Mcgrews Bistro - Carlisle

A nice meal and range of food and drink in the old fire engine room. Sitting in the area where the fire engines used to deploy from until the mid 2000’s with interesting wall pieces.

On this occasion I simply called in for an afternoon cake coffee which was very good, excellent value served by friendly staff in a pleasant environment. On a previous visit, on Sunday 25th September, I enjoyed a tasty lunch whilst listening to local Jazz musicians performing a jam session: an excellent afternoon 's entertainment accompanied by good food at reasonable cost. The venue has only recently reopened after a full refurbishment, having been devastated by floods in December 2015 : see also The Old Fire Station at the same location, which has an extensive programme of live entertainment including music, drama, comedy etc. Well worth visiting.

It still has the atmosphere of a fire station, but it serves the best steak burger ever. The restaurant needs to improve its ambiance and offer a better drinks menu.

I met a friend for lunch today at McGrew's and was delighted to see it doing great business. I had the pate with Cumberland sauce, bread salad which was plentiful and delicious. The service was excellent. I would be happy to eat here again.

Situated at the lower end of town, McGrews is conveniently located for those in the city center. Simply look for the Old Fire tower. My wife and I had lunch there and had a wonderful experience. The staff was excellent, and the food was delicious and reasonably priced. If you have trouble finding a spot to sit and eat, I would definitely suggest stopping by McGrews. The cafe bar is located in a beautifully refurbished fire station with lots of character and seating options.