The Drovers Rest in Carlisle

Staying at a holiday cottage in nearby Thurstonfield, we (me and friends) looked for somewhere to eat on a Saturday evening. The Drovers Rest had good reviews and seemed to fit the bill. When we arrived, the staff were warm and very welcoming. We were offered the choice of a table near the bar or in the restaurant, we chose the latter. Orders taken, food arrived fairly quickly, but not so you felt it was rushed out. We all agreed the food was absolutely delicious and that we'd made a very good choice coming here. My garlic mushrooms on a bed of tagliatelle were gorgeous. I can't personally comment on drinks, as I was driving, but the rest of the party deemed them excellent. Do go if you're in the area.

That's the Devil dog! It was phenomenal!

The is a Really good place to visit and eat, we had a large family holiday and wanted somewhere to all eat on a Saturday night, we connected them a few weeks before and they gave us some choices of what they could do.We had 14 people and they put on an amazing roast beef dinner with massive sharing platers of beef and veggies with all the trimmings . One of the best roast beef’s I’ve had. And the chocolate brownie with expresso martini sauce was unbelievable!! Amazing value. The chef was great and came out to talk to use. Couldn’t fault it.Staff all friendly and welcoming.

Superb food and great staff 100% will be back soon👌

Excellent place for a good quality beer, amazing friendly atmosphere, highly recommended

Just how s pub should be. Lovely atmosphere, good choice of beers, friendly staff and owners, food excellent, just wish we lived closer would certainly increase our patronage

Roast beef brisket was amazing and the chef came out and was talking to everyone great little pub

What a find! Stopped for dinner on a Saturday night as a party of 2 on the way from Scotland to London by complete chance from a quick look on google maps for a decent spot to eat. Super dog friendly (dog blankets toys and treats!) and such friendly service in general and a lovely relaxed atmosphere. Unique menu featuring house made smoked Cumberland sausages in house made buns with interesting toppings and combinations. Certainly not your usual pub offering! Rest of the menu is a decent selection and not huge which is always a good sign that food is cooked in house and fresh. My husband had one of the hot dogs - one VERY happy customer - generous portion and SO tasty! The veggie dish on the menu had sold out and as one of the few veggie mains available I asked what other options could be possible, the chef offered an alternative dish which I was really happy with and appreciated the extra effort made here to accommodate an alternative vegetarian option at little notice, it too was really tasty. Excellent range of beers from independent brewers - something which we learnt is really important to the pub, as well as food quality. Proprietor came to chat to us before we left and the chef also did a check back during our mains. Attentive but not overbearing. Highly recommend for a unique pub experience and would return if in the area again. Thank you so much!

A lovely little traditional English pub that has not been over modernised. The service was attentive but not pushy and the food was amazing. We had beef briskets and the roast pork with all the trimmings. I love my food but I don’t have a huge appetite so it was great to be offered a smaller portion which then enabled me to have the sticky toffee pudding ( shared with my Mum) which was amazing with proper homemade toffee sauce - delicious. We will definitely be visiting again.

Excellent food, very friendly environment.

Stunning food and a nice welcome.

What an absolutely beautiful and unique place. There is so much effort put in to this food with homemade breads, rolls, flatbreads and sausages, hot sauce, triple fried proper crispy chips. Loads of vegan and vegetarian options. Drinks are also great with a beautiful selection, a pot of tea is huge. The bar is really welcoming and friendly, with a love of animals clearly on show, pride flags up and a lot of character added through the decoration. Absolutely blown away by this place, a real labour of love, the passion is bursting out at the seams, even the bathrooms are full of things to use to make you feel at home. 100% do not miss and if you live near by, you should be going to support this place to exist because there’s not many like it!

Wow what a find! Despite tired legs after 2/3 of the first stage of Hadrian's Wall: Really worth the walk!!! What do you really want to try here: the homemade/smoked Cumberland sausage (but don't be alarmed, 10 inches is a lot longer than you think!) and the Frickles (pickle fried in batter) sound bizarre but are different and delicious. Excellent service and nice that Tom, the owner, also stopped by to check how everything was going.

amazing place, parked in the car park for some milky way shots. Owners were great and very accommodating. Thanks again

Blonde lady behind the bar was very rude to me. Menu was very limited. But the food was ok. Shame

Incredibly delicious food - the service was extremely friendly and the cider was perfect. The menu stands out very positively from “normal” pub food. Dachshund hot dog, flatbred veggie with cheese… the award you won is completely justified! And Enid the chicken rounds it all off 🐓

Cannot fault this pub. We walked in a bit late (10 mins before the kitchen closed), the owners couldn’t make us feel more at ease. They ensured that they would get us in before the kitchen closed and we were quickly offered drinks. Staff were knowledgeable about the different types of ales and the pub was cosy and comfortable. We had a good chat with the owners about Brugge beer and throughly enjoyed our meal. Honestly, what lovely people. We will be back! P.S.- The belly rub hot dog is to die for 🌭

Visited here today for a meal of 4 people, food was absolutely delicious, service was fantastic and the ale is amazing! Highly recommend and hopefully we'll be back soon 🙏

I can not put in words how amazing this place is. If you are anywhere even remotely close you need to go. We came for lunch and the food is on another level!! One of the best things I have eaten. The chef and staff were so attentive and even brought us a complimentary drink for our wedding celebrations. We even had the company of the two resident chickens in the beer garden. Proper hidden gem, we will be going back 100% on our next visit here. Thank you for an amazing lunch and all round experience

A perfect lunch stop! Excellent, friendly service and delicious hot beef sandwiches. Just what we needed on our bike ride. Thank you.

The best hot beef sandwich ever. A group of cyclists who thought they were booked in turned up. Even though there was another function we could not have been looked after better. Excellent food, excellent service. Well done thank you ☺️

What a find! The Drovers is a gem, the moment we walked in the ladies at the bar treated us like regulars, an amazing assortment of real ales and lagers. The menu was very diverse with excellent write ups on the passion of the chef behind each dish . When the food came it was spectacular and amazingly tasty word of warning don’t have a starter and you won’t want a dessert. To top of the meal both the landlady and landlord joined us and talked passionately about their food. I am no food critic but this place needs a Michelin star. Oh and the prices, very reasonable.

The chef came to our table and explained how he smoked the food, baked the bread and made the sauces. Great portions. Lovely tasty food.

What a find. Best meal and overall dining out experience we've had for a very long time. Felt welcomed and looked after from the get go. Interesting menu with belgium/ Dutch influences. Had amazing burger, husband had datchund (great smoked sausage and sauerkraut) boys loved the very cheesy mac and cheese. Home made buns (I generally leave the bread with a burger, not a crumb remained). Great chewy texture. All around outstanding! Thank you!

This is exactly what I expect (and hope for) in a country pub. Food is excellent, cooked to order and locally sourced. Excellent selection of beers and no music or TV.

This place served me a burger in a bun which was so dry I couldn't even get the knife through it. We ate in the garden and had to wait several minutes for cutlery as our meals got cold.

Lovely cosy pub, gorgeous food and the staff are some of the nicest people I’ve met! Plus the hen! 🧡

Good beer Good food - I had an annandale ipa and vegan 3 mushroom risotto special. You can taste the beer if you are struggling to choose. Big portions (of food). Staff were great.

We were recommended to visit this pub by a local guide at Carlisle Cathedral. Old fashioned style pub with resident hen. Different take on pub grub and lovely apple crumble. Well worth a visit.

Brill country pub,in Monkhill Cumbria, not far from Carlisle, warm and cosy, brill music night the 1st Tues every month, a wide great choice of real ales, great atmosphere, staff brill, highly recommended gets 5 stars from me, people you must checkit out, have a range of things going on in the pub.

Great meal, plenty of parking and reasonably priced. Only downside was a limited menu with alot of it being sold out before they started serving. Not a great choice for vegetarians either.

Proper old pub feel, staff went over and above to accommodate our group, the food was amazing!

Homely, cozy, with great ales, good staff, and the food hits the spot every time - what's not to like about The Drovers Rest?

Food was OK staff were lovely pub was great as well

Great food, very warm welcome and great for dogs

Hands down one of the best places to eat around Carlisle, great vegetarian and vegan options.

Great 'little' pub! Excellent food - beer tapas, comes with the same perception you'll need more before becoming stuffed! Awesome beer chat - tried one, ordered it and then another based on the conversation prior. It has character. We will be back.

Lovely atmosphere. Chap behind bar very engaging and entertaining, the whole team looked after us very well.

Great food and great service and staff friendly excellent 👍 👏 Anne and Bobby very yummy 😋 thankyou will be back Friday 1 3 24

Absolutely beautiful, food was amazing, all staff were so friendly and the environment was cosy and welcoming. I will definitely be back. Thank you

Called in, on the off chance whist just passing, made to feel very very welcome. Beautiful little pub. Staff where lovely. The food.....well it was out of this world. If you've never been your missing out. We will definitely be back 10/10.

We visited with a large group over Christmas 2023 and had a great time. Fantastic, friendly, attentive service, and the food was delicious - every single person's meal looked amazing! I had one of their signature Cumberland dogs and loved it. Great beer and a friendly atmosphere too. We were asked to pre-order (totally fair with a big group!) and our food arrived promptly after our arrival. The staff were really friendly and accommodating throughout. Great beer too!

Great pub. Range of cask beers, really interesting food, Top marks.

Had the pot roast for my Sunday Lunch with a desert and I can honestly say it was the best dining out experience I've had in my 50+ years. The food was beyond delicious and the helpings were huge! The staff were friendly and helpful. I'm bowled over at the quality especially for the price. I have paid more at other places for food that wasn't a fraction as good. Highly reccomended and you won't regret it.

WOW! We’ve travelled from Liverpool to Carlisle and we wanted a lovely pub meal and that’s what we got. It was unreal the food was just WOW lost for words we had an unreal meal and drinks and would definitely go back again. The staff were all polite and had great manners as well always asking if we needed something or if the food was okay 10/10 experience.

Been for many meals and many beers over the last 5 years! The atmosphere created by Beki and the team always makes you feel welcome, the beer is the best in Cumbria as is Toms cooking! Thoroughly recommend!

This lunch was absolutely delicious 😋

Cosy pub , dog friendly, roaring fires, great beer imaginative food. Oxtail bon bons are awsome.

Nice country pub & the food we had for lunch was really nice. Bit disappointed in the choice on the lunchtime menu though.

What a find! I had a booking at the Cumberland Bird of Prey Centre and this pub appeared nearby with great reviews so I booked a table. What a lovely place and amazing people. The atmosphere is relaxed, you don’t feel rushed. The staff (and regulars) were very friendly. The menu was explained to us and they also come with an introduction so you can read for yourself. I was spoilt for choice with the menu so I’m just going to have to go back to try some of the other dishes ;-). The fish and chips were really nice. My partner had the sausage - it was huge and he thoroughly enjoyed it. Lovely presentation too. I would definitely recommend a visit and we will be returning. Thank you to all at the Drovers.

Myself and my partner came here today and it’s very rare we’re lost for words. From the beginning the owner was attentive, friendly and made us feel right at home. The food, my goodness. We eat out regularly up and down the country and we’ve not had food like it. Overall the whole experience was a delight, our new fav ‘local’ (about 10 mins drive for us) … no wonder they’ve won award after award. You can tell they put their hearts and soul into the place and it pays off. Thank you and we WILL be back!!

The food was excellent, recommended the beef kebabs and the gammon, thanks for the wonderful service were very pleasant and helpful. Recommended to get in early or book.

Fantastic place for everything. We'll be back for sure.

Lovely warm friendly pub and eatery. Received a warm welcome on arrival, great selection of drinks and a good menu. Lots of real ales to choose from. Highly recommend if you're passing through the area.

Excellent meal and brilliant service last Sunday. The vegans and veggies were well catered for too !

A group of seven friends staying in the local area and stumbled across this pub for a coffee. Booked for dinner the next day. It was spectacular! A huge selection of vegan and vegetarian options. The food was amazing. A lovely atmosphere and so friendly.

Food, service and location fantastic. We would have been more than satisfied with the specials, which were excellent. Thank you all so much! :)

Great place to meet with friends and

Best pub food I've had locally for a long long time. Beers decent too. Beats where we ate in the Lakes last week by a country mile and then some!

Brilliant time spent with the locals at a beer festival held at the pub. Totally recommend you visit this place especially when on the hadrians wall walk. Try arrange your trip to line up with an event.

Walked from the tranquil otter. Very cute pub, friendly staff, friendly patrons, and dogs of course!!! 🐕 Plus a great selection of UK beers (including sours). 🍻

By far the most knowledgeable and best stocked real ale pub in the region. Top sausage too

The best pub in Carlisle if not Cumbria to experience proper ales and lagers. On a side nite the food is exceptional also!

Visit drovers rest whenever we're in the area and always find the staff friendly and helpful. The food is all sourced locally and very tasty. I'm vegetarian and always find we're well catered for.

Everything you’d hope for in a pub. Great beer, warm hospitality and tasty food. The speciality sausages are made by the chef, who used to be a butcher, high quality meaty and tasty stuff! Wish I lived nearby…

Expensive beer, I find it hard to justify £16 for a hot dog in the middle of nowhere

Delightful country pub. Good food, served well and more on the menu that just that standard 'same old' pub grub.

We had tea at drovers rest on Sunday. The food was delicious and staff very friendly and welcoming, but was a bit shocked, when noticing a lot of half dead plants and dusty windowsills throughout, But would definitely recommend on the quality of food and service

Best place I have found made us feel really welcome and the dog loved it to

Cracking pub with an incredible range of beers. The food was great and veggie/ vegan friendly. Staff are so lovely and welcoming. Very dog friendly.

My favourite pub. Great selection of real ales always available. Nice beer garden to the rear of this picturesque and I suspect, quite ancient building.

Excellent food, had the gamon was massive but delicious had an egg and pineapple which if anyone knows who lives gamon it's a bonus to get both rather than only egg's or pineapple 😊

Consistently fabulous. It's very dog friendly, the food is fantastic and there is always a warm welcome.

I wish every rural pub could be this good. Beers - cask and craft - always in superb form. Excellent food, community events and always a good chat to be had.

Excellent service, food and beer

Very poor menu, left before eating

Excellent choices of beers and my meal was excellent.

Fabulous pub, great food & beers and totally awesome hosts! Becky & Tom are fantastic publicans! Totally recommended!

Does what it says on tin. A warm Welcome, friendly staff and great food. Pointed us to a great campsite. Rarely you find this kind of hospitality in this day and age. Dog friendly.

We were fortunate enough to be there on furry Friday. Our dog was welcomed as much as us. Happy friendly staff and very nice food and cider 😋

Just lovely food,spoilt rotten.Loved the chickens in the garden.

Great little place,stayed in our campervan there very warm and welcoming,gave us knowledge of the area and the food and drinks are great to would come again

Fantastic pub serving original and delicious food, and craft beers, lagers, and ciders. Service was first class, food was so tasty, and portions were incredibly generous (I couldn't finish all of mine, and when I got back to where I was staying, two other guys who had eaten there said exactly the same thing!). I've been told they're an award-winning pub, and I can see why. 10/10

Went to beer festival it was excellent

Very nice staff, dog friendly, excellent food, and if you have a campervan you can park in their carpark as long as you have a meal. And the beer is great too!

Slimmed down menu but still fab, a must try !! Great beers as usual...especially this weekend during the festival.

Their Sunday lunch of brisket was the best Sunday lunch out we'd had. My daughter, who loves my Sunday roast, agreed it was even better than mine! A most hospitable welcome from the staff. It'd be worth driving up from Lancashire every Sunday, just to lunch here.

Great little pub with friendly staff and people. Very homely.

My favourite pub in Cumbria. Always a warm welcome.

Great pub, friendly folks and brilliant selection of beers

Lovely staff and ale. Dog friendly too.

Popped in for a quick drink. Really lovely selection of beers, and fantastic bar food. Will definitely be coming back again!

We booked out the restaurant for a special family occasion; 21 people across 3 generations for Sunday lunch. Ordered our meals in advance with friendly Beki and received a warm welcome on the day. All food was excellent and served in huge Cumbrian-sized portions that hardly anyone could finish. Good selection of drinks. Thank you for a very memorable day.

The best ever place to have a rest, some drink and meal! I love you, guys!

Wish i could give this place more than 5 stars, dropped in on the way back from Scotland for some food, the menu wasn't massive but the food was amazing. I got fish and chips and it is by far the best fish I have had in a long time, the price was cheap and the portion size was more than filling, really amazed at how nice the fish was.

What a little Gem !!! The kind of local that we would all love on our doorstep. Great home made food, great selection of beers and lovely staff . Will be back again soon 👍

Food, drink, service are just a few things that deserve 5 stars for this pub. No matter how far you have to travel it will of not been in vain. A must see!

Absolutely outstanding food & service. Passionate business is a successful business and these guys are smashing it on every level. If you want delicious, comforting locally sourced food, great portions at a fair price you will not be disappointed. 😁🔥👊

This is a really great place! It’s cozy, warm, atmospheric and friendly. It’s got beams, real log fires and friendly and chatty staff. And, the food is to die for!!!

Really tasty ales, impressive food choices well made with generous portions and excellent experience…will definitely return.