If you really fancy an ice cream and have the choice of Rossi's or nothing, have nothing…read more Rude, ignorant proprietor. Ice cream tasted 'clinical' - complained ,and was told 'Ive been selling it all day' - no apology, no replacement, no refund. Unlike most establishments, no prices were visible (dodgy - let's fleece the tourists !). Thankfully, the scoops were so ungenerous, the experience didn't last long. 'Home made ice cream' - only if your home was a factory full of poor quality ingredients. The only time you could possibly find an authentic flavour, would be if you requested oxygen and ice crystals flavour, or the brown coloured 'death by blandness'.

Authentic home-made icecream and sundaes including traditional and non-traditional flavours such as…read morecandyfloss. Huge sundaes in glasses with 3 scoops of ice cream were less than £4. There were massive bakewell tarts, scones and victoria sponge slides on offer as well. Lovely service from the cafe owner.

Despite not eating pizza or pasta, Italian restaurants are my favourite kind; if it's authentic…read moreenough, there's always a great atmosphere and the promise of something tasty and, quite simply, a wonderful evening. Gusto always appealed to me, the tinted windows always inspiring a voyeuristic stare and suggesting a restricted exclusivity. I wanted in. The classic Italian food is ideal for lunch or dinner and the restaurant itself, while sophisticated and quite refined is rather laid back and tere is a very informal feel here which is appealing. There is a mix of salad dishes, appetizers and specials available. Insalata dell'Orto e del Mare or Seafood Salad went down a treat; the ingredients were so fresh and tender and only £5. divine. I was really impressed. Forgot to mention- the desserts are AMAZING; Tuscan biscuit; apple tart; pancakes; sorbets there's so much to choose from!

We're in Southport again! I just can't keep away. And yes, it's another Italian! #And I can't fight…read morethis feeeeeling anymooooore#, I'm obviously obsessed with Italian food no matter how much I protest the reverse. This place is packed to the rafters on weekends, after all it's in a prime Southport location on Lord Street where all the very nice shops are and the lovely architecturally historic buildings and the beautiful branch of Waterstones set in an old bank and whatnot. So no doubt hoards descend upon it of an evening, thus you'd be wise to book in advance if you fancy a pizza or pasta here. It's classic rustic Italian fare with a sprinkling of creativity. The salads as starters wind up being absolutely ridiculously huge, and would easily do as a main course despite being only £5.95, and the pizza here is the stuff of legends. Everyone in Southport seems to rave about it and rightly so, it's crisp, fresh and exactly as you'd expect it in Italy with lovely simple thin toppings and doesn't leave you feeling like a doughball by the end of it. There are plenty of pastas to choose from too, and the one with artichokes and truffle oil is just divine. Meanwhile if you're catching lunch there the sandwiches can be made with foccacia. Could I be any more sold? The cheese platter with pears is a glorious way to finish off the meal with a sweet and savoury combo, but if you're in the mood for something far more indulgent there's the quintessential tiramisu, chocolate crepes, pistachio ice cream, apple tart or caramelised fruits with amaretto and marscapone which I really couldn't resist - try it and see what heaven really tastes like. All in all, reasonably priced with great service and a superb wine list in a gorgeous setting. Nothing to complain about here.

This homemade ice-cream shop has the feel of an Italian gelateria…read more The shop is gleaming and clean and the staff are friendly. The flavours are seasonal, varied and unusual, changing almost daily. I recommend the rose-hip orange and seabuckthorn (that is all one flavour). Not sure what seabuckthorn is but it tastes delicious and the proprietor told me it is packed with vitamins - if you need an excuse to eat ice-cream. The cappuccino is as good as anywhere and hot drinks are served with a homemade biscuit. The snacks are fresh and nicely presented though I noted the soup is Heinz? Good place to rest up after a walk round the nearby Brick Croft nature reserve. Buon appetito!

A superb coffee shop and delicious award winning home made ice cream with lots of flavours. The…read moreplace is spotlessly clean and the staff are all very pleasant and friendly. There are always plenty of customers which shows how popular the place is. Most important for passing traffic is the large car park 20 yards away. Mother and daughter owners deserve every success and make everyone welcome.

Dip dab, drumstick, love hearts, parma violets, sherbet dip, black jacks, fruit salad, refreshers,…read morebarley sugar, cola cubes, rhubarb custard, chocolate coconut macaroons, chocolate flavoured fruits boiled sweets are ALL by favourites and are all available at Sweet Memories. There is such a selection its awesome! Most of these I had as a kid and so it's great to see them still around. I think the ones I got particularly excited to see where the chocolate flavoured fruits - sort of tasty and horrible all at the same type, but you still eat them, which is quite an achievement for a sweet, don't you think. You can even ask for 2 ounces, a quarter or half a pound of any sweets you desire, if you really want to go back down memory lane. There are also sweets that haven't been around so long, but still yummy!

Sweet Memories is a traditional handmade sweet shop within Wayfarers Arcade in Southport…read more Inside definitely brought back memories when I was younger. Everything from Strawberry Bon Bons, Drumsticks, Sherbet Flying Saucers to Uncle Joe's Mint Balls never fails to impress. The smell of sweets as you enter and the rainbow of colours is truly fantastic. Plus, if you like ice cream, it's all handmade here and they offer many favourite and unique flavours. And the same applies to sweets too - some flavours were out of the ordinary, including Dandelion and Burdock favloured boiled sweets but as they sounded ever more odd, they sounded ever more exciting. Time to grab a bag and re-visit memory lane at the appropriately named Sweet Memories!

Even in midwinter, with those parts of the farmyard beyond the car park turned to a muddy quagmire,…read moreThe Hay Loft Tea Shoppe radiates a warm and welcoming glow to the weary walker. Isabel A rightly mentions the duck pond right outside the tearoom door. There is quite the menagerie of other feathered friends roaming freely here with the dozen or so peacocks naturally being the stars of the show! The old farmhouse which houses the tearoom is inscribed '1741' and the whole operation has an authentic traditional feel to it. On my only visit here so far, I had a fruit scone and butter with my friend enjoying a plum crumble with custard and a pot of tea - all quality stuff, sizeable portions and a very nice price of £5.65. Looking at the cake display and also the daily specials board, I would estimate The Hay Loft to have substantial culinary firepower. I was pleasantly surprised to note the numerous vegetarian options, with daily specials including broccoli & Stilton soup, roast vegetable lasagna and a vegetable curry. Price wise, for proper food cooked on the premises, I would think this place is practically unbeatable. Also, another vote from our party for the friendly service received here. I would definitely go out my way to come back here, and I would recommend this a great choice for food and refreshment after a walk in Formby Beach or Nature Reserve or seeing the animals/tractor riding at Farmer Ted's (kids!) For the summer, Cheshire Farms ice cream is available here, definitely one of the northwest's top premium ice creams. Lydiate Farm Shoppe is on the other side of the farmyard - I will review it separately. In conclusion, of Lancashire farm eateries, there maybe some which are larger or more posh - but it wouldn't be surprise me if The Hayloft outpointed even full-blown farm restaurants on an overall score of food, hospitality and comfort.

Oh no.... We walked in absolutely starved for the lady in…read morethere to tell us "we can do tea and coffee but no food because the chef has decided to go home". Oh no, no, no, no, no, no.

Visited here for Father's day in a group of four. We had booked and we're seated immediately. The…read morerestaurant was very busy. Russ the owner for the past 23 years was also working and greeted us all warmly . We all picked three courses for £14 each Excellent value for the quality of food served. The cuisine is English with a Mediterranean twist . All fresh and appetising to look at. You can also choose a Sunday roast . Definitely worth a visit if your in Southport as very reasonable for the ambiance and food quality.

Ah, Auberge. This is one of those places I've visited every now and again when I've been in the…read morebrunette's hometown of Southport, and the standard does shift frequently. Sometimes this French style place is somewhere you want to shout about, other times it's somewhere you want to shout AT. What keeps me coming back is the fact that when it's good, it's really good. The atmosphere is great, very ambient, and the menu always looks very classy but doesn't always live up to its description. The one quality that's never varied however is that of the moules marinier, mussels which are surely to die for. Or at least, make a special journey for. Sometimes accompaniments can be a little undercooked, and depending on your mood the jovial, jokey and bantering staff can either be the perfect tonic or your worst enemy. It's not the most efficient of service but most of the times I've stopped by I've felt well looked after. Despite its troubled past (problems with chefs scarpering with a great deal of moolah), Auberge does come up trumps when it wants to. A frequently changing menu keeps things really fresh, and the staff do have a lot of advice to offer about the menu. While the wine list can be a little pricey you can often get special offers if you look in the right places, so you might be able to get your money's worth. All in all a bit of a Gemini of a restaurant, but can be worth the risk...

I don't eat many olives, but I have noticed you never seem to get many deformed ones like you…read moresometimes get with things like strawberries for example, never mind fat ones (not that olives are a fruit, I'm just using a strawberry as something to compare it to). The Fat Olive is a pleasant enough restaurant on the outskirts of Ormskirk village that offers diners a range of options and menus with a good selection of dishes on them. They offer a early bird menu 12pm-7pm Monday to Saturday in which you can pick from dishes such as rump steak, lamb hot pot and steamed mussels, with 2 courses on offer for twelve pounds. Their a la carte menu is more extensive and slightly more sophisticated, with the menu including more basic dishes like lasagne and linguine alongside crispy seabass, herb baked chicken and roasted duck breast. Their prices are a bit steeper if you go for the more exotic dishes but they are well-cooked and very tasty so I guess you are getting value for money at least. Their desserts are also worth checking out as they include a lovely strawberry and Amaretto cheesecake that is sweet but with a kick to it as well as "luxury" ice creams. Quite how ice cream can be luxury I don't know, but it's worth checking out isn't it?

Visited the Fat Olive with a family member looking at the local uni, we had not booked and the…read moreplace looked busy but the manager found us a table on the upstairs balcony. We were given two menus, the normal a la carte and a special Tuesday menu. I had to ask if i was reading the offer right, two courses for £10 all day on a tuesday. There were supplements on some items (prawns and steak) which i think is the norm nowadays but we stayed clear of those items. I had a starter of Greek salad and main of salmon fillet and my friend had main course of garlic roast chicken and a warm sticky toffee pudding. With two soft drinks (and jug of water) the bill was £24 and we throughly enjoyed ourselves. The food was tasty, and didnt look like portions had been made smaller for the special offer. I will be booking next time, lovely value for money experience.