Friends 'trying to do something different' ended up in the Michelin Guide

Belzan, a hidden gem offering international flair and cuisine, came to fruition on the back of three friends' aim to try something new.

Tucked away on Smithdown Road is one of the top restaurants in the UK. While you might attribute such to a city centre hotspot or a glamorous rooftop venue, Belzan has won over the local community and top critics from around the UK.

Chris Edwards, 36, Owain Williams, 37, and Sam Granger, 32, are the friends behind the business. The dream team came together after years in the hospitality industry honing their crafts in cafes, hotels and kitchens respectively but sought a joint venture due to the relationship they built.

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Chris told the ECHO: "Owain and I set up our first company in late 2015. We opened a tiny cafe bar called Filter and Fox in Liverpool on Duke Street and at the time Sam was the head chef at Marray. He was a good friend of ours and a regular and so we just became really good friends that way.

"We wanted to expand the unit and we found a new place out of the city. The plan was originally another small cafe bar but Sam said he likes what we do and asked if we have any openings for him. It ended up spiralling into the three of us opening a restaurant and Sam came on as the chef."

Chris and Owain were keen to keep the close-knit team at Filter and Fox together so they simply moved everyone to the new venture. In 2017, Belzan opened on Smithdown Road and the new journey into the unknown realm of restaurant ownership began.

Chris had experience in running restaurants after playing a role in the likes of Salt Dog Slims and El Bandito's, Sam was a top noted