I’ve been meaning to try Cleaver’s in Whitehaven town centre since it opened earlier this year but have struggled to get booked in at the weekend - which is a good sign!

I managed to reserve an early evening table last Saturday and enjoyed a delicious three-course meal with my husband, Kyle.

The restaurant, which is on Lowther Street, opposite The Solway Hall ,was a little smaller than I was expecting but the tables are well spaced out so you don’t feel like you’re sat too close to other diners.

We were shown to a table towards the back of the restaurant and staff quickly took our drinks order. The waitress was very friendly and said they could sort a mocktail for me, even though there weren’t any on the menu.

There were plenty of food options to choose from on the menu - with traditional homemade pies, pasta, meats from the grill and a whole section dedicated to messy burgers, which sounded delicious.

There was also a special three-course festive menu which was due to be launched, and this looked amazing.

Our food order was taken shortly after and we both decided to have the vegetable soup to start. It was thick and flavoursome, and the portion sizes were extremely generous. It came with a large wedge of delicious homemade bread.

Next were the main courses - I went for chicken and leek pie with homemade chips and vegetables and a side of gravy, while Kyle opted for Cumberland sausage with mash, Yorkshire pudding and peas.

My pie was bursting with big chunks of chicken in a beautiful creamy sauce and the pastry had been cooked to perfection. The chips were also delicious but Kyle had to finish them off for me as I was struggling.

Kyle said his food was lovely - there was plenty of sausage, the Yorkshire pudding was huge and the mash was creamy and fluffy. His plate looked like it had been licked clean, so it must have been good!

I was full after the two courses so we decided to split a sticky toffee pudding for dessert. It was beautifully presented - the sticky toffee sauce was divine and the sponge had a lovely soft texture. It just melted in your mouth. Kyle said he could have eaten a whole one to himself.

The staff were really friendly throughout and came over to chat with us and check everything was ok during our visit.

I think it’s great that Whitehaven is attracting more and more restaurants and drinks venues, giving people more options to choose from when eating out. I really enjoy trying out new places and it’s brilliant to have another good quality restaurant to visit in the town. The restaurant has a really attractive bar area, with plenty of drinks on offer, including cocktails, real ale, lagers and spirits, and is open to customers who are not eating at the venue.

The restaurant is run by Helen and Richard Cleaver who used to manage the Globe in Hensingham. Richard also spent a number of years working at the Rosehill Theatre.

We were both really impressed with our meals and the great service from staff. I’m giving Cleavers four stars out of a possible five.