As part of our Green Traveller's Guide to The Yorkshire Dales, Paul Bloomfield picks out a selection of restaurants, pubs, cafés and local produce in this popular National Park in the north of England.
Yorkshire is blessed with a no-nonsense approach to food – keep it local and make it hearty. After a day out exploring the Dales, there’s nothing better than a warming meal and there are plenty of sumptuous choices around – whether it’s a fine dining restaurant or cosy pub that suits your mood.
From locally-reared beef to fresh trout from the lakes, creative chefs draw on ingredients close at hand for mouth-watering cuisine. For those with a sweet tooth, traditional Yorkshire teas will be hard to resist at many of the local tearooms and cafés.
Stock up on homegrown produce and indulge in homemade icecream at the many farm shops – and make a point of sampling some local ale, the Copper Dragon brewery in Skipton serves a mean pint.
Google map: shows the location and details of all the places to stay, local food and drink, nearby visitor attractions and activities in our Green Travel Guide to the Yorkshire Dales:
Green = Places to stay Blue = Local food & drink Yellow = Attractions Purple = Activities
Places to eat in the Yorkshire Dales
Kilnsey Restaurant and Café
A great place to stop for hearty home cooking from Yorkshire in the lovely Kilnsey Park (follow the wildlife spotting trail then come to refuel). Tuck into the likes of Giant Yorkshire puddings filled with local beef, stop for afternoon tea and cakes, or if you’re up early a full English is even on the menu. There’s a good children’s menu too. kilnseypark.co.uk
Stone Close Tea room
This cosy, wood-beamed, flagstone floored tea room in Dent is well-known for its indulgent cream teas and mouthwatering choice of home-baked cakes. Wholesome main dishes and sandwiches are on the menu too. There’s a B&B here with three atmospheric olde worlde rooms should the all that cake get the better of you. dentdale.com
The Café at Dales Bike Centre
Prepared with love using fruit and veg from local Reeth market and meat from a Wensleydale butcher, this little gem of a café is a cyclist-friendly place to relax with lovely views to boot. The bacon sandwich is a favourite and choosing which cake to eat will be the hardest decision of your day (the chocolate brownies are hard to beat). dalesbikecentre.co.uk
Town End Farm Shop and Tea Room
On the edge of Airton, the tea room here offers a host of homemade delights, from hearty soups and casseroles to farmhouse platter sand fruit-crammed smoothies. There’s a children’s menu and tempting array of cakes too, of course. Pop into the shop, which sells farm fresh produce, from grass-fed Bolton Abbey beef to artisan preserves. townendfarmshop.co.uk
Berry’s Farm Shop
Set around an 18th century courtyard on Swinithwaite Farm in Wensleydale, the farm shop here sells home-grown meat and game and a tasty range of top-quality North Yorkshire produce. There’s a café on-site too serving up homemade breakfast, lunch and tea – plus there are trails to follow to view the farm’s animals which kids will love (llamas being among the more unusual creatures to spot). wensleydale-experience.com
Country Harvest
The food hall here is crammed full of local deli delights – think award winning cheeses, meats and freshly baked cakes. There’s also a shop selling gifts (impress loved ones with hand-crafted jewellery or organic toiletries). Shop then flop in the coffee shop which is worth a visit in its own right for the range of traditional meal and yummy puddings on the menu. country-harvest.co.uk
Kilnsey Estate Farm Shop
Stop in to pick up goodies for a picnic, delicious ingredients if your’e DIY-ing, or even a top-quality ready meal (the speciality fish pie has won awards). There’s a wide choice of fresh produce from the estate – from smoked rainbow trout to game – and some great gifts and treats to take home with you too. kilnseypark.co.uk
Little Chocolate Shop
It’s a tough job – but someone’s got to do it! Watch skilled local craftswomen at work making chocolate in the Little Chocolate Shop’s factory in Leyburn. From chocolate figures to chocolate shoes or good old-fashioned chocolate bars only the finest ingredients are used – and you can taste it in the resulting sweet treats. inspiredchocolate.co.uk
Raydale Preserves
Husband and wife team Lesley and Derek Kettlewell make all their products by hand in their converted farm – they even pick their own strawberries! From fig and honey chutney to ginger and nettle jelly or more traditional orange marmalade and lemon curd, there’s lots of choice. Go along and watch the production process – the hardest part will be deciding what to buy. raydalepreserves.co.uk
Town End Farm Shop
Any fan of buying local is in for a treat at Town End Farm Shop outside Airton. There’s everything from smoked products and cheeses to fresh grass-fed Bolton Abbey beef and artisan preserves. The tea room next door offers an enticing menu of homemade fare of the same standard too. townendfarmshop.co.uk
Wensleydale Creamery
Cheese lovers will think they’ve died and gone to heaven here at the home of Real Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese. Discover the history of the creamery at the visitor centre and see master cheese-makers at work. The Wensleydale Cheese Shop is choc-full of tempting cheese varieties – and there are plenty of tastings to help you choose your favourite. wensleydale.co.uk
A Good Idea
On Red Lion Farm on the sprawling Bolton Abbey Estate, this little shop is the place to come for local fruit, veg and meats, as well as delicious preserves and a range of homemade cakes. You can even sit outside and have a cup of tea if the weather’s nice. boltonabbey.com
Copper Dragon Brewery
Started in 2002 with the aim of reviving traditional local brewery, Copper Dragon produces high quality ales, using soft water from the Embsay Reservoir. Join a brewery tour to learn how it’s all done and sample the results in the bar and bistro. copperdragon.uk.com
Devonshire Arms Hotel & Spa
With a Michelin star and 4 AA rosettes, the Burlington Restaurant is perhaps the finest in Yorkshire. There’s immaculate attention to detail, from the designer silverware and classical architectural drawings (some over 250 years old). Chef Steve Smith uses Estate meat and game and much produce from the kitchen gardens and the wine list has won awards too.
The Angel Inn restaurant
One of Yorkshire’s longest running gastro pubs, the food at this popular pub in Hetton has won countless awards for its pioneering approach to pub food. Creative menus use all local produce in both the Restaurant and more informal Bar Brasserie. Delights like Angel’s Little Moneybay – seafood baked in crispy pastry – and rare breed suckling pig with black pudding wontons are served by friendly staff. angelhetton.co.uk
The Brasserie at The Courtyard
Part of The Courtyard, an old farmstead turned innovative retail space, The Brasserie’s focus is on using local suppliers for its hearty British and European dishes. Offering all day dining, brunch is a favourite and you groups can have Sunday lunch roasted to order if you book in advance. brasserieinthecourtyard.co.uk
For information on local food and drink, nearby visitor attractions and activities, see our
