Swallow Cottage

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.

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.

This 18th-century coaching inn has been given a makeover by the Tommy Banks group, with its rustic charm preserved across the main dining room, a glass-roofed courtyard, a bar and a large terrace – with the latter two kept free for walk-ins. As is the Banks way, the cooking champions the best Yorkshire produce and day-boat fish, across a mixture of pub classics and slightly more original dishes, like barbecued monkfish with a lemon verbena curry sauce. The bright, engaging service team add just the kind of warmth you hope for in a pub like this.

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 smart, spacious café behind a garden centre; if it’s sunny, grab a seat on the terrace overlooking the lake. They’re open for breakfast, brunch and lunch, and the frequently changing menu offers seasonal dishes which are fresh, unfussy and full of flavour. Book the chef’s table to watch the kitchen at work.

Fast food

Café