Nestled in the heart of Liverpool city centre, Voyagers is a relaxed, intimate bar and restaurant within Halyard Hotel, a charming boutique hotel surrounded by the city’s most popular destinations. 

They serve a traditional Afternoon Tea with a twist, offering a selection of sandwiches, a small plate specially selected by the chef, scones and an array of delectable desserts.

Voyagers offers a chic and contemporary dining experience. Inspired by a nautical theme that nods to the city’s heritage, the restaurant interior is sleek, with subtle maritime elements modern décor elements and that blend comfort and style.

The interior of the restaurant features deep blues, seafoam greens and rich crimson tones, with large windows that flood natural light to illuminate the rich maritime colour palette. The space is open, airy and modern.

As we were seated, we were asked which tea we would like with our Afternoon Tea and given the option of pairing our Afternoon Tea with Prosecco or Champagne. We selected Afternoon Tea with an English Breakfast Tea.

We enjoyed a perfectly balanced, malty loose leaf Breakfast tea which was served in an enticing tea press. The menu also offers a range of classic and flavoured teas including Earl Grey, Green tea, Moroccan Mint, Apple & Blackberry and Lemon & Ginger.

 As the Afternoon Tea was served, our waiter detailed the array of savoury and sweet delights served on a traditional three-tier stand. Then followed the chef’s selected small plate; we dined as a three, so we were lucky enough to try three different small plates, each a delightful showcase of exquisite flavours.

We really appreciated this unique added touch to a traditional Afternoon Tea, offering an extended taste of the restaurant menu in accompanying the savouries with one small plate off Voyager’s dinner menu.

As per a traditional Afternoon Tea, we were served a selection of sandwiches, each served in a perfectly fluffy focaccia. Voyagers serve a selection of their signature ‘sandos’ from the land and sea including Salt & Pepper Chicken, Steak and Onion and Charred King Prawn.

The Salt & Pepper Chicken sandwich had the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. The crispy breaded chicken thigh was coated in a house sriracha sauce and finished with a salted white cabbage, giving every bite of this sandwich a refreshing and tangy kick.

The rich, succulent flavours of the Steak & Onion sandwich harmonised perfectly with the caramelised onions that generously layered a 4oz rump steak, with a mustard mayonnaise and rocket lettuce.

The Charred King Prawn sandwich was a notable winner for us. The smoky, succulent charred prawns paired with the refreshing tang of dill pickled cucumber created a perfectly balanced sandwich. Rounded off with a creamy garlic and parsley mayonnaise and crispy onions, this gave the sandwich an extra layer of flavour and indulgence in every bite.

The choice of the chef’s selected small plates that we were served were amazing. Voyagers have taken classic small plate favourites and added a delicious influence of global, exquisite flavours.

A common favourite, only by the smallest fraction, was the Nduja Scotch Egg served with a romesco sauce. The scotch egg crumb and the sausage were infused with a nduja spice and the hint of the charred tomatoes and roasted red pepper of the romesco sauce paired perfectly together.

Cauliflower Cheese Croquettes and Smoked Duck Croquettes were the other two small plates that we were served. The culinary innovation and excellence shone through these small plates.

The cauliflower cheese croquettes in a lemon thyme crumb was very generously garnished with parmesan shavings, and served with a creamy, piquant blue cheese dip which paired beautifully together.

The Smoked Duck Croquette made with a parmesan and parsley crumb was served with a refreshing red cabbage and macadamia nut slaw which perfectly complemented the creamy, richness of the croquette.

After finishing these great savouries, it was time to enjoy the beautifully sweet and fluffy fruit scone.

The scone was buttery and sweet with a richness that pairs beautifully with the raisins, adding bursts of sweetness into every bite. The exterior was golden, soft and crumbly and the inside was fluffy and light, making a perfectly baked scone. Served with a sweet strawberry jam and an indulgent cream, this scone was definitely a group favourite.

The final event of Voyagers Afternoon Tea was the trio of delicious desserts. As detailed by the Voyagers staff, the desserts consisted of three uniquely designed and tasting pastries for customers to enjoy.

We first tasted the Liverpool Tart, an indulgent pastry casing filled with fig paste and covered in a layer of biscuit crumble. The combination of richness from the fig and crumble was effectively countered by the raspberry jam on top, adding a fruity tang and acidity.

We then turned our attention to the next member of this delicious trio. The presentation of the Voyagers Bakewell Tart was visually pleasing, with a delightful topping of vanilla cream placed on top.

The pastry was firm and buttery, contrasting the delightfully soft culmination of frangipane, almonds, and cherry jam, making it the perfect encore to the first dessert. The cream was light and ensured the Bakewell was our highlight from the array of desserts served with the Afternoon Tea.

Lastly, we tried the Chocolate Tart filled with a shiny and elegant chocolate ganache. The chocolate was rich and creamy, and the pastry again was firm and crisp. The tart also came with a swirling of chocolate cream dusted with cocoa powder to finish off the morish delight.

Overall, the Afternoon Tea at Voyagers was a refreshingly different and delicious experience. Each small plate brought a unique flavour profile, introducing an extra variety of exquisite flavours and elevated the overall experience.

Afternoon Tea at Voyagers starts at £30 per person and is served in the restaurant and bar or the wonderful solarium. If you’re looking to treat yourself even more, this can be enjoyed with a bottle of Prosecco at an extra £23 or with a bottle of Champagne at an extra £60. Click here for more information.