Cumbria has a lot to boast when it comes to eating out, from fine to casual dining, it’s no surprise that the county’s platter has attracted the palates of some of the nation’s most well-respected writers.
Grace Dent may be expected to be propping up the local food scene, being from Carlisle, but that’s not to say her compliments to the many chefs aren’t warranted.
Dent has reviewed several restaurants in and around Carlisle, recently giving a rave review for Casa Romana, an Italian restaurant in the city.
Casa Romana, on Warwick Road, was recently celebrating their 30th birthday when Grace Dent dropped in for a surprise visit with her family to grab a bite of their specialty of British-Italian homecooked food made with love.
The food writer praised the unpretentiousness of the restaurant, bringing back feelings of nostalgia to be back in the restaurant she would frequently line her stomach in “before an evening’s shimmying to Jamiroquai at the nearby Pagoda nightclub”.
Onto higher-end cuisine, she also praised the Pentonbridge Inn, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Longtown, which caused a rise in bookings for the venue.
The three-AA Rosettes restaurant was praised by the writer for making the sort of food that makes her 'giddy'.
Ms Dent applauded the warm and knowledgeable service, use of local ingredients, and a meal she thought was particularly special - North Sea cod loin combined with a 'fat unshelled langoustine draped over the top, [and] poached celeriac'.
Further south to Skelton, where the Dog and Gun Inn resides, and we see Grace’s words praise another hidden Cumbrian gem.
The Dog & Gun, in Skelton, which was opened in 2017 by chef Ben Queen-Fryer, was praised for its convivial and cozy atmosphere, offering unpretentious but 'heartwarming food' all in the setting of a classic Cumberland country pub.
From the praise of the cheddar souffle to the roast loin of venison, Grace Dent's review which featured in The Guardian, referred to the restaurants dark chocolate mille-feuille dessert as even winning her '2022 Pudding of the Year'.
One of Carlisle’s most beloved restaurants is Alexandros, a Greek joint on Warwick Road, so it’s no surprise that the team there impressed prolific food writer Jay Raner.
He tried an array of foods including hummus, sarmadakia, the newly added scallops, kleftiko and a walnut and cinnamon sponge.
Mr Rayner said: "When the key dates in life are to be celebrated, when the milestones are reached, you need somewhere that will see you right.
"For many in Carlisle that place is Alexandros."
TripAdvisor, for all its faults, can also show the good side of independent eateries, such as The Old Stamp House in Ambleside, which was named the best fine dining restaurant in the world.
It seems unbelievable that a restaurant in England, let alone Cumbria, would hold that title, but TripAdvisor says otherwise.
Housed in the former office of William Wordsworth, The Old Stamp House Restaurant boasts a Michelin Star and celebrates the food and cultural heritage of Cumbria.
Run by two brothers, the restaurant is revered for its intimate, unique setting and tasting menu.
Cumbria, therefore, has a broad but high-quality food scene; when looking for the perfect spot, as the saying goes, there’s no place like home.
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