It is not the dining rooms that the visitor sees first (they are up a narrow flight of stairs) but the stylish bar of one of the most lavish and ornate pubs in the UK, set in a public house built for brewer Robert Cain between 1898 and 1900. Outside, a plaque says the Philharmonic Dining Rooms “by virtue of its architectural interest merits the title of a Tetley Heritage Inn.” It’s located at the corner of Hardman St and Hope St in Liverpool’s stately Georgian Quarter of heritage buildings and cobblestoned streets, into which its ashlar stone masonry, slate roof and Art Nouveau metal gates fit quite perfectly.
The Liverpool Philharmonic Hall is just down the street from ‘The Phil’, which was conceived as the perfect place to have pre- or-post-concert cocktails and dinner. Two of the smaller are named after Brahms and Liszt. This handsome gentleman’s club of polished mahogany, patterned mosaic, spotless glass, mullioned windows, handcrafted leather, gold paint and antique chandeliers despite its age, has such a contemporary vibe that it makes for a great hangout. The Phil is now part of Nicholson’s Pubs, a string of historic pubs across the UK, and they take much pride in their selection of local and seasonal ales, overseen by a resident Cask Master. The food is robust pub fare, especially the bar snacks (the best fish and chips, they promise, battered with their own award-winning ale), whereas the dining rooms offer more formal restaurant service. The men’s restrooms date to the original and draw curious visitors to “the high quality urinals in a particularly attractive shade of roseate marble” (women look in when they are not in use).