A CHEF and his team from Carlisle are ‘over the moon’ after scooping a prestigious national accolade.
Casa Romana Italian Restaurant, in Carlisle city centre, has won a Good Food Blue Ribbon Award for the quality of their food and consistently good service.
The awards are based upon real customer experiences, gathered by the Good Food Awards, which uses online reviews, nominations and voting to pick out the best of the best when it comes to dining across the UK.
Known for its warm atmosphere and authentic Italian flavours, ‘Casa’ has become a favourite among locals and visitors alike.
The Italian Awards (Image: Supplied)
The restaurant, owned and run by Richard and Janice Shannan, offers a true taste of the Mediterranean, inspired by a love of Italy, and learning true Italian cuisine after working with Italians in some of the area’s most iconic Italian restaurants of the past, such as Franco’s, La Cucina, Valentino’s and Ben Venuto’s.
After taking home the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award and the Blue-Ribbon Good Food Award 2025/26, Richard said he was “blown away.”
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He said: “To be recognised by our customers and by national awards means the world to us. For us to get this sort of recognition, it blew us away that our customers value what we’re bringing to the area.
“We’re just so proud to be recognised as amongst the best in the local area.”
The TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award places Casa Romana among the top 10 per cent of restaurants worldwide, while the Blue-Ribbon Good Food Award celebrates excellence in quality, consistency, and customer satisfaction.
Richard added: “Every meal that comes from our kitchen is freshly prepared for that customer, so it’s enjoyed at its best.”
Despite the current challenges facing the high street, and the rising costs, Richard said that their loyal customer base and winning awards make all the hard work worthwhile.
Grace Dent on her visit to Casa Romana (Image: Supplied)
Richard said: “We have an awful lot of repeat customers, regulars that come back to us time and time again. We have customers that have now become friends and some of the families visiting now come and enjoy visiting with the third generation of their family.”
After working in the great Italian restaurants in the area in the past, Richard and his Sicilian colleague, Toto, decided to open their own ‘ristorante’, so Casa Romana came to be in January 1993, and is still going strong.
Richard said: “We’ve been through it all in almost 33 years, and had some amazing awards in the past from the Pizza and Pasta Association and The Italian Food Awards.
“So it’s a testament to the continued hard work of all our colleagues, both past and present, that we’re still being recognised in an industry that is very competitive and more challenging than ever.
“We’re especially proud of the number of ex-employees who have gone on to open other highly regarded Italian restaurants of their own in the area, and we’re all still friendly, so it kind of feels like we’ve helped spread the love a bit.”
The restaurant (Image: Richard Shannan)
Casa Romana is open for lunch and dinner every day apart from Sunday and you can grab a tasty hand made treat from their Express Happy Hour Menu every lunchtime and early evening, offering one, two or three courses for only £10, £14.75 or £19.50 respectively, as well as the A La Carte menu and ‘tasty chef’s’ specials.
The restaurant also garners high praise for their Gluten-Free and Vegan/Dairy Free options as the kitchen loves to raise to the challenge of making great food suitable for every taste, and had a glowing review in the Guardian newspaper after a visit from beloved local critic, Grace Dent.
Good Food Awards are given to establishments that excel in food quality, service and value.
The judges use customer votes and online reviews to ensure the awards are based on merit and reflect the opinions of diners.
Dining and Cooking