Eating and drinking in the Rainbow Quarter
Where to eat in and around Blackpool's LGBTQ+ quarter, from pre-show dinners and Sunday roasts to teapot cocktails and gin, limited to LGBTQ+ venues and places we know are welcoming.
The Rainbow Quarter isn't a restaurant district, and we've kept this page to places that are part of the LGBTQ+ scene or that we can confirm welcome LGBTQ+ guests. Several of the quarter's best meals are served in its bars and guesthouses, which suits Blackpool's sociable style.
Proper meals
Garbo's at Funny Girls (5 Dickson Road). The art deco restaurant inside Funny Girls serves a three-course dinner before the show, at around £30 a head. Arrive between 6pm and 6.30pm, and send your menu choices a couple of days ahead. Dinner-and-show bundles usually save money, except on Saturdays and New Year's Eve. It's the classic Blackpool birthday or anniversary treat.
The Flying Handbag (44 Queen Street). Food is served for most of the day, from lunchtime until late at night, which makes it one of the few places in the quarter where you can eat after a show. It also does a cold buffet for booked group parties.
Mardi Gras (41–43 Lord Street). Hot food in a friendly public bar, at prices that keep the regulars coming back.
DeLovely (82 Lord Street). The gay-owned guesthouse bar serves food in the late afternoon and early evening, alongside its famous cocktails.
Peek-a-Booze (72–74 Dickson Road). Opens from breakfast time and serves food until early evening, so it's handy for a late breakfast or an early tea.
Sunday roasts
Sunday lunch is a quarter tradition. The Flying Handbag serves from midday into the late afternoon. Mardi Gras serves from early afternoon, and DeLovely takes bookings for roasts. 31 Queen Street has also been known for Sunday roasts. Book where you can, especially on bank holiday weekends.
Cocktails, gin and something special
- DeLovely (Lord Street): cocktails served in teapots.
- Neon (15 Yates Street): an intimate cocktail bar with premium spirits and a back garden, open Thursday to Sunday.
- Gin & Bear It (34A Springfield Road): a gin lounge with a couple of hundred gins and tonics matched to your taste, open Friday to Sunday evenings.
- Gabrielle's Hotel (Lord Street): the small hotel has its own gin bar.
- The Flying Handbag: cocktails and a sun terrace for warm days.
Breakfast
Many of the quarter's guesthouses serve a full English that's included in the price, and reviews of several, from The Dame Lane to Gabrielle's and the Garnett, single out breakfast for praise. If you're staying somewhere room-only, Peek-a-Booze opens early.
Brunch with drag
Town-centre show venues run drag-hosted bottomless brunches with a sharing platter several times a year. They are 18+ and sell out at busy times.
Community meals
If you're in Blackpool for longer, an inclusive church in North Shore hosts a free meal with an informal discussion on Wednesday evenings. It welcomes everyone, and it asks for dietary needs a day in advance.
A note on what we include
We only list cafés and restaurants as LGBTQ+-owned or LGBTQ+-welcoming when we can confirm it. If you run an LGBTQ+-owned or LGBTQ+-friendly place to eat in Blackpool, or have the council's Be You quality mark, get in touch and we'll add you once we've checked.