Quarter Lounge

This is a very special spot for beef lovers, and it’s a head and shoulders above any burger place in Carlisle’s town centre. Exclusively employing beef brisket from producers within a 30-mile radius of their restaurant at Treasury Court, Quarter Lounge mince their beef patties fresh every day, grill them to a perfect medium and offer them up in a range of irresistible incarnations, from an elegant chorizo creation to a zingy sloppy joe and slightly sweet bourbon and maple syrup version – not to mention their superb sandwiches, like pulled pork or hot smoked salmon.

There is a lot more going on at Quarter Lounge than just burgers. To start with, it’s not some roadside American diner joint, but rather a suave wine bar where great cocktails and rare vintages are as popular as the food. There are also plenty of vegetarian meals (the mushroom, hash brown, goats cheese and rocket in a soft brioche bun is popular with carnivores, too), lighter options and delicious desserts. Tucked down Treasury Court, just off Fisher Street, Quarter Lounge is a top spot to kick back and stay a while in Carlisle’s fantastically leisurely, pedestrianised city centre.

Quarter Lounge’s menu is in sway to the seasons, as any good restaurant’s menu should be, so you’ll find it changing throughout the year. This city centre’s grazing plates are a good option if you’re taking a break from wandering Carlisle’s Lanes shopping precinct or have come down from a sightseeing tour of the castle and want a simple bite to eat – mini Cumberland sausages with a honey mustard glaze, haggis bon bons from just over the border, served with a whisky-infused mayo. Similarly, Quarter Lounge’s sandwiches are quick and gourmet options – we love the maple bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato brioche roll and the prawn and crayfish sub sandwich with Thousand Islands dressing.