having lived in st annes years ago it was nice to revisit this pub beer and wine was ok food was…read moregood i always remember it being so tho the one drawback wernt over enamoured with the student types who worked behind the bar especially the lad who seemed to take great fun in taking the mickey out of the scottish notes i presented it does grate on you especially when we are trying to encourage tourism to a town however il give it a good rating because i do like this pub.....gj from dundee

If you're a fan of the show or of beer, you won't be disappointed here! What a great, huge venue…read moreand an amazing atmosphere. It has ambiance with the bar tenders dressed like the show. It's a limited true craft beer destination with most drafts being mainstream. Cheers