Review – Bistrot Pierre, Lord Street, Southport
Lord Street in Southport has long been proud of its very French connections.
In 1846, Prince Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, the future Napoléon III, lived for a brief period in lodgings just off the elegant Lord Street.
It is believed his stay on the Lancashire coast was his inspiration behind the famous tree-lined boulevards of Paris.
It is fitting then that at the heart of Lord Street we have Bistrot Pierre, a fantastic French restaurant with fantastic floor to ceiling windows across two floors which allows diners to look out across Lord Street and London Square.
Inside the restaurant is a huge mural celebrating one of Southport’s famous landmarks, the former Southport sea bathing lake.
Bistrot Pierre has become a popular fixture in Southport town centre, occupying the building on the corner of Lord Street and Nevill Street. Many remember the site as Russell & Bromleys shoe shop. It was empty for several years before Bistrot Pierre seized the opportunity and sparked a French revolution of the site.
Bistrot Pierre has restaurants across the UK, and this year is celebrating 30 years since it first opened in Nottingham.
Inside, it’s beautiful. The windows provide so much natural light. The decor is very French bistrot. French inspired artwork adorns the walls.
Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
During bright days the outside area, with its purple lavender planters, tables and chairs, is a lovely place to sit back and watch the world go by.
New General Manager David Dickson has come into the business keen to make some positive changes.
Among them is developing the bar area inside; guests can now enjoy real ale (from Southport Brewery) alongside French lagers, French wines and other drinks.
Look out for more changes coming in the new year.
Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
This place is busy during the festive season. Lots of Christmas parties, Christmas nights out, people enjoying Christmas meals.
We called in for lunch, where there were two menus; a main menu and a Christmas menu, both with extensive choices. There was a good buzz with lots of people dining around us.
There is so much to choose from, perfect for meat eaters and vegetarians, it’s difficult to pick the best option. Good reasons to return and try something different each time.
They have a few menus, including breakfast, main menu, afternoon tea, festive menu, soiree gastronomique, steak night and more.
Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
There’s a great offer running at the moment where you can sign up to Club Bistrot Pierre, scan your app at the end of payment and receive £10 Pierre Pounds on 1st January 2025.
I came to Bistrot Pierre after a visit to Peet’s Plaice fish shop in Churchtown, where owner and local fisherman Kevin Peet was singing the praises of enjoying fish and seafood as starters ahead of the main course at Christmas.
His words definitely stuck as my wife and I both chose salmon starters.
I went for the main menu, while my wife went for the Christmas menu.
I chose Smoked Salmon; a confit of poached and smoked salmon, crème fraîche, tomatoes, pickled red onions, capers and lambs leaf.
It’s everything you’d want in a starter; fresh, vibrant, elegant, tasty, all the flavours complementing each other. It was very moreish.
My wife tried the Smoked Salmon Pâté; with sourdough croûtes, cucumber and crème fraîche.
Again, excellent presentation, and a delightful way to start a meal.
For the main course, I went for Chicken Normandy; pan-fried chicken breast with Toulouse sausage, caramelised apples, dauphinoise potatoes, cavolo nero, crispy onions and Calvados jus.
Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
This is a fabulous dish, with a fantastic combination of flavours. Great cooking. Tender chicken, soft apples, beautiful dauphinoise potatoes.
My wife went for what I’m guessing is the most popular dish on the menu this December – roast turkey.
There is so much competition in Southport with many superb restaurants to choose from, so anyone serving roast turkey Christmas dinners has to be good to attract customers.
This one excelled. Roast turkey came with sage and apricot pork stuffing, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets, honey roasted carrots and parsnips, shredded Brussels sprouts, plus extra gravy for pouring.
This is what you want your Christmas dinner to be like.
I’m cooking our Christmas dinner this year – sadly it’s not going to come close to this level of flavour.
For desserts, we went for two classics: Christmas pudding with brandy Anglaise, and a French classic, new on the menu – tarte tartin, caramelised apple tarte with vanilla ice cream and toffee sauce. I think it might become a permanent fixture.
Photo by Andrew Brown Stand Up For Southport
The service was friendly and efficient, as always. They maintain high standards.
This December, Bistrot Pierre is running a great pay it forward initiative.
The restaurant is joining forces with local charity Sefton Advocacy to donate festive meals to those in need this winter.
As part of the restaurant’s Pay It Forward campaign, diners enjoying a Christmas party of eight or more with friends and family will contribute towards a free three-course meal for a resident in their community, who will be nominated by Sefton Advocacy.
For every Sunday Christmas party booking of eight people or more in December, Bistrot Pierre, will gift a free Menu Pierre three-course meal to a Southport resident nominated by Sefton Advocacy and its Older Persons’ Forum. It will be redeemable throughout January 2025.
For further information about Bistrot Pierre and its support of local charities, please visit www.bistrotpierre.co.uk
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