The Guide has been published by the French tyre company Michelin since 1900 and awards up to three Michelin stars for excellence to a select few establishments.
The acquisition or loss of a star or stars can have dramatic effects on the success of a restaurant – but for most of us, personal experience and recommendations from family and friends are our best guides to our favourite eateries, and what makes us want to return time and again.
Here, in no particular order, we take a look at some favourite Blackpool restaurants, unlikely to feature in the Michelin Guide, but winners with many of us nonetheless.
1. West Coast Rock Cafe
The West Coast Rock Cafe on the corner of Abingdon Street and Birley is a Blackpool icon, established in 1987 and serving burgers, steaks, Mexican dishes and much more. Recently extended into the ground floor premises, it's directly across from the Opera House and just up the road from the Grand Theatre, so handy for a bite just before a show and there are half prices burger and steak nights through the week. Photo: submit
2. Stefani's Pizzeria
Stefani’s Pizzeria is a family-run restaurant which has quickly established itself as a favourite destination for many in Blackpool. The management pride themselves on creating their wood-fired creations, claiming we eat, drink and sleep pizza. Their dough is made fresh daily and proved for a minimum of 24 hours, with the best ingredients sourced from all different regions of Italy. It's across the square from the Winter Gardens are there are no bookings. Photo: submit
3. The Cottage
The Cottage, on Newhouse Road off Oxford Square, is away from the tourist trail but many have thought well worth a trip over many years. It dates back to 1856 and has served a host of famous faces - from showbiz and sport, many of who whom are pictured on the restaurant walls. Photo: submit
4. La Fontana.jpg
La Fontana. in Clifton Street, has been established since 1990 and is the family-run Italian restaurant prides itself on serving the highest quality local produce and importing the finest Italian ingredients.. As the name suggests, a fountain is a popular feature of its courtyard-theme premises, which offers tables upstairs as well as down. Photo: La Fontana
5. The Wok Inn
The Wok Inn on the Promenade opposite North Pier quickly established itself as a favourite after opening in 2018 as Blackpool's first noodle bar. It's part of the same chain that runs the popular Michael Wan's Mandarin restaurant on Clifton Street and serves a variety of dishes, including Chinese, Indonesian, Malaysian and Thai noodles as well as curry. The decor is eye-catching too, with original art pieces including a 1950s dragon from Manchester's Chinatown. Photo: submit
6. The Eating Inn
The Eating Inn on South Promenade is an intimate family-run restaurant which has a glowing reputation for serving some of the best steaks around, but with many other options on the menu. It's family-run and traditional, with wooden beams, and modern with plush carpet and chrome light fittings and offers tables in its conservatory orinner restaurant area. It was originally built as a fisherman's cottage and acquired in 1980 by Michael Shorrock, who later passed it to his son Ben. Photo: submit