10 festive menus to check out at Carlisle restaurants

Here is a list of just ten such restaurants in no particular order, and some of what each menu has to offer...

In the Meantime

Located on English Street in the city centre, In the Meantime's Christmas menu offers some classic British Christmas treats but with a signature twist.

In the Meantime (Image: Google)

In the Meantime offers up a variety of cuisines in its dishes, so there is often something for everyone, and for the festive menu, particular crowd pleasers like Korean fried chicken and a seemingly new Taste of Asia section with ramen and donburi selections are present, offering something outside of the box.

Such dishes include: 

• Salt and Pepper Pigs in Blankets
• Honey Baked Camembert
• Pancetta Wrapped Stuffing
• Ballantine of Turkey
• Roast Beef

There are also several non-traditional but adventurous dishes like:

• Festive Nachos
• Red Lentil, Pepper, and Tomato Loaf
• Confit Duck Shepherd's Pie

Andalusian

Located on Warwick Road, Andalusian is known for, mainly, great cocktails and tasty tapas.

The Andalusian (Image: Google)

It's therefore no surprise that they're offering up festive tapas and cocktails as well a standard festive menu.

The tapas menu includes dishes like: 

• Turkey Buttermilk Goujons with Cranberry Mayonnaise
• Festive Stuffing Ball Bon Bons
• Cranberry and Soy Glazed Belly Pork Bites
• Turkey and Cranberry Meatballs with Roast Turkey Gravy

If you don't fancy small plates, some of the dishes on the standard festive menu include:

• Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Lasagne
• Aromatic Root Veg and Date Tagine
• Traiditional Roast Turkey
• Christmas Spiced Belly Pork

Cocktails are always popular at the Andalusian, and their festive options include: 

• Fugo (Benedictine, Fireball, Drambuie, apple juice, and lemon)
• Candy Cane (Strawberry vodka, crème de menthe, and cranberry juice)
• Last Christmas (Kahlua, Baileys, vanilla vodka, and cream)
• Mulled Mistletoe (mulled wine, spiced rum, and ginger)

David's

Also located on Warwick Road, David's offers up fine, 'refined' British dining, and so of course offers up a high-quality, and traditional Christmas menu.

David's (Image: Google)

With its typical menu providing a selection of dishes that paint a picture of traditional British palates, diners can expect familiar favourites.

Such menu items include: 

• Fillet of Lakeland Beef
• Roast Breast of Norfolk Turkey
• Provencal Salmon Wellington
• Winter Vegetable Nut Roast
• Slow Cooked Duck Leg
• Duck Liver, Orange, and Cointreau Parfait

Amato's

This family-run Sicilian restaurant on Abbey Street has been a favourite fixture of Carlisle's dining scene for decades.

Amato's (Image: Google)

Its pleasant location near the cathedral and in the Historic Quarter, as well as its rave reviews over the years, have caused this restaurant to be revered by critics and non-critics alike.

Its Christmas menu contains such items:

• Duck Confit
• Potato Gnocchi Al Forno
• Fillets of Seabream
• Lemon and Garlic Chicken Strips
• Warm Goats Cheese

La Mezzaluna

Located on The Crescent, this city-centre Italian restaurant provides an authentic Italian experience, from the music to the vivid wall murals, and the quality of its dishes' ingredients.

La Mezzaluna (Image: Google)

The restaurant is often very busy throughout the year, and provides sumptuous meals at a fair price, sure to please all who are familiar with a classic British-Italian restaurant.

Its Christmas menu includes: 

• Involtini di Tacchino (Turkey breast stuffed with homemade sausage and stuffing, served with all the trimmings)
• Brasato di Manzo (Slow braised beef, Chianti sauce served with mashed potato and roast vegetables)
• Fesa D'Agnello (Pan fried rump of lamb, roast vegetable caponata and rosemary-lamb jus)
• Gnocchi Crema di Dolcelatte (Gnocchi with blue cheese sauce, toasted pine nuts and truffle oil)
• Coda di Rospo con Riso (Monkfish served on top of a pea, leek and tarragon risotto, finished with lemon and caper burnt butter)

Alexandros

Another establishment located on Warwick Road, this Greek restaurant is seen by many as the best restaurant in the city.

Alexandros (Image: NQ)

This is also one of the highest-rated restaurants in Carlisle according to Google, and it is no surprise that critic Jay Rayner described the place as 'somewhere that will see you right'.

Its Christmas menu includes dishes like: 

• Kotopoulo Souvlaki (Traditional chicken skewer, marinated in lemon and olive oil, served with tzatziki, anise red cabbage and baby potato salad)
• Fillet of Seabass
• Galopoula Gemisti (Turkey escalope wrapped in cured ham with a shredded turkey, cranberry and chestnut croquette served with cinnamon roasted vegetables and sage jus)
• Kritharoto (Braised orzo pasta with wild mushroom tartufata and truffle oil, served with green salad)
• Festive baclava

The Old Bank

Located on Fisher Street, The Old Bank is the scene of many a boozy bottomless brunch and enjoyable dinners out with friends alike.

The Old Bank (Image: Archive)

It's known for its quality modern European dining, all served in a lovely building, and was a favourite of Chesney Hawkes when he visited earlier this year to turn on the Christmas lights.

Its Christmas menu includes: 

• Maple and Jack Daniels Butter Roasted Breast of British Turkey
• 24 Hour Slow Cooked Topside of Cumbrian Beef
• Butternut Squash, Chestnut Mushroom, and Beetroot Wellington
• Festive Pie
• Cranberry, Honey, and Red Chilli Glazed Halloumi Tacos

SannaS

Serving delightful and delicate Sardinian food in a prime spot in the city centre, SannaS, on Lowther Street, has its own dishes to feature on a festive selection.

SannaS (Image: Google)

The restaurant has positive reviews particularly for its fish dishes and its boar meatballs, both of which feature on this menu which includes: 

• Ravioli al Gamberi (Ravioli filled with prawns and Mascarpone cheese in a marinated cherry tomato sauce)

• Pollo allo Spumante (Chicken breast with confit leeks, lemon and pine-nut risotto in a creamy spumante wine sauce)

• Linguine Cavolo e Tartuffo (Linguine pasta in a cauliflower velouté roasted garlic and truffle breadcrumbs)

• Fregola ai Frutti di Mare (Traditional Sardinian fregola with mussels, clams, squid and prawns cooked in a seafood bisque)

Royal Outpost

Located on Warwick Road, this Thai restaurant is a trendy fixture of Carlisle and offers up a festive menu exploding with flavour.

Royal Outpost (Image: Google)

It has dishes that are not traditional British classics, but are a fine selection of Asian favourites modelled for the end of the year season.

It includes: 

• Lamb Chops Rendang
• Korean Style Grilled Salmon on Sizzler
• Pork and Prawn Holy Basil Stir Fry
• Chicken Skewers in Massaman Sauce

The menu also features two platters, meat and vegetarian, that contain a selection of dishes if you cannot pick.

Casa Romana

Casa Romana on Warwick Road is a fun, vibrant Italian restaurant that provides great dishes at a reasonable price.

Casa Romana (Image: Archive)

In a warm, welcoming ambience, it's a top spot for both a romantic meal for two, or a get-together with friends and family alike.

Its Christmas menu includes such dishes: 

• Roasted Stuffed Peppers (Roasted vegetable risotto stuffed peppers baked under a crispy crumb, with green salad)
• Tagliatelle Verdi (Tasty broccoli, rocket and pesto pasta with smoked pancetta, a touch of chilli and green olives)
• Pesce Gratinada (Creamy fish pie with salmon, white fillet, peeled king prawns, peas and white wine and gratinated under garlic fondant potatoes and parmesan)
• Papardalle D'Anatra (A slow cooked aromatic duck ragu dish from Venice - big pasta ribbons tossed in tender duck, ginger, garlic, tomato and red wine sauce)

There are also cocktails on offer, including: 

• Vin Brule (Italian mulled wine served warm with spices, Cointreau, and honey)
• Kir Royale
• Gin-Berry (Gin, cranberry juice, a dash of lemonade, and frosted winterberries)