The Philharmonic Dining Rooms is an elaborate historic pub at 36 Hope Street in Liverpool’s cultural quarter. Commissioned around the turn of the twentieth century and styled like a gentlemen’s club, it is known for stained glass, rich woodwork and unusually ornate public rooms. Its position opposite Liverpool Philharmonic Hall has long made it a natural meeting place for concertgoers and performers.
Food follows the Nicholson’s tradition of substantial British pub cooking. Pies are a particular strength, with fillings such as British beef slow cooked in pale ale, chicken and mushroom, and a plant based root vegetable hot pot. Mashed potato, seasonal greens, carrots and gravy turn them into complete meals rather than simple bar snacks.
The menu also gives seafood meaningful space. Fish and chips, scampi, fish pie and changing fish specials sit alongside familiar pub choices such as sausages, burgers and macaroni cheese. Smaller plates and sandwiches suit visitors stopping before a performance, while the dining rooms allow a more leisurely lunch or evening meal.
Sunday roasts bring together roasted meat or a vegetarian alternative with potatoes, seasonal vegetables, Yorkshire pudding and gravy. Cask ale is a natural accompaniment, though wine, whisky and gin broaden the drinks selection. The Philharmonic Dining Rooms combines dependable pub food with one of Liverpool’s most distinctive historic interiors.
Address: 36 Hope Street, Liverpool L1 9BX, United Kingdom
Philharmonic Dining Rooms Menu
Small Plates & Starters
Lightly Dusted Calamari
Mango & sweet chilli salsa
Hand-Cut Nachos (V) – Large
Hand-cut tortilla chips, cheese sauce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream and jalapeños. Add pulled beef brisket
Hand-Cut Nachos (V) – Small
Hand-cut tortilla chips, cheese sauce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream and jalapeños. Add pulled beef brisket
Beef Brisket Nachos – Small
Hand-cut tortillas chips , pulled beef brisket, cheese sauce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream and jalapeños.
Beef Brisket Nachos
Hand-cut tortilla chips, pulled beef brisket, cheese sauce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream and jalapeños.
Tomato & Basil Soup (V)
Toasted rustic ciabatta. Vegan alternative available.
Roasted Garlic Mushrooms on Rustic Toast (VE)
In a creamy garlic & spinach sauce. On toasted rustic ciabatta.
Tomato & Basil Soup (VE)
With basil pesto, and toasted rustic ciabatta.
Pulled Beef Rib Croquettes*
Gochujang mayo, watercress & pickled pink onion salad.
King Prawn & Smoked Scottish Salmon Cocktail*
With toasted ciabatta, little gem lettuce and a bloody Marie Rose sauce.
Traditional Sunday Roasts
All our Sunday roasts are served with roast potatoes, glazed parsnips, thyme roasted carrots, long stem brocolli, a Yorkshire pudding and gravy.
Nut & Root Vegetable Roast (VE)
Walnut, almond & hazelnut roast, with onion gravy.
Roast Beef
Hand-carved roast rump of beef
Nut & Root Vegetable Roast (V)
Walnut, almond & hazelnut roast, with onion gravy. Vegan alternative available.
Roast Chicken
Succulent roasted chicken breast with sage & onion stuffing
Sides
Cauliflower Cheese (V)
Yorkshire Puddings (V)
Pigs In Blankets
Roast Potatoes (VE)
Crispy garlic & thyme roast potatoes.
Halloumi Fries (V)
Sweet chilli mayonnaise.
Skin-On Fries (V)
Chunky Chips (V)
Long-Stem Broccoli (VE)
Truffle & Parmesan Fries
House Salad (VE)
Tomatoes, cucumber and mixed leaves in a pineapple & lemongrass dressing.
Garlic Ciabatta (V)
Our Pie Collection
We pride ourselves on serving the very best traditional pies. Our pies are served with buttery mashed potato, thyme roasted carrots and a rich gravy.
British Steak & Nicholson's Pale Ale Pie
Awarded gold at the British Pie Awards. Blade of beef in Nicholson’s Pale Ale gravy in a thyme pastry pie.
Chicken, Leek & Tarragon Pie
In a creamy white wine and tarragon sauce. Topped with golden puff pastry.
Mushroom & Spinach Suet Pie (V)
In a rich red wine and tarragon sauce. Vegan alternative available.
MUSHROOM & SPINACH SUET PIE (VE)
In a rich red wine and tarragon sauce. With long-stem broccoli, thyme roasted carrors and a rich gravy with baby potatoes.
Beef Rib, Shin & Brisket Pie
Cooked in a rich red wine sauce, topped with light pastry.
Fish Pie
Cod, salmon & king prawns in a creamy white wine sauce, topped with thyme & mature Cheddar mash. With long-stem broccoli and thyme roasted carrots.
Mains
Nicholson's Fish & Chips
Hand-battered haddock in Nicholson’s Pale Ale. Chunky chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce. Add curry sauce.
Garlic Chicken Schnitzel
Schnitzel smothered in garlic butter, skin-on-fries, watercress and pickled red onion salad.
Ocean Fish & Chips
Hand-battered* haddock & breaded wholetail Scottish scampi, Chunky chips, mushy peas and tartare sauce. Add curry sauce.
Nicholson's Fish & Chips (Large)
Pan-Roasted Salmon Fillet
Crushed baby potatoes, long-stem broccoli and Scottish mussels with a white wine butter sauce.
Nourish Bowl Salad ▲ (VE)
Kale, brown rice & quinoa salad, with cherry tomatoes and mango, long-stem broccoli and pumpkin seeds.
Chicken Caesar Salad
With crisp lettuce, cherry tomatoes, smoked bacon, Parmesan, croutons, and a classic Caesar dressing.
8oz Chargrilled Sirloin Steak
21-day-aged steak, chunky chips and a choice of peppercorn* or bone marrow bearnaise sauce.
Chargrilled Chicken & Chorizo
Chargrilled chicken breast, pan-fried chorizo, long-stem broccoli, sautéed baby potatoes.
Pesto, Cheese & Spinach Gnocchi with Chicken
Basil pesto, creamy garlic & spinach sauce, thyme panko breadcrumbs, rustic garlic ciabatta. Add Chicken.
Pesto, Cheese & Spinach Gnocchi (V)
Basil pesto, creamy garlic & spinach sauce, thyme panko breadcrumbs, rustic garlic ciabatta.
Salmon & Dill Fishcakes*
With glazed baby potatoes, house salad and Sicilian lemon Mayo.
Sausage & Mash
British pork sausages, buttery mash, caramelised onion gravy. Vegetarian serve available.
Vegetarian Sausage & Mash (V)
Vegetarian sausages served on a bed of creamy mash and topped with gravy.
Sirloin Steak Sandwich
21-day aged sirloin steak, served medium, with chimichurri sauce & baby watercress, on rustic ciabatta. Served with skin-on fries.
Burgers
Our mouth-watering burgers come with lettuce, gherkin, tomato and mayonnaise on a brioche bun and are served with skin-on fries.
Classic Cheese & Bacon Burger
Chargrilled beef patty, smoked back bacon, Cheddar cheese.
Spinach & Falafel Burger (V)
Pink pickled onions, plant-based slice, baked mushroom, tomato salsa. Vegan alternative available.
Buttermilk Chicken Burger
Crispy buttermilk chicken breast, smoked bacon, Cheddar cheese, guacamole.
The Nicholson's Burger
Double beef patty, cheese sauce, smoked back bacon, crispy onions, hash brown.
Spinach & Falafel Burger (VE)
Pink pickled onions, plant-based slice, baked mushroom, tomato salsa. Vegan alternative available.
Beef Brisket Burger
Chargrilled beef patty, hand-pulled BBQ beef brisket, cheese sauce.
Puddings
Sticky Toffee Pudding (V)
Bourbon vanilla ice cream.
Zesty Lemon Tart (V)
With berry coulis and freshly whipped cream.
Apple & Cinnamon Crumble Pie (VE)
Mixed berry coulis and indulgent custard.
Double Chocolate Brownie (V)
With bourbon vanilla ice cream.
Sandwiches
Available Monday – Friday until 4pm. Served with your choice of skin-on fries, chunky chips or house salad.
Crispy Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich
With Gochujang mayo, little gem lettuce, pickled pink onions and crunchy slaw. On rustic ciabatta.
Fish Finger Sandwich
Nicholson’s Pale Ale battered fish goujons with tartare sauce, in a brioche bun.
Grilled Halloumi Sandwich (V)
With grilled red peppers and basil pesto, on rustic ciabatta.
Nicholson's Club Sandwich
Triple decker sandwich. Grilled chicken breast, crispy smoked back bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise, in toasted farmhouse bread.
Chargrilled Sirloin Steak Sandwich
21-day aged sirloin steak, served medium. With chimichurri sauce & baby watercress on rustic ciabatta.
Sandwich Choices
Choice of side included with sandwiches. Truffle & Parmesan Fries available as an upgrade.
Choice Fries V
Choice Chips V
House Salad (VE)
Tomatoes, cucumber and mixed leaves in a pineapple & lemongrass dressing.
Truffle & Parmesan Fries
Gold Buffet Dishes
£24.50 per person
Cheeseburger Slider
Chorizo And Chicken Skewers
Goats Cheese And Spinach Croquettes (V)
With tomato salsa.
Lightly Dusted Calamari
with a sweet chilli & mango salsa.
Mini Lamb & Mint Pies
Salmon & Dill Fish Cakes*
With tartare sauce.
Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings
with a BBQ glaze.
Smoked Scottish Salmon & Avocado
Spiced Grains Salad (VE)
Sweet Potato & Apricot Falafel * (VE)
Silver Buffet Dishes
£20 per person
Goats Cheese And Spinach Croquettes (V)
With tomato salsa.
Salmon & Dill Fish Cakes*
With tartare sauce.
Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings
with a BBQ glaze.
Crispy Chicken Sliders
Lightly Dusted Calamari
with a sweet chilli & mango salsa.
Spiced Grains Salad (VE)
Smoked Scottish Salmon & Avocado
Pulled Beef Rib Croquettes*
Bronze Buffet Dishes
£17 per person
Wholetail Scottish Scampi
with tartare sauce
Beer-Battered Mushrooms (V)
With a sour cream dip
Salt & Pepper Chicken Wings
with a BBQ glaze.
Tossed Grain Salad (VE)
With a pinapple and lemongrass dressing.
Pulled Beef Brisket Sliders
Smoked Scottish Salmon & Avocado
Vegetarian Buffet Dishes
£19 per person
Goats Cheese And Spinach Croquettes (V)
With tomato salsa.
Beer-Battered Mushrooms (V)
With a sour cream dip
Sweet Potato & Apricot Falafel * (VE)
Spiced Grains Salad (VE)
Spiced Falafel Sliders (V)
Halloumi & Veg Skewers (V)
Sharing Boards
Sandwich Board
Roast beef & horseradish, grilled chicken & avocado, mature Cheddar cheese & chutney* and free-range egg mayonnaise sandwiches.
Desserts
Finish your buffet with some savoury or sweet treats.
British Cheese Selection (V)
Double Gloucester, Farmhouse Cheddar, Blue Shropshire and Somerset Camembert cheese with a selection of crackers, English beer chutney and celery. £3pp
Dessert Platter (V)
Salted caramel profiteroles with chocolate sauce and baked vanilla cheese cake, with a raspberry sauce.
Bar Snacks
Sticky Chicken
Sweet chilli & som tam dressing
Lightly Dusted Calamari
Mango & sweet chilli salsa
Halloumi Fries (V)
Sweet chilli mayonnaise.
Padrón Peppers (VE)
Loaded Chunky Chips
Pulled beef brisket, mature Cheddar cheese.
Hand – Cut Nachos (V) – Small
Hand-cut tortilla chips, cheese sauce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream and jalapeños. Add pulled beef brisket
Beef Brisket Nachos – Small
Hand-cut tortillas chips , pulled beef brisket, cheese sauce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream and jalapeños.
Traditional Sausage Roll
With Bloody Mary ketchup*.
Small Plates & Sharers
Hand – Cut Nachos (V) – Large
Hand-cut tortilla chips, cheese sauce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream and jalapeños. Add pulled beef brisket
Beef Brisket Nachos
Hand-cut tortilla chips, pulled beef brisket, cheese sauce, guacamole, salsa, sour cream and jalapeños.
Oven-Baked Camembert* (V)
Topped with pumpkin seeds, honey & thyme. With beer chutney and toasted rustic bread. Recommended for two.
King Prawn & Smoked Scottish Salmon Cocktail*
With toasted ciabatta, little gem lettuce and a bloody Marie Rose sauce.
Pulled Beef Rib Croquettes*
Gochujang mayo, watercress & pickled pink onion salad.
Tomato & Basil Soup (VE)
With basil pesto, and toasted rustic ciabatta.
Roasted Garlic Mushrooms on Rustic Toast (VE)
In a creamy garlic & spinach sauce. On toasted rustic ciabatta.
Tomato & Basil Soup (V)
Toasted rustic ciabatta. Vegan alternative available.