Wombleton Restaurant Guide

“Glad to see this back. Was there a fire?” – Andrew Pern’s “simply stunning” 14th-century thatched pub is going from strength to strength – “as good or even better than it was before the terrible blaze” that struck it in 2021. “The wonderful ambience in the bar miraculously seems exactly the same as before: relaxed, calming and overseen by experienced, personable staff” who “make you feel instantly at home” and for whom “nothing is too much trouble”. “You can choose from several menus which are all imaginative and really special”: some reporters‘ best meals of the year, and for one fan: “one of the best meals I have ever had!”

Jacquie Pern’s North Yorks village hotel is “just lovely in every way” according to fans – an old blacksmith’s, village shop and barn that once stood here having made way for very “comfortable bedrooms and lounges, gardens and a village duck pond”. Now under chef Vincenzo Raffone, the venue produces “professionally presented cooking using many local ingredients”; it’s also a great spot for a “supremely relaxing and enjoyable afternoon tea”.

“We were sad when the Rattle Owl closed in York, but delighted when the chef and front-of-house team opened this venue in Helmsley” – Tom Heywood & Laurissa Cook opened this small venue with just six tables fed by an open kitchen with a strong emphasis on “using as much local produce as possible and minimal wastage”. There’s a four-course tasting menu for £55 per person or an eight-course option for £95 per person, both providing cooking that’s somewhat “different from the usual”. In particular “the drinks pairings are superb”, and incorporate some “lovely, well-chosen wines”.

2021 Review: This extended fifteenth-century inn (nowadays with nearly fifty bedrooms) sits at the heart of this very attractive market town. Its Gallery Restaurant (named for its dual purpose during the day as an art gallery) has quite a reputation, and – despite sustained gripes over the years that it’s rather pricey – all reports rate it good or better.

2021 Review: “Splendid cafe/restaurant in a charming building overlooking Helmsley's picturesque stream that’s on another plane altogether from Helmsley’s other establishments”. Sibling to the York original it serves “delicious, wholesome café food”: “the selection, especially from the specials board, is always interesting, and uses lots of local seasonal ingredients”.

“One to watch” from “the proprietors ex-of Hovingham Inn” (seasoned restaurateurs Richard & Lindsey Johns, who have a strong following dating back even further, to the days of the Artisan in Hessle). One diner who has “long been a fan” claims that “in their current venue” (a 15th-century boozer) “Richard is back on fine form with delicious, freshly cooked offerings” (hearty British dishes that don’t stint on Yorkshire generosity), and “Lindsey as ever is the charming face of the business” – a positive opinion shared by the Estrella Damm crew, who welcomed it into their top UK gastropubs list just three months after opening.