David's Restaurant in Carlisle

My husband and I came with our two teenage children. ( who like their finer foods) on a busy Friday evening - Good Friday. We were greeted like old friends by Chris, drinks order taken swiftly & menus given. Lovely homemade Bread to nibble on whilst we perused what we were going to have. We all had starters, mains & desserts. Ranging from King Scallops, Haggis Pakora for starters, Seabream, Steak & Lamb for mains. Sharing platter of cheese, Peanut butter parfait & a chocolate Torte for desserts. All was absolutely faultless & we as a family enjoyed every moment! We ended up staying and chatting with other customers, it was just what we needed. Beautiful food, excellent service & drinks. Great chilled atmosphere. We will be back! Many thanks

We managed to return after quite a few months, was not disappointed, David is outstanding, genuinely caring and professional with a huge amount of experience and knowledge. We’ve tried the other usual suspects around the area but nothing hits the spot like David’s Restaurant. They all seem to have a bizarre attempt at modern fusion cuisine which is just getting to confused to enjoy to be honest, David’s is simply proper cooking at its best! I am a chef so appreciate real homemade food, and this is absolutely what it is. High end restaurant food made from scratch in house. Can’t believe we’ve left it so long since going, clearly our favourite by far, and this is from a well travelled chef with his own food business, 100% my favourite spot in the city, should easily have a rosette or two! Looking forward to our next visit, alone leave it as long for sure!!!

Visited with my family , a much needed evening out. Had starters, mains, and desserts. All were amazing, nothing could be more perfect. The staff and service were brilliant. We love coming to David’s to relax & unwind. See you again soon!

Went to David’s looking forward to a special meal, unfortunately from the moment we arrived it wasn’t to be , on arrival no name taken just told to sit a any empty table, which wasn’t a big problem but would have expected a little more , ordered our meal and drinks and when the meal arrived it was just average the bigger problem was waiting on staff, we were in the restaurant over 1.5 hours and only once came and asked us for drinks we didn’t get ask if we would like more and not once asked if everything was ok with the meal , for a restaurant with such a good reputation I thought this was poor, I also mentioned to the staff a little problem with the male toilets and an hour later the problem still wasn’t sorted , for a restaurant with what looked like 10 people in the front and 6 in the back there wasn’t a problem with been too busy but that is no excuse either , we have either been very unlucky or the people of Carlisle except poor service and average food especially for the price we paid , which I wouldn’t mind paying for decent food and service , sorry we won’t be back

Fabulous restaurant to eat and soak up the atmosphere. Food is absolutely amazing and the surroundings are warm and hospitable . The staff are excellent and very attentive without being intrusive. The food as always was amazing both in price and quality . We chose the red wine pairing and it was totally spot on too. Will definitely recommend to both friends and family and fully intend to return on a more regular basis. Please don’t think it’s too expensive because you definitely won’t be disappointed…pub prices with fine dining quality for sure!!!

Again an amazing experience. Food and drink to die for . Service was brilliant remembered us from a couple of years ago. Will be back.

This restaurant is a gem. The food is excellent, and Chris made a 10/10 espresso martini. Don't overlook this one!

My husband and I booked a table for an anniversary meal. Chris, the owner, is a welcoming, friendly host without being at all overbearing and reads his customers well. The food was simply excellent. Fresh, generous proportions, beautiful presentation without being pretentious. It's all about flavour. The chocolate and amaretto cherry torte dessert rates a special mention from this fussy chocoholic! The decor is simple and comfortable and the atmosphere is relaxed. The dining area is small, but cleverly laid out to create a feeling of intimacy. We felt that the volume of the background music could have been slightly lower, but enjoyed the pleasant choice of songs. Overall, absolutely worth a visit... and future revisits.

Really lovely lunch. Good atmosphere and excellent service. Delicious and filling food

Wonderful food with very pleasant attentive staff.Would highly recommend.1st visit but will definitely return. At the higher end price wise but well worth it.

We visited this restaurant this evening and left planning our next visit. We were seated in a small dining area which was the perfect space -informal and cosy. We were very looked after throughout the evening. There was a choice of approximately 6 starters, main dishes and desserts. The food was exceptional - high quality food cooked to a very high standard. I would highly recommend a visit, you won't leave hungry or disappointed!

My go to place for a lovely peaceful meal with my family. Regular customers here.

Me and my partner had a meal here today and it was hands down the best food we've ever had. Honestly well done to the chef and the kitchen team. Staff were amazing and the place was lovely. Will definitely be visiting again. Can't recommend it enough.

My partner and I have been to David's a Few times now. Never have been disappointed. We went again for Valentine's Day and the food was Amazing. Service was Amazing. Any chance we get we will definitely be back☺️

I’ve been a head chef in a number of restaurants in my time so don’t leave reviews unless it’s worth it . David’s restaurant it’s fantastic good value for money and the food was really good nicely seasoned and cooked to a very high standard.me and my wife will be going back soon.

On route from Colchester to Scotland, we decided to stop in Carlisle for the evening and booked dinner at David's. I am so happy that we did, as it was one of the most wonderful places we've ever dined at. The food was absolutely delicious, from the flakey cod and perfectly cooked chicken, to the wonderfully seasoned vegetables. The haggis pakora and Irn Bru mayonnaise was a revelation and tasted amazing. We finished on a comforting and rich sticky toffee pudding. Not only did we have great food, Chris was a lovely host and made us feel so welcome. We are so sad we don't have this restaurant back in our home town and hope one day we can return to this fabulous place! ❤️ Thank you Chris!

I was very disappointed with my meal won't be going back anytime soon

Excellent food great service, nice atmosphere, highly recommended definitely will be going again

Not being from the area I searched a restaurant for me and my wife. DAVIDS caught my eye as we like finer dining and slightly upper market food. When we arrived the owner Chris was very welcoming and we were seated quickly by the waitress. I have to admit I didn't check the prices but £120 for 2 starters, 2 mains, a bottle of wine and a diet Coke I thought was very reasonable. For starter we both had the seared Scallops which were very nice and the black pudding ball with the crusty coating was superb. For main we each had fillet steak, both cooked rare, they were cooked very well and seasoned nicely. Great talking about cars for a few minutes with the owner being a petrol head abd nice to see another person who enjoys their motors. Thanks

Fantastic restaurant to eat and soak up the atmosphere. Beautiful surroundings. The staff were excellent the food was amazing. The wine choice was spot on.

We had a warm friendly welcome. We hadn't booked but Chris was able to accommodate us. We chose the set price 2 course midweek menu. Great choice and food was spectacular Staff were attentive but not in your face. Would highly recommend

We had a fantastic meal in Davids. Every single course was excellent and this was coupled with brilliant service. This restaurant is where to go for fine dining in Carlisle. Every course was exquisite but the highlight for me was the melt in the mouth fillet steak. Make the trip it will be worth it!

Birthday dinner was amazing, best espresso martini I’ve ever had & food was outstanding. I chose the turkey as it was Christmas menu. Fantastic dish & I couldn’t fault it.

We've been coming to David's for years and for us it's the best restaurant in Carlisle.... lovely relaxed atmosphere and great food

We had an excellent dinner (Xmas menu). I can highly recommend the Duck. The food and service were both top notch. We hope to be back again soon!

Family booked David's for my mother in laws 70th Birthday. The dining area we was allocated was warm and cosy and spotlessly clean, decked out for Christmas with nice ambient music. Table was set beautifully. Service was attentive and friendly. We had booked a 3 course set festive menu. The food was outstanding, I ordered beef, I never expected a fillet! which was cooked to perfection. The starter and the main perfect, I never managed dessert as I was stuffed, although I did have a try of the sticky toffee pudding, was lovely. All 7 of us enjoyed every single course and would definitely return. Thank You!

We have booked a table of 7 for my mum's 70th birthday at this lovely restaurant. Beautifully and stylishly decorated interior, with a nice and warm welcome by the owner. We had to choose from the festive menu which had a great range of fine-dining dishes. Food Beautifully presented, and most importantly delicious!!! 5+ stars to the chef and his team! The wine and drinks menu is also great with plenty to choose from. Definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a great dinner in the centre of Carlisle. We all have truly enjoyed the experience. Thank tou

Cosy atmosphere, tasty food and great service, def. a restaurant to recommend!

Lovely little restaurant. Great food. Very welcoming and accommodating.

Best dining experience. We had 3 course mid week Menü and it was simply fantastic. We will definitely be back very soon . Thank you Chris

We came for an after elopement meal, and although the food was absolutely delicious the service was very poor, and the overall experience was quite disappointing. I'm quite happy everything else went off without a hitch. We were waiting awhile to order despite not many other people being in, and when the food did arrive shortly after I had to go find the waitress as all of our order wasn't there and she was chilling on her phone. We were also overcharged for our meal which was already very expensive. It was quite dusty, but overall rather clean. I did have some hope some champagne or anything (even a congratulations) would be offered as I did highlight this prior to the booking. The food was amazing, but doesn't make up for everything else. Would avoid in future.

Absalutley fantastic family meal last night! Simply the BEST service and atmosphere unbeatable

My partner and I had an amazing meal here. I ordered the meatball starter, he ordered the crab cakes, both great portions. Chicken for our main, once again, delicious and great portions. Service was lovely, we felt very welcome. Will be back again soon.

Wir wurden sehr freundlich empfangen obwohl wir zu früh im Restaurant waren. Wir wurden herzlich und zuvorkommend bedient. Sehr gutes und frisches Essen. Ein richtig gutes Steak wie selten in Schottland.

Absolutely excellent food and very friendly service. The Surf and Turf special was a delight and my wife's lamb superb

Brilliant. Purely brilliant. The food fast, but not too fast so once you’ve finished it there another meal before your comfortable. High quality and tasted like heaven on your tongue-whatever your having it didn’t matter. After being there once, couldn’t help but coming back again m. It seemed to just have gotten better! Drinking glasses clean, the drinks themselves beautiful. Deeply suggest going there, you will not regret it. The staff are friendly and you can have a nice conversation with them. I find this type of place warming and welcoming. It’s just lovely, each thing comes from the heart.

We were given a gift voucher for 60th birthday present, so decided to opt for lunch. Food was very nice but we felt that both the pea & sorrel soup (starter) and lamb (main) was over seasoned with salt. Paid extra for fillet steak as it was my birthday treat. The steak was nicely cooked and good, but not exceptional. I thought it disappointing that the carrot & coriander puree was merged into gravy, so was barely even visible. No vegetables are given as an extra, it's literally just what is mentioned on the menu that is served. Anything extra is a side dish and is an extra charge. We enjoyed our lunch, but for us, it's a special occasion venue that we'd probably only visit occasionally. The food was all good, but not great value for money, it's more of a place to indulge yourself for a special treat. We needed to spend an extra £20 on top of the £60 voucher, to cover one glass of house wine each , starter and main (no dessert)....oh and the £7 extra for fillet steak.

David's is our restaurant for special occasions. We booked for an early table and we were lucky to have the first choice and took the window table in the front room. My partner is gluten intolerant and prefers fish - there's always some fish on the menu that's super. The starters we had was the salmon mousse timbale, and the figs with brie. The Salomon was out of this word, and the figs made a refreshing change. For mans I had the gnocchi with tomato sauce, and my partner had the sea bream. Chips on the side as well - they were awesome - used those to scoop up the tomato sauce. We downed the whole bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc - I need to ask for the label. Dessert was the bailey crème Brule. Altogether a very nice balance of dishes - not too much. We enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere, and we'll be booking again. One of the best dining experiences you'll have in Carlilse - esp. for romantic couples dinners ;-).

Lamb was lovely and tender but too much mince sauace

Great meal on a Wednesday afternoon. Pleasent welcome, place nice and busy. Food was exactly as listed, very good. Would visit again.

Second visit as my mum has been reminiscing about this place since our last travel in the UK. Came to Carlisle specifically for David’s. Walked in with great anticipation and weren’t disappointed. Quality, honest ingredients done right! We ordered the set menus and were hoping to grab a dessert each but was too full by the end of our main dishes, had to go with two to share amongst the four of us. You could tell that the chef and his team put a lot of efforts in designing and delivering the food. Highly recommend!

Been here a few times now. Definitely one of the top, if not the top restaurant in Carlisle. Excellent food and service. Had the special surf and turf this time. 3 lobster varieties and a perfectly cooked fillet steak.

Incredible dinning experience, still the best in Carlisle for Steak. Had the haddock scotch egg, which came with curried mayo that was the perfect balance. The steak came with a crispy crocquet, carrot puree and roasted tomato's. The steak was huge and melted in the mouth. Was too full for desert..... but with the quality so far, had to give it a go. Sticky toffee pudding was a perfect ending to the meal.

Delicious well presented food with plenty of choices for each course, so will have to return to sample more. Great Prosecco Cocktails also. The staff were very friendly and attentive. All round lovely meal.

This restaurant is special, we had the most delicious meal here on our recent visit to Carlisle. The menu has a good selection of good food made with fresh, quality ingredients. We both chose the Figs with Brie to start and Lamb Sous Vide for mains, both were fantastic. The meals were very reasonably priced too. The service attentive but not intrusive. The restaurant itself is beautiful, comfortable and stylishly decorated. I highly recommend this restaurant when visiting Carlisle.

We are not local so used Tripadvisor to locate a restaurant in Carlisle. We were so impressed with both the food and service. I can highly recommend it for a special meal in lovely surroundings.

Amazing Food, Atmosphere and service. The service was excellent, we were greeted at the door where our booking was confirmedand then we were taken to our table, Staff were excellent, very efficient and alsways served with a smile. The food was very well presented and tasted amazing, such an amazing place, will definitely be returning, my daughter even commented on the music being great. Thanks for a great evening meal.

Superb menu, food, technique, presentation, setting and charming host. What more can one say! So sorry to say we do not live in Carlisle as this would be our favorite. Thank you Chris.

Very tasty well presented food. We enjoyed every single dish and would happily revisit and order every dish again. I have payed much more for much less

Davids is definitely the place to go for high quality food & friendly staff. I only tend to go for lunchtime but the quality of food is excellent, great value for money & the staff are so friendly & welcoming. Great to go for a special occasion

Fabulous service and lovely ambience. Starters were absolutely delicious. I’d go back just for the smoked haddock scotch egg! The Brie stuffed figs were also a favorite at our table. Mains were nice, but two member of our party felt the sauce on their dishes were far too salty.

Called in for lunch on Saturday, the 27th, and the food and service were top-notch. Highly recommended, and I had a great local beer to compliment my beef fillet 😉 👍

Great restaurant, delicious food. Friendly staff and nicely decorated. Definitely worth a visit. Reservation recommended.

Really enjoyed our meal, we will be back. Great host and location.

Wow! Amazing food. First timers to this place we were blown away by the quality of the food. Chesse souffle and steak cooked to perfection. Great job guys, keep it up 👌

Had a lovely lunch with my friend today. David's is now open for lunch Tuesday to Saturday great news

We had a meal here tonight. The staff were very welcoming and friendly. The atmosphere was quiet enough to be able to have a good conversation with gentle background music which made for a relaxing evening. The menu was varied enough to give a good choice but not too much choice which can be confusing. We had the table to ourselves all evening and didn't feel at all pressured to finish and leave. The food was amazing, delicious and just the right sized portions. We came in stressed , but left relaxed and happy. We will definitely be back.

Had two lovely meals at David's over the Easter weekend highly recommend, also stopped at the Halston which was also first class also had a couple winners at Carlisle racecourse.

Lovely evening and the food was excellent. Many thanks. J & K Heaney.

Great dining experience. Had a lovely chat with the owner after food who shared a little of the building's history and it's most recent renovations. We went for three courses and all were delicious. My partner enjoyed a perfectly cooked steak and I had an unusual but very tasty cod wrapped in Parma ham. A cosy ambience of gentle conversations in warm soft lighting.

An enjoyable lunch at Davids would recommend.

My wife and I went to David's last night and it was EXCELLENT. We had a gift voucher from our son and we finally got chance to use it last night. The decor of the restaurant is lovely , we received a very warm welcome and the food was simply EXCELLENT, I had the best Steak I have ever had. High quality ingredients, cooked well and expertly presented. The service was excellent, friendly and very professional. Thank you to everyone involved at David's for making our first visit so memorable, we look forward to returning again as soon as we can .

The best food we have ever eaten! In the cleanest & cosiest place too. We have been to David's twice now, the second time for Valentines Day and the atmosphere was fabulous. The staff can't do enough for you and are so polite and professional too. We can't wait to visit again. Thank you!

We got a Gift Voucher for Christmas, so this was my first visit to David’s ….and it did not disappoint- The waitress/Host was lovely, the food outstanding…and we will definitely be back

Nothing to write home about. Was expecting more .

Atmosphere little lacking but who wants loud music and noisy people when eating great food

We came for dinner last saturday 20th January 2024. We were here in Carlisle for a 70th birthday celebration with family & friends.The food was excellent,the service was attentive and prompt without being intrusive.The prices for starters,mains and desserts were all very fair and reasonably priced.The staff were professional ,polite and very welcoming.This restaurant is a fine dining experience with a very calm, ambient and relaxing atmosphere .'Thank you' so much for making our evening so enjoyable and memorable.

A gem of a restaurant. Beautiful food, service and quality

Thanks to Chris and staff for a lovely meal excellent best restaurants in Carlisle thanks ally Armstrong

Recently went with friends for Xmas Get together- table booked for 1.30 pm, and at 3.00 pm told we couldn’t have more than one more bottle of wine as they wanted to clear table!! At 3.30 pm literally forced out!! Hardly had time for dessert and never offered coffee etc!! Spent over £350 and never told when booking we only had table for 2 hrs!! Staff putting on coats as we were ushered out at 3.30 pm, Food lovely but lunch ruined and we all felt like we had chosen the wrong venue!! Disappointing!!

Would recommend the evening as service and Atmosphere made it enjoyable

5 star all the way, amazing food and excellent service.

We ate here for my daughter's masters graduation, everything was excellent 5/5 for the service atmosphere and most of all the food. I will definately return to Davids.

Lovely restaurant, attentive service. Starters excellent, mains good, small problem which was quickly dealt with, very good dessert. Was happy to pay full price and tip, however would have expected a small discount due to previous problem. Would still eat here again though.

Returned again and enjoyed the Smoked Haddock Scotch Egg (lovely depth of flavor) followed by the Chicken Schnitzel, and finally the Crème Brulee. Consistently good

Fantastic food as always, it’s always a real treat to go we love it! Best restaurant in Carlisle bar none!

Had a nice meal. Good sevice and atmosphere. Will go again

Best fine dining experience in Carlisle. The food is amazing. High quality ingredients and food you just done get elsewhere. It’s gorgeous. Always have an amazing experience here.

Brilliant food as always. Service was friendly and conscientious. Would highly recommend to all

Lovely presentation, excellent service, friendly informative staff

Definitely the best food that I’ve eaten on my many visits to Carlisle. Nice atmosphere, delicious food and attentive service, we will definitely return.

Superb evening, lovely food. Would recommend to anyone.

A wonderful dining experience for three friends celebrating joint special birthdays.

This is our go to restaurant in Carlisle. Excellent service and even better quality food. No matter what is on the menu, you are always guaranteed a brilliant meal. Second to none, and would recommend to anybody looking for a fine dining experience in the area.

Chris is a perfect host, you feel like beeing welcomed in a living room and the best: try the fillet steak, if the season allows as surf & turf! We ordered 4times rare and they all arrived as requested and hot. The lobster was split into 3 dishes, thermidor, fried and a nice tail covered in herby butter, delicious! We also had a nicely balanced cheesboard as well as cheesecake and the key lime cake. Fantastic. Try for yourself, we can absolutely recommend.

Very cute, lovely and relaxing restaurant. Staff were very friendly and the food was delicious, expertly presented and well proportioned. Would absolutely come back if in the area.

Superb cuisine at its best. You have to try this place.

Very good service, delicious food, celebrated my MBA there!

This place is a hidden gem the owner is very passionate about his food very engaging with customers and very good on price food were excellent and amazing definitely going again and will now become a regular

I hadn't been in about 15 years but it blew my last amazing visit out of the water. Service is bubbly, friendly and relaxed. The menu is fantastic....get the lobster. The key lime pie is delicious. I'd like to see more options for the mock tails and a creme brulee on the menu. But it's perfect anyway. We will definitely be back for another meal.

Carlisle is a vibrant modern city with great food and drink venues. Case in point, Davids Restaurant, situated in the center of the historic city of Carlisle in a Victorian townhouse, is a comfortable, elegant restaurant offering the best fine dining. Davids was established in March 2000 by David Wilson and David Humpston; after running a successful cafe/bistro for 10 years, they decided to move on to fine dining. In 2002 they recruited Chris Austin as Head Chef, and with David & Davids's knowledge and experience in the hospitality industry, coupled with Chris' drive and passion, the restaurant thrived. After 10 years, both Davids were looking to retire, and Chris Austin took over the restaurant in August 2010. He continues to achieve the highest customer satisfaction levels by maintaining high-quality ingredients from local suppliers. A wide range of menus and food choices change throughout the year to capture the seasonal ingredients' quality. The best local produce is used throughout the menus to guarantee fresh and tasty dishes, providing guests with the highest quality dining experience. Davids prides itself in going the extra mile to cater to any dietary needs. After being open for over 10 years, the restaurant has many regular customers and visitors to this historic city who drop in while walking Hadrian's Wall or on a day trip on the Settle – Carlisle rail journey. Whatever your reason for visiting, you won't be disappointed. So whether you're looking for a business lunch, a romantic dinner, or a celebratory meal, Davids offers the perfect setting.

By far the best food we have ever had. Will definitely be returning. Cosy setting, friendly staff & delicious food. Thankyou for a wonderful evening.

Excellent meal and service from Chris.all courses we had were beautiful.definitely be back

Absolutely Amazing food at Davids's Restaurant. The service was outstanding and atmosphere was so relaxed. I would highly recommend and will certainly return.

By far the best meal out we have ever had. The quality of the food and the way it was presented was exceptional. If you’ve never been to this restaurant, you’re missing a treat.

Fantastic meal, the food, the service, everything was perfectly cooked and presented beautifully. Can’t wait to return back soon. 5 ⭐️

Love this place. Fabulous food, great service (the throat lozenges were great)

Thank you for making our evening perfect. We enjoyed our meals and the service was excellent. Thank you very much from the Dougan family

I was skeptical, but the hype is real, I have just finished the set lunch menu and it was outstanding, we had smoked Salmon salad for starter, fillet steak for main and the Nutella cheesecake to share. Each meal was exquisite and could not have been better. The fillet steak was medium rare to perfect and one of the most tender I have had, the Nutella cheesecake was light yet rich so a perfect finish to the meal. I also had a local ale and table water which were nice and clean. Overall outstanding and I now understand why everyone goes here, we will return for an evening meal soon.

Really well cooked food; a good selection of wine and beer; very friendly and welcoming service. The menu is short and made up of the usual favourites, but they are all prepared with care and skill. The crab cakes were delicious and came with a perfectly spiced Thai sauce. The sticky toffee pudding was light in texture, but had a deep, rich dark treacle flavour. Lots of fun. Go there.