Key Points
- Friends Tasha Hough, Eugen Raka and Mark Lavelle have launched their new restaurant called Solace in south Liverpool.
- It has relocated to the former site of the Beak at Smithdown Place.
- Solace will provide a breakfast and brunch menu from 9am to 3pm.
- From 4pm to midnight, it will provide European small plates and wines and cocktails.
- The owners are planning to create a luxurious neighbourhood restaurant, but at affordable prices.
- The place for the launch of the business was chosen due to high rent and supply cost in the city centre, along with parking problems.
- Tasha Hough said that the business was established to become a part of the neighbourhood and not only to earn money.
- Eugen Raka said that the restaurant launch is also a tribute to his recently deceased father, Nexhat.
- The expansion into north Liverpool could be considered in the future if the restaurant becomes successful.
Liverpool (Liverpool standard) October 24, 2026 – Three friends with years of experience in Liverpool’s hospitality industry have launched Solace, a new restaurant on Smithdown Place, as they attempt to stand out in one of the city’s most competitive brunch markets.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, Tasha Hough, Eugen Raka and Mark Lavelle have opened the venue in the former Beak site. The trio said they recognise the challenges of entering south Liverpool’s crowded brunch scene, but believe Solace can succeed by offering more than a standard breakfast menu.
The restaurant will operate across two distinct service periods. Between 9am and 3pm, it will serve breakfast and brunch, including full English breakfasts, healthier dishes, acai bowls, protein breakfasts and French toast. From 4pm until midnight, the menu will shift towards modern European small plates, alongside an extensive cocktail list and wines.
Why did the founders choose Smithdown Place?
The decision to open in a residential area rather than the city centre was central to the business plan. Eugen Raka, 32, who lives in Toxteth, told the Liverpool Echo that the group considered the practical pressures facing restaurants before selecting Smithdown Place.
“Restaurants are facing a difficult time at the moment. In the city centre, rents are high, suppliers charge more, and even getting into town can be difficult for guests due to parking,”
he said, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.
He added that the founders discussed their options and concluded that residential neighbourhoods offered a better opportunity.
“We sat down together, bounced ideas around and realised that residential areas were the way forward. A lot of people our age don’t necessarily want to go into town anymore,”
Raka said.
Rather than attempting to recreate the city-centre dining experience, the team wants to bring what it describes as a more premium offering into a neighbourhood setting. At the same time, it intends to keep prices accessible for local customers.
Who is behind Solace?
Solace is the result of years of collaboration among the three founders, who built relationships with colleagues and customers while working across different Liverpool venues.
Tasha Hough, 31, from Wavertree, met Eugen Raka while working at Miller & Carter. The two became close friends. She later met Mark Lavelle while working at Emily’s in Formby.
As their careers developed, the group found themselves working alongside many of the same people. Eventually, they decided to create a business of their own.
Hough told the Liverpool Echo that the motivation behind Solace went beyond financial gain.
“We never opened with the intention of making money from it. We opened with the intention of creating a place where we could all be together and be part of the community we love,” she said.
“We’re all from south Liverpool, so we knew we wanted to really embed ourselves in this community.”
What does the Solace name mean?
The restaurant’s name reflects the founders’ view that hospitality should concern how customers feel as well as what they eat.
Hough said the idea came from an experience while serving a customer who had received upsetting news. Although the customer initially appeared unhappy, Hough took time to understand her situation.
By the end of the meal, the customer hugged Hough and said she had found comfort on a day she had not expected to.
“We called it Solace because solace means finding comfort and peace in something,”
Hough told the Liverpool Echo.
“What we wanted to create was a place where, when people walk through the doors, they leave feeling a little bit better.”
Why is the opening significant for the founders?
For Eugen Raka, the launch carries personal meaning. He said the opening has been driven by a desire to make his family proud after the death of his father, Nexhat, earlier this year.
“I lost my father earlier this year, and it really lit a fire in my belly. I wanted to make him proud, as well as my mum and the rest of my family,” he told the Liverpool Echo.
“I’d always wanted to work for myself, and I knew I wanted to do things my own way.”
The opening comes at a demanding time for the hospitality sector. According to the Liverpool Echo, rising costs and pressure on independent restaurants make entering business ownership a significant risk.
Despite those conditions, the founders have focused initially on establishing Solace in Smithdown. They have also indicated that they may consider expansion into north Liverpool in future, if the business performs well, because they believe there is room to explore the brunch market further.
Background of the development
Solace enters a south Liverpool dining market where a search for brunch venues produces numerous options. The founders have positioned the restaurant as a day-to-night destination rather than a brunch-only business.
The venue occupies the former Beak site on Smithdown Place, an area known for its student population, independent food and drink businesses and residential community. The founders’ strategy reflects their belief that customers increasingly prefer neighbourhood venues over travelling into Liverpool city centre.
The launch also follows a period of difficulty for the wider hospitality industry, with independent operators facing higher operating costs and increased competition. Solace’s founders have responded by choosing a residential location, offering extended opening hours and combining brunch, small plates, wine and cocktails under one roof.
How could Solace affect south Liverpool diners?
For south Liverpool residents, students and local workers, Solace could add another option for breakfast, brunch and evening dining close to home. Its extended hours may appeal to customers seeking a venue that can serve coffee and brunch during the day, then small plates and drinks later in the evening.
If the restaurant succeeds in maintaining reasonable prices while offering a premium neighbourhood experience, it could attract customers who might otherwise travel into the city centre. Its presence on Smithdown Place may also add to competition among local brunch and evening-dining venues.
For the founders, the immediate priority is building a regular customer base in Smithdown. Any future expansion into north Liverpool would depend on how Solace performs in its first location.
