Smithdown Road

Located in the south of the city, Smithdown Road in Liverpool is a very popular student area thanks to an abundance of bars, restaurants and takeaways being on your doorstep, as well as being in close proximity of Liverpool’s universities, Sefton Park and the city centre.

You’ve also three supermarkets to choose from – Asda (otherwise known as ‘The Asda’ In Liverpool), Aldi and Tesco express, and you can keep fit and healthy in the Lifestyles Gym on Wellington Road.

Keep reading to find out more about life in and around Smithdown Road below!

Smithdown Road Events

Due to its location being a hop, skip and a jump away from the city centre, there are a whole heap on events going on in Liverpool that are practically on your doorstep. The hardest part will be choosing which one you want to go to!

However, there is one event that is becoming a firm favourite in South Liverpool, and that’s the free Smithdown Road Festival.

Taking place over the May Day Bank Holiday Weekend, this free festival promises a jam-packed schedule of live music, comedy, theatre and cinema.
There will be 180 bands playing across 16 stages, as well as a street food market and a pop-up cinema and theatre!

Smithdown Road Bars and Pubs

The great thing about Smithdown Road is you can have a relatively cheap night out here without having to go to town. Check out just some of the bars and pubs you could be stumbling out of.

The Brookhouse

This hard-to-miss pub is a student haven and each day brings with it a different food and drink offer for every day of the week. Who can argue with a pie and a pint for £5.99?

Kelly’s Dispensary

This much-loved lively pub does a great selection of beers and cask ales. They also have open mic nights, quiz nights and live music gigs.

Craft Taproom

There’s a great variety of craft beers available in this friendly bar, and the beer list is constantly changing and evolving. The weekly pub quiz is always a good laugh!

Handyman’s Supermarket

Based in what used to be the legendary Handyman’s shop for at least 40 years on Smithdown Road, this micropub and brewery produces real ales brewed above the bar, and is well worth a visit.

Smithdown Road Restaurants

The restaurant scene on Smithdown has had somewhat of a revival over the past couple of years. Once seen as a takeaway mecca (but don’t knock ‘em until you’ve tried ‘em, because the takeaways along here are amazing, especially after a boozy night out), it’s now transforming into a bit of a foodie destination in Liverpool.

Here’s some places you might very well be eating in if you choose to live in this area.

The Tavern Co

We can’t talk about Smithdown Road restaurants without mentioning the Tavern Company’s award-winning breakfast. Yes, they won The Nation’s Best Breakfast two years in a row!

So, if you’re looking for a hangover cure on the weekend then make sure this Mexican American restaurant is your first port of call. Word of warning though, the queues are massive on a Sunday morning. (However, they do have this breakfast milarki down to a tea, so you won’t actually be waiting that long.)

TriBeCa

The pizzas here are pretty phenomenal (the capricciosa is a taste sensation) and they also have a big screen in the bar for footy. Winning!

Christakis

This place is practically an institution on Smithdown and is the place to go for authentic Greek food. Don’t order the mezze unless you’re really hungry!

Spitroast

This chicken restaurant is getting a bit of a following due to its fresh, tasty chicken offerings, oh, and did we mention they they deliver a chicken roast dinner?! Try the the piri-piri salted chips – you won’t be able to stop at one.

Smithdown Road has got great links to all the universities due to the abundance of bus routes that run through it, and with it only being a 10 to 15 minute bus ride away from the city centre, and a short walk away from Sefton Park and Allerton Road, it’s easy to see why this particular area is so popular with students.

Take a look at some expected journey times to the city’s universities.

Liverpool Hope University
2.2 miles, which would work out as a:
• 9 minute car journey
• 14-17 minute bus journey via the 86C or 75
• 42 minute walk
• 13 minute bike ride

University of Liverpool
1.5 miles, which would work out as a:
• 7 minute car journey,
• 19-27 minute bus journey via the 699, 86A or 201
• 36 minute walk
• 10 minute bike ride

Liverpool John Moores University City Campus
1.9 miles, which would work out as a:
• 9 minute car journey
• 21 minute bus journey via the 86, 86A, 86C or 75
• 37 minute walk
• 10 minute bike ride

Liverpool John Moores University IM Marsh Campus
1.8 miles, which would work out as a:
• 8 minute car journey
• 17 minute bus journey via the 80A or the 699
• 37 minute walk
• 10 minute bike ride

LIPA
2 miles, which would work out as a:
• 9 minute car journey
• 17 minute bus journey via the 86 or 86A
• 37 minute walk
• 11 minute bike ride