Toxteth Hotel

Besides a new menu, early 2012 saw the Toxteth acquire a fresh lick of paint, the launch of a Ksubi-crowd art space upstairs and an all-seeing bison's head above the bar. Thursday is the best night to visit, when happy punters can devour a chasseur of mussels and soak up the accompanying tomato and chorizo sauce with a roll (read: loaf) of sourdough for $10. On other nights of the week, the fried chicken burger with slaw, chilli sauce and chips is lip-smackingly good, and saltier than a seaman's brow, while an ale and mushroom pie complements the pub's Union Jack motif.