Five unique independent food stores across Merseyside (2024)

There are many little stores across the region which sell everything you don't find in the supermarkets, if you know where to look

While a trip to the supermarket may be the easiest and more affordable option for many of us, they can be limited in the range of food they offer. Fish and butcher's counters are almost non-existent nowadays, while specialist cheeses and other deli items are restricted to stuff like camembert, blue stilton, chorizo and salami - often in packets and not of the best quality.

You can, however, find many little stores which sell everything you don't find in the supermarkets, if you know where to look. These shops are found all over Merseyside and are often hiding in plain sight. Here's just a few of the places offering such items.

Wards Fish, Birkenhead

Nigel and Simon Buckmaster are the fourth generation owners of Wards Fish in Birkenhead. The fishmonger has been around for almost 100 years and, in addition to its retail store, it supplies some of the region's top restaurants - Nord, The Art School and Panoramic 34 among them.

While seafood in Wards may set you back more money than if you were to buy it the supermarket, it is fresh with a focus on quality. One customer, who has been shopping there for over 20 years, told the ECHO: “Something is only expensive if you don’t think it is worth the money - this place is not expensive. It may be dearer than other places but you get what you pay for."

Co-owner Nigel added: “While some of our products are out of the reach of many people, we do have value options; we sell fish pie packs for £6 and you can feed a family of six off one of them. If you can cook and manage a larder, you can eat relatively inexpensively."

Crosby Cheese and Charcuterie, Waterloo

Anfield-born Lee Zeverona opened delicatessen Crosby Cheese & Charcuterie on St John's Road, Waterloo in September 2021. alongside cold cuts of various meats. It often provides catering to events, such as the Waterloo Christmas Festival, the Liverpool Gin Festival, and local social events in Crosby.

Speaking to the ECHO, Lee said: “This came off the back of a hobby of eating too much cheese and drinking too much wine. We can tell you everything about all the cheeses we have, all the way down to where the cow is from. We also offer a try before you buy. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it and if you enjoy it, you can buy a larger piece."

Since opening, the business has grown steadily, and has launched a popular ‘cheese club’ event that gives people the chance to experience new cheese and wine pairings. Lee said: “It’s a relaxed night out where you’re given six cheeses and a glass of wine. All the cheeses are from the shop, so people can enjoy an evening with some lovely cheese and wine, but also to have a taste of our products."

Edge and Son, New Ferry

Edge's butcher makes all its products in house including bacon, black pudding and sausages. They supply restaurants from across the region including Nord, The Art School and the Chester Grosvenor while providing butchering services for farms and farm shops. Established in 1844, Edge and Son's almost 180 years of experience is evident. They still have their own slaughterhouse which is now very unusual for a town butcher.

And in only dealing with farms within 25 miles of the store, the distance food travels is kept to a minimum, meaning their meat is as fresh as possible. Fifth-generation butcher Callum Edge, told the ECHO: "Everything we deal with is free range and all our lamb and cattle is grass-fed which is something that we are specialising in more than we ever have. We are trying to work with farms who are regenerative and zero carbon which is a very important part of our ethos.

"We pay our farmers more to keep animals longer, resulting in a more mature process. Despite this, we try to keep prices as competitive as possible. When we look at the big supermarkets who do grass-fed meat, for the same product that we have, they charge a lot more while our free range chicken is not too expensive but some free range chickens elsewhere are extremely costly."

The Wild Loaf, Dingle

Originally opening in 2017, and previously based in the city centre, The Wild Loaf moved to its new home in the Dingle in 2022. The bakery, which specialises in sourdough bread, is run by business partners Jessica Doyle and Emily Sandeman. It could be described as half bakehouse, half café, with a sit-in area which is always busy.

A popular place to grab lunch, their incredible sourdough focaccia sandwich is a must, containing mozzarella, pesto and tomato. You can also indulge in their grilled cheese sandwich or try a sweeter item with your tea/coffee. Co-owner Emily told the ECHO: "Since opening we have gone from strength to strength. Our philosophy is good service, good produce and love.

"We are always trying to work more ethically and source our stuff locally. We are working more closely with farmers too. Everything is made with sourdough pastry and every week we change the counter with new items."

Wine Time, Vauxhall

This last one isn't strictly a food store, but you're going to need something to wash your dinner down with. That's where Wine Time comes in. Previously the "legendary" Scatchards, Wine Time imports wine from all corners of the globe and is trusted by its loyal following, who look to manager Jon Atkinson for all things wine.

According to their website, Wine Time "focuses on offering exceptional wines at a great value - perfect for those bored with the uninspiring wines you find in most supermarkets" - and its location on Great Howard Street makes it a convenient stop for those living in North Liverpool and Sefton who feel like grabbing a bottle after work.

Jon said: “With wine, you drink just the right amount of liquid relative to the level of inebriation. So, with spirits, you’re not drinking very much but you get too drunk and beer goes the other way, making you feel uncomfortable and bloated. Wine’s just right in terms of making you feel gently inebriated but not uncomfortable from the volume of liquid.

“I find wines are more complex, more challenging and have a more stimulating wealth of flavours. They change in the bottle, they evolve over time: one vintage can be quite contrasting to the following vintage. There is so much diversity out there where wine is concerned and so many subtle variations which make it, for me, absolutely fascinating!"