Name: McGrew’s bistro

Where: Old Fire Station, Peter Street, Carlisle

Website: oldfirestation.carlisle.city

Tel: 01228 817389

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, Sunday, noon to 5pm.

Owner: Jon Stewart

History: Housed within the Old Fire Station arts and centre, McGrew’s first opened in May 2015. Jon aimed to make the bistro a destination in its own right and was succeeding... until the floods of December that year.
McGrew’s reopened 10 months after Storm Desmond struck and has gone from strength to strength.
It opens at 10 in the morning with a great breakfast menu and has home made fruit and cheese scones, tea cakes and home made cakes available all day.
There are two areas to the bistro. The first is a bright and modern bar area. The second is part of the Engine Room, which also houses the stained glass window that was rescued from the Lonsdale cinema.
The well-stocked bar offers a fantastic selection of beers, wines and spirits, as well as soft drinks and real ales from some of the best of our local brewries. There is a range of teas and coffees.

Style of food: Bistro/pub

Menu sample: Homemade soup of the day served with fresh bread (£4.20); paté served with Cumberland sauce, salad garnish and toasted ciabatta (£4.20); spinach and cheese tart served with a dressed salad (£5.95); bruschetta served on a lightly toasted ciabatta brushed with garlic (£4.95); homemade steak or lamb burger in a toasted brioche bun served with salad and fries – the steak burger is served with a choice of toppings (smoked bacon and mature Cheddar, goat’s cheese and caramelised red onion, or Stilton), the lamb burger is served with a mint mayo (£7.95); chicken or vegetable enchiladas topped with a spicy tomato sauce and mexicana cheese (£7.30); spinach and ricotta cannelloni (£5.95); beer battered fish and chips (£7.30).
Puddings include sticky toffee pudding, apple crumble, cheesecake and Belgian waffles (all £3.95).

In their own words: “McGrew’s is a great venue housed within the Old Fire Station.
“By day it’s a destination in its own right, offering a breakfast, lunch and afternoon light bites menu. By night it is a well-stocked watering hole catering for events.
“The aim is to offer good food in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. It is a very spacious venue, making it great for young families with prams (we have a great children’s play area) and we can cater for larger groups too.
“We are very dog friendly, and in the summer we have a great alfresco area that catches the sun all day long.”