Sunday lunch in Southport is a serious matter in this house. With four kids, a bulldog, and a Sunday I actually want to enjoy rather than spend cooking, finding places that do it properly matters. I've eaten at most of the options in this town. Here's the honest version of what's good, what's overpriced, and what's worth booking.
The Hesketh Arms, Churchtown
This is my local and I'm not going to pretend I'm impartial. But the Sunday lunch here is genuinely excellent. The beef is properly cooked, the Yorkshires are good, the roast potatoes are crisp, and the gravy is made rather than poured from a packet. It's a proper pub — old, warm, not trying to be a restaurant — and the Sunday lunch reflects that. Book ahead. It fills up by noon on a Sunday.
Dog-friendly: yes, in the bar area. They know Frank by name at this point, which is either charming or says something about how often we're here.
The Bold Hotel, Lord Street
The Bold does a Sunday lunch that's a proper event — multiple courses, good wine list, a setting that makes it feel like an occasion rather than a refuelling stop. It's not cheap. Expect to pay for it. But if you're looking for somewhere to take family you want to impress, or you want a Sunday lunch that feels like a treat, The Bold delivers.
Book well in advance for Sunday. They have the room for it but the reputation means the tables go.
The Warehouse Kitchen, Birkdale
Birkdale village rather than the town centre, so slightly off the radar for visitors. The Sunday lunch here is good — fresh ingredients, sensible portions, a menu that changes seasonally. It's the kind of place where they care about the food rather than the Instagram and it shows. Booking essential on Sundays.
The Fisherman's Rest, Churchtown
Another Churchtown option that does Sunday lunch well. More casual than The Hesketh, slightly cheaper, still proper food. Good option if you want a Sunday lunch without the booking pressure — though I'd still recommend calling ahead at Easter or in summer.
What to avoid
I'm not going to name places specifically, but avoid anywhere that advertises a Sunday carvery at £6.99 and lists 'slow-cooked' as a description of something that clearly isn't. The Southport town centre has some Sunday lunch options that are built around volume rather than quality. The tell is usually the sign outside — if it looks like a laminated poster, the Yorkshire pudding probably is too.
Practical notes
- →Book everything in advance. Even places that say walk-ins welcome get full by 1pm on a Sunday.
- →1pm–2pm is the peak slot. If you want a relaxed lunch, book noon or 2:30pm.
- →Most places serve Sunday lunch until 4–5pm. Going late gives you more chance of a table.
- →Dog-friendly Sunday lunch is limited but possible — The Hesketh Arms and a few pubs in Churchtown are your best options.
All the restaurants and pubs in Southport — with categories, addresses and real reviews:
Browse Southport restaurants →Terry
Chief Editor, SouthportGuide.co.uk — Lives in Churchtown with his wife,
four kids, and Frank the bulldog.
