Darling Dales, Essential Food

Dating back some 500 years, The Angel at Hetton in Wharfedale is everything you imagine a cosy Yorkshire inn to be; big roaring fires, old oak beams and lots of nooks and crannies to hide away in. With an ever increasing string of awards and recommendations, the food here has become locally and nationally renowned. The menu is big on meat and game sourced from the surrounding Dales and includes delights like the Duo of Bolton Abbey Mutton. You can choose to dine in the relaxed Bar Brassiere or the more formal restaurant.

This 18th Century coaching Inn off the village green in East Witton is a warm, intimate place to dine. The menu is traditional comfort food cooked to perfection, like the Blue Wensleydale and Onion Tart or the Beef and Onion Suet Pudding. The bar, with its flagstone floors, wooden pews and big fireplace is the ideal partner to the refined candlelit restaurant.

Found in the far flung heights of Arkengarthdale, the CB Inn is named after the local Lord of the manor when it was built in the 18th Century. The exterior is every bit the traditional Dales Inn, but inside the proprietors have set about creating a modern gastro pub ambience.

Samuel’s, Swinton Park's 3 AA rosette restaurant, is a deserved recipient of a string of accolades and awards. The hotel has a 4 acre walled garden where much the restaurant’s fruit, vegetables and herbs are grown and game, fish and venison are also sourced from the estate. A fabulous choice if you want to relax and savour good British cooking.

The award winning house restaurant in this gorgeous hotel is big on organic, local produce with lots of British classics on the menu. Dining out here is a grand but unstuffy affair, and a real event in itself.  After dinner mosey into the comfortably familiar lounge with a glass of the 10 year old Tawny port – heaven!

Something of an Ilkley institution, the Michelin Starred Box Tree is where Marco Pierre White started off his illustrious career. The restaurant opened back in the sixties and has maintained a reputation for excellence to the present day. The menu is a modern French classical affair, technically brilliant and lovingly prepared; this is a seriously good restaurant.

This Michelin starred restaurant is part of the beautiful Devonshire Arms hotel near Bolton Abbey. The gorgeous setting, elegant decor and attention to detail, right down to the designer silverware and fine crystal glasses make dining here a grand and special affair. Arrive early for pre-dinner drinks and canapés in the sumptuous cocktail lounge before moving on the main event.

The Malt Shovel in Brearton, just north of Harrogate, is a really special find.  Run by the Bleikers of Bleiker's Smokehouse fame, this gorgeous little place is a real family affair.  Swiss born Jurg, his wife Jane, son D'Arcy and daugher-in-law Anna work together to create a truly unique restaurant.  The menu features, as you would expect, a host of deliciously smoked goodies; wild salmon, locally reared duck and fresh tuna are amongst some of the delights.  D'Arcy and Anna are also internationally renowned opera singers, and often host Opera evenings here with friends and colleagues from Opera North.

Just off the market square in Masham, Vennell’s Restaurant is a good choice for lunch or dinner.  The food is fantastic, and the restaurant is well deserving of its string of accolades.  The Sunday lunch is particularly good.

A top class seafood restaurant in deepest Wensleydale? Well, yes actually! About as far from the sea as you can get in the Dales, the Heifer in West Witton is a surprising find. Sourcing his fish from a variety of independent suppliers every day, Head Chef and owner David Moss is an experienced seafood cook and the restaurant’s enduring popularity is a testament to how good the food is here.