If you’re looking for the best pubs and restaurants in the Yorkshire Dales for foodies, this is a great place to start. This region is a feast for the senses, with chefs who are fiercely proud of local ingredients and pubs that plate up far more than a post-hike pie. From country coaching inns with fine dining flair to kitchen-garden hideaways serving tasting menus rooted in the landscape, these foodie escapes prove that the Dales has serious culinary chops. Each of the places in this list is part of our collection – either a pub with rooms or a hotel with a standout restaurant, so you can settle in for a delicious stay, with beds just as memorable as the meals.
Beck Hall, Malham
Tucked into the stunning limestone landscape of Malham, Beck Hall is a dream for walkers, wild swimmers and food lovers alike. After hiking to iconic beauty spots like Malham Cove, Gordale Scar or Janet’s Foss, return to a warm welcome and a standout plant-based menu that’s as inventive as it is comforting.
Beck Hall proudly holds the title of the UK’s first plant-based hotel, and the food here is a triumph, whether you’re tucking into fluffy American-style pancakes with berry compote at breakfast or a hearty plant-based roast after a day on the fells. The restaurant is open to non-guests too, so it’s always buzzing, and dogs are made just as welcome as their owners.
Grays Court Hotel, York
A foodie escape doesn’t get more historic than this. Once home to the first Norman Archbishop of York, Grays Court is a living piece of history. The Bow Room Restaurant is the heart of the experience. Head Chef Ian Doyle’s menus are refined, inventive and rooted in the kitchen garden, which you can glimpse from many of the luxurious rooms.
Whether you’re enjoying a long lunch in the Jacobean Long Gallery or sipping something local in the garden, you’ll feel wrapped in calm despite being just steps from York Minster. Take a historic walking tour of the city walls before dinner or simply wander through York’s medieval streets with a pastry in hand.
The Penny Bun, Ilkley
Named after a delicious wild mushroom, this peaceful inn on the Denton Reserve is a haven for food lovers seeking substance with soul. The menu here changes regularly but always features beef, lamb and chicken from the estate, alongside small plates and impeccable pies. Pair with a pint of White Rat or a glass of organic wine and settle into the serene, earth-toned interiors.
Breakfast arrives quietly to your door in a hamper. Think fresh pastries, homemade granola and seasonal compote, the perfect slow start recipe before a bracing Ilkley Moor walk. If you’re still peckish, there’s a treats cupboard on the landing. Enough said.
The White Swan Inn, Yorkshire
This historic inn on Pickering’s Market Place has been feeding hungry travellers for centuries, and today its food is better than ever. Chef Darren crafts dishes that celebrate the region, with game in season, Whitby seafood, and Sunday roasts with Yorkshire puddings you’ll dream about for weeks. The dining room is the heart of the inn, but if you’re celebrating something special, book the Bothy, a beautiful private dining barn.
Settle into the bar with a local ale before dinner and wake to a breakfast that’ll set you up for exploring the North York Moors National Park. It’s a short drive to Dalby Forest and the iconic Hole of Horcum for spectacular walks followed by seriously good food back at base.
Lime Tree Inn, Great Ouseburn
This isn’t your typical country pub. It’s a fresh, modern build that blends community spirit with chef-driven cuisine. Rob’s menus change with the seasons and make clever use of the on-site allotment and polytunnel. Expect asparagus fresh from the earth, homemade butter, ice creams churned in-house and tasting menus that delight the locals and beyond.
After your meal, retreat to nature-inspired rooms, where fresh milk is delivered to your door each morning for your wake-up brew in super king beds you won’t want to leave. Spend the day exploring the Howardian Hills AONB or nearby riverside walks around Boroughbridge, then return for another round of seasonal brilliance.
The Durham Ox, York
Perched at the top of the Grand Old Duke of York’s hill, The Durham Ox is a much loved, award-winning inn with all the ingredients of a classic country pub, from roaring fires, local ales and friendly staff to a kitchen that takes its food seriously. There’s something here for every palate: juicy steaks, beautifully cooked seafood, vegan delights and puddings that practically demand a second spoon.
The Dog House, their relaxed, outdoor space with wood-burning stoves, is perfect for winding down after dinner with a bold red or a local gin. There’s also a private dining room for intimate feasts. Sleep in beautifully renovated farmworkers’ cottages, or for the full treat-yourself experience, book one of their spa suites with a mosaic-tiled hot pool, honesty fridge and countryside views.
Saltmoore, Whitby
Perched between the moors and the North Sea, Saltmoore is as much a retreat as it is a destination for foodies. This carefully restored 19th-century estate delivers on all fronts, with peaceful bedrooms, a luxurious spa, and menus shaped by acclaimed chef Tommy Banks. Expect a deep connection to the land and sea, with dishes that draw from their kitchen garden, local producers and wild coastal ingredients.
Dine in the Brasserie, refuel at the Wellness Café with light, nourishing lunches, or settle in for their Saltmoore Sundays BBQ, where you’ll find bold, smoky flavours with seasonal sides, eaten al fresco with a glass of something crisp in hand. The drinks list shines too, with lemon verbena ales and Yorkshire gins sipped as the sun sets over the gardens.
Tickton Grange, near Beverley
Tickton Grange is Yorkshire country house hospitality at its most elegant, where every detail is designed to delight. The food offering is exceptional. Dine in The Bloomsbury Room restaurant where dishes come plated like artwork on hand-painted Royal Crown Derby china or opt for a traditional afternoon tea that easily rivals the Ritz, with fluffy scones, delicate cakes and a glass of fizz in the lounge.
Start your day with a breakfast that’s as beautiful as it is tasty, with perfect scrambled eggs and locally cured salmon, buttery pastries and house-blend coffee. Explore nearby Beverley or the Yorkshire Wolds, or stay put and enjoy the quiet glamour of the hotel’s four acres of gardens and meadows.
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Beth Tingle
Beth is our Marketing & Content Coordinator, who uses her experience in all things content to get to the heart of the stories and people behind our places and paint an authentic picture of what makes them truly special. She then helps the SEO team to ensure that content reaches as many people as possible. Raised in the small seaside town of Clevedon, she then studied English at Falmouth University and is happiest when swimming in the sea. A huge foodie, she enjoys travel that involves finding the best local markets and cooking up the produce in a self-catered stay.
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