Romantic Fine dining in the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire is certainly the foodie capital outside of London with the most Michelin star restaurants in the top 100. Is it any wonder? These chefs have chosen to set up in some of the most beautiful locations in the country, in period properties steeped in history and with the best local ingredients on their doorstep.
In the Yorkshire Dales the story is no different. There are an abundance of award winning restaurants from the prestigious Michelin star to the AA Rosettes. Here is my hand -picked selection of where to go for romantic fine dining in the Yorkshire Dales.
Don’t forget to check out my 48 hours in the Yorkshire Dales article also (link below) to ensure you have a truly memorable weekend.
Here is my round up of the best places to go for romantic fine dining in the Yorkshire Dales for that special occasion (in no particular order!).
The Angel Inn at Hetton, near Skipton
THE restaurant to be on everyone’s bucket list this year. The Angel at Hetton has gone from strength to strength since the award winning chef Michael Wignall and his partner took over in 2018. Not only have they earnt the Michelin Star back but they have been awarded with 4 AA rosettes and the title of Gastropub of the Year amongst other accolades. The Angel at Hetton has a long standing exemplary reputation not only with the locals but all over the world.
The food certainly has that wow factor. Michael creates dishes that are uniquely full of flavour and describes his food as ‘modern, technical and meaningful’. Here you can sample the tasting menu with wine flight or a 3 course a la carte menu.
This historic inn, regarded as the UK’s first gastropub is top of my list to visit this year having not been since Michael and his team took over.
I had the privilege of visiting, fulfilling one of my bucket list items! It was worth the wait. Exemplary!
7 course tasting menu – £95pp
The Burlington at The Devonshire Arms, Bolton Abbey
One of the most well known fine dining restaurants in the area, The Burlington experience is one not to be missed. The 3 AA rosette winning restuarnat is headed up by Chris O’Callaghan who focuses on producing big flavours with simple appealing presentation. A lot of the produce and flavours are grown in the kitchen garden and the meat reared on the estate.
Alongside the spectacular tasting menu you can enjoy wine from the award winning wine menu stored in the impressive cellar. The Sommelier will take you through the wine flight list or be able to recommend a suitable bottle.
The Devonshire Arms, in the idyllic village of Bolton Abbey, is home from home with grand traditional rooms and its own spa so you really can make a weekend of it. There is also the Brasserie restaurant on site, itself with 1 AA rosette or the pop up Seafood and Champagne bar on the terrace during the summer months.
6 course tasting menu – £77.50
Ralph’s at The General Tarleton, Ferrensby
Ralph’s Restaurant at The General Tarleton near Knaresborough is a fine dining restaurant within a cosy hotel come pub. We recently were invited to sample the tasting menu here and I can 100% recommend it. The food was exemplary, wine was served with knowledge and respect and the service was impeccable.
The head chef Chris, originally from the Isle of Skye, is known for serving up a clean and seasonal menu using local produce, even that from his own garden. The flavour combinations are unreal using traditional recipes alongside simple ingredients. Not strictly speaking within the Yorkshire Dales but certainly worth adding to your list to try!
Read my review here:
Wensleydale Heifer, West Witton, Leyburn
This family run boutique hotel and restaurant is bursting with Yorkshire hospitality. The owner and head chef David Moss has worked in many seafood restaurants throughout his career so these links have been kept and the restaurant is acclaimed for its seafood dishes – think lobster, oysters and seafood platters. There are also a wide selection of Grande Reserve steaks on offer. The seasonal produce is reflected in the imaginative dishes bursting with flavour.
They have an in-house smokery for the meats and fishes and even the chocolates are made on site. They also hold a Guiness World Record for the largest serving of fish and chips!
With themed rooms and some superb staycation offers, a meal here has to be coupled with an overnight stay in the heart of Wensleydale.
Main course – £26, half lobster – £39.50, fillet steak – £34
Samuel’s Restaurant at Swinton Park Hotel, Masham
Situated within the impressive luxury Swinton Park Hotel, Samuel’s Restaurant has a seasonal menu that caters for all. The Swinton Park Estate has endless activities on offer for guests including a cookery school, a country club & spa and the grounds offer walks alongside the lakes, an ancient folly and deer park.
Samuel’s Restaurant at the heart of this Stately Home prides itself on the ‘estate to plate’ philosophy with produce sourced from its own garden (the largest hotel garden in the country) and its 20,000 acre estate. The ‘stand out seasonal British food’ can be enjoyed in the traditional dining room with its ornate finishes overlooking the gardens and lake.
Classic 3 course menu – £65
Le Caveau, Skipton
Situated in the old prison below Skipton High Street, Le Caveau is top of the list for fine dining in the town. The barrel ceilings give the feeling of being in old wine cellars and there certainly is a lot of original features which add to the history of the building.
The head chef and owner Mark Byron serves up a delightful lunch and evening menu catering for all needs. This is one place that you won’t feel rushed, your table is yours for the evening so you can really relax and enjoy the experience. This French cuisine with a local twist is a real treat on the eye, palette and wallet. Delicious and reasonably priced.
5 course tasting menu for £55
Dining at Grantley Hall, Ripon
Grantley Hall nestled on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales near Ripon offers a variety of dining options. This luxury hotel and wellness retreat is the ultimate foodie destination with not 1 but 2 fine dining options.
The second in our round up of Michelin star restaurants, the Shaun Rankin Restaurant was awarded the Michelin Star in 2021. Shaun, a Yorkshire man, has worked in some of the best kitchens in the world, being awarded numerous Michelin Stars. At his own restaurant here he uses only local produce to take fine dining to a new level. Choose to either be seated in the kitchen itself or in the dining room, wherever you are you will be taken on a culinary journey.
‘Taste of Home’ tasting menu – 10 courses £130pp
The other fine dining option is EightyEight; a Pan Asian restaurant serving up a unique mix of Yorkshire and far Eastern flavours. This restaurant overlooks the Japanese Gardens and is both a visual and experiential treat.
8 course tasting menu £65
Yorebridge House, Leyburn
This 3 AA Rosette award winning restaurant in the heart of Wensleydale brings the simple life to a luxury level. A boutique hotel with a fine dining restaurant means your stay is going to be personal, luxurious yet home from home.
The restaurant serves up a selection of cuisines including a 5 course a la carte menu, sparkling afternoon teas as well as Sunday Lunch. The evening a la carte menu compliments the hotel in that it ‘excels in design, flavour and innovation, served in a relaxed, romantic atmosphere’. The food ‘boasts an abundance of exiting flavours with surprises throughout’.
5 courses for £75
The Traddock, Austwick near Settle
This top quality restaurant has 2 AA Rosette’s serving up local sourced and foraged food. The focus of the kitchen is to serve up seasonal and traditional Yorkshire food. The restaurant is also a country house hotel set in the beautiful quiet village of Austwick. There are breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner services available, along with a 3 course Sunday lunch.
Short 6 course tasting menu – £50 or long 10 course tasting menu – £65
The Black Stag Restaurant at Simonstone Hall, Hawes
Simonstone Hall is a luxury Country House hotel in North Yorkshire. The restaurant is open all week serving up local seasonal fayre. All the food is freshly prepared and you can expect hearty, gastropub type food. There is an extensive wine list that you can pair with your meal too.
3 courses for £49
The Secret Garden at Beck Hall, Malham
Set in the picturesque village of Malham, Beck Hall is a picture perfect setting. The Secret Garden really is that – set at the back of the Hall with the stream running alongside. The restaurant was renovated recently, bringing the outdoors in.
The head chef Louise Kinsella is proud of the seasonal menus serving up local produce at reasonable prices. The menu is subtly influenced by the founder who was an eccentric traveller and the restaurant displays lots of the artifacts and treasures he collected on these trips.
Why not try a selection of the Yorkshire tapas for lunch, afternoon tea or a 3 course evening meal alongside a signature cocktail.
The perfect place to refresh after walking the Malham highlights.
Main courses – £16
Elsworth Kitchen, Skipton
Owned by Bruce and Rebecca Elsworth this restaurant is renowned for its good, honest Yorkshire food serving up breakfasts, lunch and evening meals. Bruce the head chef has a wealth of knowledge and experience working in some of the most prestigious restaurants in Yorkshire including the Angel at Hetton.
The restaurant has an open kitchen style and the décor is expertly tasteful.
The food is cooked in Bruce’s signature style taking simple local produce and producing tasty authentic dishes to suit every palette.
3 courses for £32.50
Grassington House, Grassington
Serving gourmet dishes Wednesday through to Sunday.
This award winning restaurant and pub in the heart of the village is the ideal place for a truly idyllic Yorkshire Dales visit. The owner and chef John Rudden (award winning non the less) serves up food ‘the Grassington House way – luxury with a modern and eclectic twist’. Think succulent steaks, fresh seafood and seasonal game complete with mouth watering sides. There are sharing platters to start and cheese boards to finish along with a selection of artisan ales and speciality wines.
You can even dine in the private pod!
Main course – £22
The View at The Coniston Hotel, near Skipton
The View restaurant, so named after its stunning views over the hotel’s lake, is a true taste of Yorkshire on the plate. A relaxed setting serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. You can dine al-fresco on the large outdoor terrace taking in the breath-taking views or cosy up next to the fire indoors. The very reasonably priced dinner service savours the flavours of Yorkshire using local produce and caters for all tastes.
The hotel and spa are perfect for a weekend retreat. We stayed recently whilst attending a wedding. The wedding was superb from start to finish with tasty, hearty, home cooked food, brilliant service an gorgeous décor. The rooms were spacious, luxurious with the biggest comfiest bed I’ve stayed in for a long while. We had a lake view which was the icing on the cake. The Nadarra Spa next door is certainly worth a visit too.
Main course – £21
Handy links list
Read more of my blogs and articles
CLICK HERE
