The story
Wreck at 60 Seel Street in Liverpool brings a grounded approach to modern European cooking after its careful restoration. Founder Gary Usher revived the derelict space through crowdfunding and pop-up trials before establishing a permanent kitchen. Anton Piotrowski took over as head chef in March 2026, steering the brigade toward straightforward preparations. The venue secured a place in the 2026 Good Food Guide for maintaining consistent quality across both lunch and dinner services.
The kitchen balances bistro comfort with unexpected layering across a seasonal European menu. An honest gazpacho starter arrives alongside smoked bacon, toasted nori, and roast garlic toasts that ground the acidity. Salt-baked pineapple pairs cleanly with salsa verde and pig’s head croquettes, letting bright herbs cut through the richness. These early plates set a tone where simple ingredients receive careful handling rather than heavy processing.
Evening plates highlight precise technique, such as cod fillets dressed with taramasalata and smoked apple dill dressing. Braised featherblade beef gains depth from truffle and Parmesan chips instead of heavy reductions. The owners describe the overall approach as simple, though the execution demands constant attention to balance. Daily specials rotate regularly to match supplier deliveries and seasonal shifts.
Weekend mornings welcome early diners with a dedicated breakfast service that runs until midmorning. The cellar opens with house Spanish selections available by the glass or a modest £23 bottle price. Half a dozen regional brews sit alongside the wine list for those who prefer malt over grape. Desserts stay firmly populist, offering strawberry pavlova with melon sorbet or an île flottante finished with rum custard and peanut brittle.
Recognition
Details
History
1 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
*Anton Piotrowski has been appointed head chef from March 2026.* Brought back to life from a state of dereliction in 2017 by Gary Usher's bold, creative ambition – including a crowdfunding campaign and life as a pop-up – handsome 60 Seel Street is now living its best life as Wreck. Like the rest of Usher's family of thriving north-western bistros (Sticky Walnut et al), it's all about excellent ingredients creatively handled and priced so as not to scare the horses – and don't go thinking it's all about fish. The 'bistro menu' (available lunchtimes and early evenings) is a particularly appetising three-course affair, while the main menu is a step up; although the owners describe their food as 'simple', it's true to say that 'simple' is a relative word. Take an honest gazpacho starter, for example, with smoked bacon and toasted nori, plus roast garlic and parsley toasts – this is inventive stuff with flavour at the heart of everything. Salt-baked pineapple and salsa verde are an ideal foil to pig's head croquettes, while mains might bring cod fillet with taramasalata and smoked apple/dill dressing. Truffle and Parmesan chips luxe out a braised featherblade of beef, and there are regular daily specials to look out for as well. Desserts are a populist bunch ranging from strawberry pavlova (with melon and mint sorbet) to an exotic île flottante with rum custard and peanut brittle. There's also some good news for Liverpool's early birds: Wreckfish now serves breakfast at weekends and bank holiday Mondays (9am-11.30am); book a table or just turn up on spec. The wine list opens with house Spanish at £23, and everything is available by the glass; there are also half a dozen bottled beers covering Leeds to Bavaria.
Location
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