Foodie Guide to Yorkshire and Best Yorkshire Restaurants

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Foodie Guide to Yorkshire and Yorkshire Restaurants

Where to go in Yorkshire

Malton

There’s so much going on in Yorkshire’s food capital of Malton right now. Those serious about their food won’t be disappointed. Many of the food hotspots cluster around Talbot Yard – a former stables – which now houses an artisan roaster, Roost, the Bluebird Bakery, the Groovy Moo gelateria, macaron-maker Florian Poirot, the Rare Bird Gin Distillery and a butcher, Food 2 Remember. Dates for the diary include the Malton Harvest Food Festival in October, and the monthly food markets. These events bring together the wider area’s exceptional producers’ including Malton Cider, cheese from Botton Creamery, chutneys from Sloemotion and lots more.

Where to stay in Malton: Talbot Inn (owned – like much of Malton – by aristocrat Tom Naylor-Leyland and his glamorous wife and Vogue-contributor Alice) has relaxed décor, in a glamorous, playful sort of way. Ex-Lucky Onion stalwarts, Georgie and Sam Pearman, spruced up the 26-bedroomed Talbot, bringing a modern style to the imposing 17th-century coaching inn, resulting in oak-floored rooms where modern art and antique finds rub alongside ancestral portraits. Eating is when and where you want. Already savoured the views of the watermeadows from the plant-draped Garden Room? Curl up by the log fires in the Snug, or slouch into a leather armchair beneath the wall-mounted wild boar in the navy-walled Upper Bar. Wherever you sit, jeaned and Converse-sneakered waiting staff miraculously appear.

Doubles from £96 per night, check availability at booking.com

A double bedroom with blue wooden panelled walls and a double bed with a yellow velvet headboard

York

York has radically upped its food game in recent years, so visitors now can enjoy both this beautiful city’s many historic attractions and its compact, dynamic dining scene. Chef Tommy Banks’ restaurants, The Black Swan, The Abbey Inn and Roots, share a core DNA with heritage ingredients grown and creatively preserved at the Banks family farm at Oldstead. But each venue is distinctive. At Michelin-starred Roots, Banks and head chef Will Lockwood blend influences (hyper-seasonal Scandi, modern British, high-end fine dining) in deliciously original ways. Visit 22 Yards for a relaxing space that smoothly blurs the lines between wine shop, bar and restaurant, then stop at Partisan for brunch the next morning – its gorgeous cake counter is visible from the street and, behind that, a vintage-styled café and art gallery serves memorable plates of, for example, shakshuka, eggs benedict and seasonal french toast variations.

Where to stay: with over 500 self-catering options, you're spoilt for choice on where to stay in York to give you maximum time to explore the city. Base yourself near the station if you're visiting by train, find romantic apartments for a couple's getaway or charming haylofts with a private terrace.

Check out where to stay in York on airbnb.

Roots, York: Restaurant Review — Small plates at Roots

Leeds

Yorkshire’s largest city combines glitzy clubs, bars and Victorian arcades with an arty undercurrent that buzzes with live music, proper pubs and independent shops and stalls such as The Corn Exchange. Leeds’ food and drink scene has evolved over the years, adapting to the city’s diversity, and it now boasts some of the best independent places to eat and drink in the country. From trendy new-wave coffee shops to craft breweries, casual dining restaurants to street food trucks, Leeds has become a serious foodie hub. Head to Sarto for fresh pasta and strong negronis, Nova Bakehouse for the ultimate neighbourhood bakery and Home for a British tasting menu. See more of our best restaurants in Leeds.

Where to stay in Leeds: feel like a local with a self-catering stay in Leeds. From sleek apartments to modern lofts and charming homes for all the family, there are plenty of options for all your city break plans.

Check out a range of places to stay in Leeds on airbnb.

Pork belly dish on a white plate at Home Leeds

Sandsend

This small, picturesque fishing village on the edge of the North York Moors National Park comes with a charmingly rugged beach and a rich history. It’s right next to Whitby in North Yorkshire, and affords some great views of the town’s historic abbey, a few miles south. Once you’ve acquainted yourself with Sandsend’s own beach and taken in the views of the 7th-century cliff-top abbey in neighbouring Whitby, follow the coast down there and climb the 199 steps to see the ruins up close. Then, take that newly roused appetite to Whitby Deli and check out the counter full of fresh meats, cheeses, as well as the shelves lined with wine, craft beer and top-notch ingredients to take home and cook with.

Where to stay in Sandsend: Estbek House is a restaurant-with-rooms housed in an 18th-century mansion on the edge of the beach. There are five individually styled rooms here, all sympathetic of the building’s regency roots. The kitchen team take regular deliveries of fresh North Sea lobster, Whitby cod and diver-caught scallops, which all compete for your attention on the sustainability-focused, seafood-championing menu created by co-owner-chef Tim Lawrence.

Check rates and availability at estbekhouse.co.uk

Sheffield

Try elephant’s foot buns, feather-light puri, cocktails made from just-picked nuts, bottles of local beer, Scandi-meets-Japanese cuisine, and handmade donuts in the Steel City. Napoli Centro offers buzzy, Neapolitan pizzeria vibes with 48-hour proved bases, seasonal specials and a selection of tempting fritti. For unique fusion cuisine, head to Jöro to experience a Scandi-Japanese fusion tasting menu. Ashoka is a beloved Sheffield institution on bustling Ecclesall Road which opened in 1967, and is one of the best places to go for a curry. Start with crispy poppadoms piled high with chopped onions, cucumber, coriander and chaat masala, plus a ‘1960s pickle tray’ of punchy dips, before moving onto toweringly puffy, light-as-air puri filled with the likes of spiced chicken liver, or cubes of potato tossed with Henderson’s Relish. See more of our best Sheffield restaurants.

Where to stay in Sheffield: base yourself in buzzy Sheffield as a centre point for a Yorkshire tour. From cottages on the city outskirts and cosy holiday homes to sleek apartments in the city centre, there is a wide range of self-catering options.

Check out a range of places to stay in Sheffield on airbnb.

A white pizza with a 48-hour-proved pizza base

Hebden Bridge

Famous for its spirited community ethos which has attracted writers and artists for decades, Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire is now a hotbed for culinary creatives. At its heart is Kitchen 91, a micro-bakery and dining room in a converted weaver’s warehouse specialising in Italian cuisine with sustainability at its core. Independent cooperative Valley Organics sells ethically sourced ingredients from local producers, and Goo Cheese has a range of more than 100 British and continental cheeses with an emphasis on lesser known cheesemakers. Stylish contemporary restaurant Coin is the best spot for dinner, serving small plates such as Crown Prince squash, rocket, Loch Arthur yogurt and smoked almonds alongside an extensive list of natural wines. For a night cap, lively bottle shop Drink (open until 10pm) has a range of regional craft ales, fruit sours and cloudy gose beers from across the county.

Where to stay in Hebden Bridge: make the most of stocking up on local produce with a self-catering stay in pretty Hebden Bridge, the perfect base for cooking up your own dinners with local cheese and bottles from Drink.

Check out a range of places to stay in Hebden Bridge on airbnb.

View looking down the River Calder in the revitalized industrial town of Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, England. Hebden Bridge is known for being LGBT-friendly and for its concentration of independent shops.

Helmsley

For a pretty Yorkshire stop, visit Helmsley Walled Garden, a five-acre idyll blooming with fruit trees, peonies, clematis, cornflowers and much more. On the outskirts, The Vine House Café is a lovely way to enjoy the gardens and its wildlife. The menu focuses on simple, homemade dishes such as seasonal soups (spring veg, feta and mint), open sandwiches (chicken with a spicy peanut sauce or ham with homemade pickles), and beautiful salad boards.

If you’re on the hunt for picnic provisions, pick up a chubby hunter (Yorkshire’s answer to rock cakes) and a pot of rhubarb and tomato chutney at Hunters of Helmsley deli in the town’s market square. Alternatively, stop for lunch at the Vinehouse Café, inside the refurbished Victorian glasshouses that overlook Helmsley’s walled garden, for a rustic lunch. Beneath a sprawling vine, try the homegrown spinach and pea soup, served in vintage crockery. Mannion and Co is another café-deli spot, with a relaxed Mediterranean menu.

On the outskirts of Helmsley, The Star Inn at Harome is a Michelin-starred restaurant set in a 14th-century inn that is a must-visit on a foodie tour of Yorkshire. Seasonal, produce-led menus change regularly, with a decadent tasting menu or à la carte available.

Where to stay in Helmsley: after you've stocked up on picnic provisions and deli goods, spend a night in Helmsley in a pretty cottage, farm stay or even converted train carriage for a self-catering break.

Check out a range of places to stay in Helmsley on airbnb.

Wild mushrooms with duck egg on sourdough at Mannion and co — Wild mushrooms with duck egg on sourdough at Mannion and Co

Pickering

Book dinner at Willowgate Bistro for a cosy evening centred around Yorkshire produce. The menu focuses on simple but imaginative home cooking with clever twists. If you're self-catering, stop at Cedarbarn Farm Shop and Café. A trove of Yorkshire produce, this deli and farm shop on the outskirts of Pickering is an ideal spot to stop off at if you’re looking to pick up a few foodie souvenirs to take home with you. Rosebud Preserves jams, Yorkshire honey, Cartwright and Butcher butterscotch crunch biscuits and Wold Top Brewery ales are all popular sellers. There is also a pick-your-own farm in summer and a mini railway experience.

Where to stay in Pickering: The White Swan Inn, a 16th coaching inn is an ideal, centrally located, stop for anyone doing a foodie tour of Ryedale. Rooms in the inn’s converted stables are clean and comfortable with squishy beds, heated stone floors and giant televisions. In winter, snuggle into a squishy sofa below exposed beams in the guest lounge, The Bothy. Help yourself to complimentary Yorkshire tea, coffee and homemade biscuits, or choose your tipple from the honesty bar and put your feet up by the log fire.

Breakfast is sourced locally – Whitby smoked kippers, Doreen’s black pudding triangles from Dalton, house-soaked prunes and apricots, and sausages and bacon from Marleys Butchers in nearby Helmsley. Go for a full Yorkshire or try something ever so slightly lighter – smoked haddock kedgeree or eggs benedict.

Check rates and availability at white-swan.co.uk

Goathland

Known for it's nostalgic steam train and historical railway station (which acted as Hogsmeade in the Harry Potter films), the pretty village of Goathland is worth a visit if you're touring North Yorkshire.

Where to stay in Goathland: Stay at The Farmhouse, a stylish b&b that also has two luxurious self-catering cottages (our pick is the Instagram-worthy Potting Shed, a cute timber-framed building with sheepskin-draped sofas and a table out on its terrace that’s made for breakfasting outdoors).

Check rates and availability at thefarmhouseyorkshire.co.uk