Vincent Cafe & Cocktail Bar

This new addition to the rejuvenated Exchange Flags area of Liverpool is owned by none other than Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard. So, when offered a chance to dine for free during their soft launch week, I couldn’t resist!
The restaurant is welcoming, with a small outdoor patio area covered in astro-​turf, looking absolutely perfect for some summer drinks. Unfortunately for us, it was a grey and rainy day, so we headed inside. The reception desk is slightly to the left and not in your direct eyeline, which felt slightly odd; it appears they have split the interior between bar and restaurant.
We were shown to a table towards the rear of the space — and directly in between two other full tables. It being their soft launch week, it was empty, so why sit us directly next to other people? It felt odd. I hope they change the table numbers when properly launched as they were simply printed on card and looked very last minute — a shame to detract from the shine everywhere else.
Our waitress was very bubbly and introduced herself, explaining the menu and bringing our complementary glass of prosecco over. The place mats become the menus — and my is it a big menu! Everything is on there (breakfast through to a selection of sushi) so it felt quite overwhelming. Despite this, the drinks menu is nowhere on the table, and they have separate cocktail and wine/​beer options. Menus galore!
We had a main and dessert each — pork belly with a side of broccoli followed by the chocolate pave for me, the Vincent burger and sticky toffee pudding for him. The pork was delicious and had the right balance between meat and fat (essential for a good belly!) and the pea & ham hock croquette served alongside was brilliant. The burger looked good, with a nice pink colour, and the fries were lovely and crispy. The chocolate pave was tasty, especially the peanut ice cream served on top, but the caramel popcorn seemed at odds with the dish. The stick toffee pudding went down very well — comfort food at its finest.
Overall it was a good meal and I’d recommend for special occasions if you’re in the area. However, it would have been an expensive meal — we’re talking £15-£25 for mains — and the food was just ‘good’. Perhaps we’ll revisit in a few months and let them settle…