There are plenty of towns in the UK that are known for their excellent eateries. But one in particular, located in Merseyside, is on the up, according to hospitality businesses – Halewood.

Often relegated to being mainly known for its car factories and Everton FC’s Finch Farm training grounds, this town is getting a new reputation, thanks to its impressive array of eateries and cafés. Halewood has caught the eye of foodies far and wide, driven by establishments like Casa Rima. This Mediterranean gem opened doors on Baileys Lane in 2023 and quickly became a local favourite.

The man behind the culinary magic, Chef Kemal Coşkuncay of Speke, recently scooped up the ‘Chef of the Year’ title at the prestigious 2025 British Kebab Awards, Liverpool Echo reports. 

Casa Rima’s menu is as eclectic as it is appealing, boasting anything from signature kebabs to pizzas, pastas, and burgers – an array of choices to please every diner. In conversation with the ECHO recently, Kemal praised Halewood’s virtues in the food and drink landscape.

His exact words were: “Halewood is the hidden gem. It is unspoiled. There’s good families, good couples, good businesses.

“Halewood used to be known all over the UK for sport, because of Finch Farm. Now it is known all over the UK as ‘the hidden gem’.”

Taking pride in Halewood’s rich history and culinary scene, a local restaurant owner expressed their astonishment at the community’s vibrancy: “The Eagle and Child is over 300 years old, there are Indian restaurants and other restaurants. Top class people are living here, but we didn’t know until we opened.”

They continued, brimming with pride about the town’s growing reputation: “Before, people from Halewood would travel to other places for good food and drinks, but now people from other places travel to Halewood. It is a pleasure to be here. We are so happy to be part of Halewood – and the locals here support us a lot.”

For those making the journey on one of the several buses to Halewood, you might find yourself hungry after the trip through the city’s southern parts.

Fortunately, as you arrive at Halewood Shopping Centre, you’ll have three tempting options to satisfy your appetite: Subway, Halewood Fish Bar, and Pepe’s — home to delectable piri piri chicken.

Pepe’s comes highly recommended for first-timers and seasoned fans alike. Known for its great value, heaping portions, and most crucially, delicious offerings, their piri piri chicken will make you reconsider ever going back to Nando’s once you’ve tasted their flavourful, spicy, succulent chicken.

Diners can indulge in six different flavours that include mango and lime; lemon and herb; mild; hot; extra hot; or extreme. 

Halewood offers an array of dining establishments, including the quaint Triangle Cafe, the beloved Brunch Box, and the Eagle and Child pub which can trace its origins back to at least 1843 as indicated on the Tithe Map. Customers can enjoy everything from a light sandwich or tapas to hearty British classics, with pies and bangers and mash among the pub favourites.

On the town’s outskirts, Yew Tree Coffee Barn beckons from a sprawling 40-acre farm.

It’s here that sisters Rachel Maskell and Katie Wilkes, having grown up on the land, decided to open a coffee shop in 2013 offering breakfast and lunch amidst farmyard friends, including their crowd-pleasing alpacas.

Speaking with the ECHO, Katie said: “We started in 2013. I’d been travelling when I was younger and there was a big coffee shop culture. I really liked it and so I wanted to open a coffee shop when I got back, but I had to work and save up money, and everything like that.”

They’ve also expanded their venture, as she noted: “We’ve also opened The Barn which does weddings on the other side, which me and my sister run together. So, we’ve got the coffee shop and the wedding side of it as well.”

The coffee shop buzzes with activity Monday to Friday, opening its doors from 9am until 3pm, making room for the weekend wedding festivities. They pride themselves on serving all-day breakfasts, artisanal sandwiches, fresh salads, and homemade soup.

When questioned about Halewood’s progress, Katie confirmed the positive trend, detailing: “Halewood is growing quite quickly. We get people here from Widnes, Warrington, St Helens, and there’s even people in Halewood who tell us they never knew we were here. Halewood’s opening up in terms of people coming into ‘the country’, as they call us, and more people are finding us.”

She continued to describe the local development: “There’s a large amount of new houses and new people in the area; we’ve had a lot of development over the past few years. Where the farm is based, on a little country road, we used to be surrounded by fields, but now we’ve got a few big housing estates around us.”

Katie also noted the increase in business and community growth: “We’re finding we are a lot busier all the time. When we used to be quiet midweek, we’re now very busy all the time. There’s a lot more coffee shops and restaurants opening up and it’s just lovely to see because we need them. We’ve got an area which people can visit now because they know there’s more than one choice.”