Fifteen real Liverpool beer gardens, courtyards and rooftops, from a Grade II listed dockside pub to a 220-capacity rooftop above a food hall, each with what to expect, what’s on tap, and whether dogs are welcome.
Baltic Fleet (33a Wapping, Baltic Triangle)
A Grade II listed Victorian pub on Dock Road, built in the 1850s in a distinctive ship-bow shape. It brewed its own Wapping Beers on site from 2002 to 2016, and the small dockside terrace out front looks straight across at the Albert Dock warehouses.
- Open 7 days, from midday
- Cask ale, craft beer, log burner in colder months
- Dog friendly
The Botanical Garden (5 New Bird Street, Baltic Triangle)
Liverpool’s original outdoor gin garden, set in the yard of a former ice cream factory. It only operates March to September, no bookings needed, and owner Laura Jackson calls the recycled-furniture look ‘shabby chic’.
- Seasonal, March to September
- Gin cocktails, craft beer, street food from Ta’amiya
- Dog friendly
- No bookings, walk-ins only
Kazimier Garden (32 Seel Street, Ropewalks)
A hidden courtyard garden off Seel Street with heated ‘Gastro Pod’ huts that seat up to six, log fires in winter, and a menu that always keeps vegan options on. It’s also home to occasional vegan-only days.
- Heated Gastro Pod huts, seat up to 6
- European and craft beers, cocktails, snacks from Kaz Kitchen
- Log fires in winter
Garden of Eden (The Shankly Hotel, Millennium House, 60 Victoria Street)
A rooftop terrace on top of The Shankly Hotel with 360-degree skyline views, artificial grass, and loungers. It doubles as a wedding and events venue, so it’s only open to walk-in drinkers on days it isn’t booked out privately.
- Rooftop terrace with skyline views
- Cocktails, draught beer
- Check ahead, can close for private events
The Merchant (40 Slater Street, Ropewalks)
A Ropewalks corner bar with neon booths, wooden benches and exposed brick in its beer garden, tended by a rotating roster of DJs. CAMRA lists it as dog friendly and it’s a short walk from Liverpool Central station.
- Wooden benches, exposed brick garden
- Craft beer, cocktails
- Dog friendly
- Regular DJ sets
St Luke’s Bombed Out Church Garden Bar (Leece Street (Garden Bar & Cafe, St Luke’s Church))
An open-air bar built into the gardens around Liverpool’s famous bombed-out church, a partial ruin left standing since the May Blitz of 1941. Hours are weather dependent and run seasonally, with table ordering via the venue’s own website.
- Seasonal, weather dependent
- Beer, cocktails, street food
- Dog friendly
Sub Rosa (3 Kings Dock Street, Baltic Triangle)
A hidden rooftop-style suntrap from the team behind The Botanical Garden, with string lights and six bookable outdoor spaces that can connect into one larger event area holding several hundred people.
- 6 bookable outdoor spaces, connect into one for up to 500
- Cocktails, beer, frozen drinks
Blackstock Roof Garden (17 Blackstock Street (above Blackstock Market))
A Mediterranean-themed rooftop above the Blackstock Market food hall, one of the largest roof terraces in the city, with a fully licensed bar and outdoor heaters for cooler evenings.
- Capacity: 220 guests
- Full bar, street-food vendors
- Dog friendly
- Outdoor heaters
Free State Kitchen (1 Maryland Street)
A restaurant between Liverpool’s two cathedrals with a garden tucked around the back that most passers-by have no idea exists, set in the grounds of a former convent and tended in part by the owner’s family.
- American-inspired beer list: Sam Adams, Brooklyn, Goose Island
- Wine and cocktails also served
- Dog friendly
Oh Me Oh My: Goodness Gracious Roof Garden (West Africa House, 25 Water Street)
The rooftop garden above the OH ME OH MY tea house, open seasonally with skyline views over the city’s historic Water Street. It runs first-come-first-served with no reservations.
- Seasonal, weather permitting
- Cocktails, afternoon tea service on select days
- No reservations, first come first served
The Dispensary (87 Renshaw Street)
A Renshaw Street pub that’s stood on the same corner since 1857, known locally for pouring one of the best pints of Guinness in the city and for staying busy every night of the week.
- Open daily, midday to midnight
- Guinness, cask ales, IPAs
- Dog friendly
The Pilgrim (Grove Street, Georgian Quarter)
An 18th-century basement pub near the Anglican Cathedral with an expanded beer garden after a recent refurb, keeping its booths, exposed brick, cask ales and pinball machine.
- Expanded garden after recent refurb
- Cask ale, Carnaby Pilsner, Jubel
- Dog friendly
- Pinball machine on site
Poste House (Cumberland Street)
A 200-year-old side-street pub with a hidden little back beer garden behind two floors of Beatles memorabilia and heavy music influence, known for cheap drinks and weekday deals.
- Small back beer garden
- Beer, cheap cocktails
- Weekday drink deals
Baltic Market (Stanhope Street, Cains Brewery Village)
A converted Victorian brewery warehouse turned food hall with around a dozen permanent food stalls and an open, industrial-feeling courtyard-style layout. It gets genuinely busy on weekends, to the point staff may turn dogs away if it’s too packed.
- Around a dozen permanent food stalls
- Full bar plus rotating street food vendors
- Dog friendly, but can get too busy on weekends
PINS Social Club: The Roof (Duke Street)
One of Liverpool’s biggest rooftop bars, opened whenever the weather holds, with cocktails, bowling downstairs, and a standing offer of water bowls and treats for well-behaved dogs at the bar.
- Seasonal/weather dependent
- Cocktails, food, shuffleboard and beer pong downstairs
- Dog friendly, water bowls and treats provided
More Beer Travel
See also Best Beer Gardens in Glasgow, Best Beer Gardens in London and Best Beer Gardens in Europe.
FAQ
Which Liverpool beer garden is best for dogs?
Several are genuinely dog friendly, including the Baltic Fleet, The Botanical Garden, The Merchant, Blackstock Roof Garden, Baltic Market, and PINS Social Club, which keeps water bowls and treats at the bar.
Which of these has the biggest capacity?
Blackstock Roof Garden holds up to 220 guests, and Sub Rosa can connect its six bookable spaces into one area for several hundred, making both good picks for larger groups.
Are any of these open all year round?
Most are, but The Botanical Garden and St Luke’s Bombed Out Church Garden Bar run seasonally (roughly March to September) and close or scale back over winter.
Also see: Best Beer Gardens in Munich, Best Beer Gardens in NYC, Best Beer Gardens in Manchester, Best Beer Gardens in Seattle, Best Beer Gardens in Amsterdam.
