The Bull Inn West Tanfield

As the name suggests, this well-run restaurant is all about cooking over coals, and a lovely smoky aroma will hit you the moment you enter. Sitting within a delightful market town, it has a chef-owner who’s also a potter, so the good-looking, brightly decorated space comes with plenty of bespoke creations to admire – he even made the wooden tabletops as a side project too! The seasonal set menu is based around whatever prime produce is available at the time, be that monkfish cheeks or saddleback pork, with the ember-based cooking resulting in comforting, satisfying dishes.

In a bright, airy former stable that doubles as a cookery school within the sprawling Swinton Estate, this restaurant delivers what it promises: an intimate counter dining experience where Chef Josh Barnes and his team cook in front of you and serve their dishes with pride. The place has a country kitchen feel befitting of this grand domain – which also houses a hotel – while the Estate itself provides much of the seasonal produce. The cooking comes with some creative twists, such as using locally foraged mushrooms to add richness to a chocolate mousse. The wine flight, too, contains unusual a

Set in the shadow of the imposing Ripon Cathedral, this 17th-century house is an attractive location for a restaurant with rooms. Start with a drink in the shabby-chic lounge or in the well-kept garden when the weather permits. During the day a simpler lunch menu and afternoon tea are offered, before the evening tasting menu kicks things up a gear. The cooking has a creative make-up, with numerous processes involved, resulting in precise and eye-catching dishes which often incorporate intensely flavoured elements. A classic roast lunch is available on Sundays.

The team from the nearby country manor Grantley Hall have taken on a decidedly smaller scale project with this restored 17th-century pub. All the boxes have been ticked for a classic country inn: a roaring fire for winter; a terrace for summer; flag-floored interiors filled with trinkets and treasures; and finally, hearty traditional British cooking. Whether it’s the excellent braised beef and ale pie or throwback desserts like sticky toffee pudding and trifle, everything is comfortingly familiar, big on flavour and executed with skill.

A stone-faced 16th-century house in the pretty market town of Bedale provides a fine home for this friendly restaurant. Start with an aperitif in the wine bar or on the drinks terrace on the cobbled street out front, before heading to the main dining room, which stylishly contrasts rustic beams and an old fireplace with modern décor. Chef-Owner Ruth Hansom is a local and it shows in her tasting menu, which skilfully spotlights wonderful produce from the surrounding area – be it Swaledale lamb or the famous Yorkshire rhubarb.

Tartan upholstery and woodpanelled walls lend a historic feel to this intimate restaurant inside the luxurious Grantley Hall hotel. The dining room boasts garden views and there’s a lovely terrace on which to enjoy an aperitif in the summer. The large menu is influenced by the local area and ticks all the boxes for unfussy, flavoursome food with dishes like cheese soufflé, beef Wellington for two and a choice of cuts from the Josper grill.

Bakery