New restaurant Sage & Vine set to open in Carlisle

Sage & Vine will be located at 5 The Crescent and is set to open on Thursday, February 1. 

It will offer a selection of wines and beers and a range of pizzas made fresh in a wood-fired oven. 

The bar has a wide selection of wines and beers (Image: Jimmy Moorhouse)

Owner Jane Beesley has run La Mezzaluna, the neighbouring restaurant, for more than 20 years, but she is excited about the 'new challenge' that Sage & Vine will present. 

She said: "We will be selling wood-fired pizzas, a fine selection of  tapas, mezze and sharing boards. It will mainly be a mixture of Italian and Mediterranean dishes, with fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

"It's been in the planning for a few months now."

Head chef Matt Nelson will come over from La Mezzaluna to help run things in the kitchen for the first few months, while Jane's daughter, Sofia Giovannini, will also be working as a chef. Cosmina Goia will be completing the management team overseeing front of house.

A beautiful prosciutto and rocket pizza was made fresh in minutes (Image: Jimmy Moorhouse)

Jane added: "We're excited and nervous all at the same time. It's very new. We're eager for our diners to enjoy our dishes cooked in the wood-fired pizza oven.

"We're just checking the menu and making sure that everything is perfect before we open on Thursday.

"It's good for me because I've been running La Mezzaluna for 20 years now. It's something new, and an exciting new challenge."

Head chef Matt Nelson told the News & Star that Sage & Vine will offer food that is suitable for everyone, including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free visitors. 

It officially opens at 5pm on Thursday, February 1 and is taking bookings now.