Where to eat

Irresistible eats that should be at the top of your must try list

In the North York Moors, you can stroll from a sandy beach straight into a Scandi-vibe café to dine on fresh seafood or pass an historic abbey before sitting down for a special evening in a Michelin-star restaurant. Alternatively you can walk through a genteel market town and into a bistro tempting you with show-stopping homemade bread and pastries, or wander through a village before hunkering down for a meal in the snug bar of a country hotel.

To dine for

To dine for, where owner Lisa works as a private chef, supplying holiday cottages with home-cooked meals, and bespoke dinners. As she always has done, she sources prime local produce which means the best of the catch from Staithes, Sandsend and Whitby.

The Star Inn at Harome

In the cosy bar and dining room owner Andrew, championed Yorkshire producers scattering the menu with meat and poultry from the village farms, fish from Whitby and whatever grew in the North Yorkshire soil. The result was a menu where you want to eat the lot.

Fish Box, Robin Hood's Bay

Fish Box, at the top of the bank in Robin Hood’s Bay, is run by third generation fish family Fusco’s, so they know one or two things about serving up the freshest fish & chips possible, from their stylish wooden cabin overlooking the costal village.

The Pheasant Hotel

The Pheasant has matured into the complete package of an elegant country house hotel with excellent food, that can soothe souls at every turn taken and bite enjoyed. The Pheasant offers a more simple lunch time menu, turning elaborate as the kitchen switches to dinner.

Mannion & Co

Mannion & Co Kitchen styles itself a daytime ‘eatery and café’ though it feels more like a cross between a French bistro and a Shoreditch coffee house. It’s informal, relaxed and cool. You can find loaded charcuterie boards, gorgeous patisseries and French delicacies within this hidden gem.

Helmsley Walled Garden and The Vine House Café

Explore Helmsley Walled Garden and the beautiful beds bursting with produce, peas, beans and courgettes to name a few. The fruit trees are ready to be picked and turned into tasty treats. Then sample all this fresh, seasonal produce which enriches the Vine House Café, charmingly sited within the garden.

The Magpie Cafe

What an iconic local spot overlooking Whitby harbour. While fish & chips is their most popular dish, choose from a comprehensive menu that includes fish pie, lobster thermidor and catch of the day. It’s no accident that some of the country’s most influential restaurant reviewers have blazed a trail here.

Real Meals Delicatessen

Here you’ll find homemade quiche and pies, as well as fabulous cake and excellent coffee. The deli shelves groan with eye-catching bags of Spanish rice and pimento, Italian pasta, plus jars of local preserves. Everything sold is based on finding a quality of food, the benchmark being great flavours.

The Seaview Restaurant

The Seaview Restaurant is an iconic seaside staple. Queues for the takeaway snake round the block summer and winter, though the good-looking restaurant menu offers much more than fish & chips – find the likes of crab and pea risotto, sea bass with chorizo and kale and mackerel with beetroot

Restaurant number 20

Restaurant number 20 specialises in fish and shellfish, with turbot, halibut, monkfish and local sea trout making regular appearances with perfectly paired accompaniments. The restaurant is small, just 24 covers, the décor simple and attractive, and the food is absolutely first rate.

The Whitby Deli

If you’re on the hunt for the very best of Yorkshire produce, and fancy a spot of lunch at the same time, look no further. This modern, bright deli/café has floor to ceiling shelves groaning with award-winning own-label chutneys, jams and preserves alongside sweets, savoury treats and artisan chocolates.

The Black Swan at Oldstead

The Michelin star awarded Black Swan offers just one multi-course tasting menu, which can only be described as a tour de force of modern British cooking. You can expect signature dishes such as Crapaudine beetroot cooked in beef fat and perfectly crafted cocktails.

The Homestead Kitchen

Naturally, everything produced from The Homestead Kitchen is expertly cooked and beautifully presented, as you might expect from two such starry chefs who met some 13 years ago in a different kitchen. The appealing menu that is a road map of Yorkshire’s outstanding local produce and deliciousness.

Pizza West

Indulge at the stylish and atmospheric Pizza West. Kick back at the chef’s table with a plate of pasta or a woodfired pizza and a glass of good wine; the views over the North Sea are stunning and if you’re lucky you’ll catch one of those famous Whitby sunsets.

The Eskdale

The Eskdale is a traditional pub with a surprise element of fine dining. Chose from two places to eat, firstly, Restaurant 1865, a stylish but relaxed room offering a five or seven-course tasting menu. Secondly, the bar menu, a varied menu including classic meals with The Eskdale twist.

The Hare

Set in a thickly wooded valley between Thirsk and Helmsley, the Hare is deemed a culinary adventure. The experience begins with a selection of sensational snacks in the dining room, that are swiftly followed by a series of small exquisite courses that are likely to blow your socks off.