5 Best Restaurants in Yorkshire, England

This celebrated Yorkshire tearoom began life in Harrogate in 1919, when a Swiss restaurateur brought his Alpine pastries and chocolates to England. The welcoming interior has changed little since it first opened, and the extensive array of teas not at all. In addition to omelets, quiches, sandwiches, and traditional cakes and pastries, the menu ranges from the Dales (sausages) to the Alps (rösti), and there are now gluten-free options. Betty's is famous for its traditional afternoon tea but there's an even more elaborate afternoon tea served in the Imperial Room, complete with a live pianist (reservations required, Friday through Monday only).

With one serving a night and one fixed-price menu that changes seasonally, dining in this small (six tables), family-run restaurant is more like eating in someone's home. If you get tired of Whitby's ubiquitous fish-and-chips, Ditto offers more fine-dining alternatives like pan-fried pork loin with chorizo and root vegetable puree or poached duck breast with beetroot, cauliflower, and a soy and honey dressing. Desserts include a white chocolate and whiskey bread and butter pudding. Be sure to book well in advance.

This unpretentious family-run restaurant prides itself on not being trendy but nevertheless is regularly acclaimed as one of the best restaurants in Britain, let alone Yorkshire. With a constantly changing menu, it specializes in elevated versions of Italian classics such as veal scallopini in a marsala cream sauce as well as seafood specials using catches fresh off the boats in the harbor. Opt for seasonal specials incorporating white truffles or game (October through February) or locally sourced vegetables. With only 30 seats, it books up quickly.

Seafood is the draw here, and the long menu includes freshly caught Whitby crab, salmon, haddock, halibut, cod, and lobster—plus Lindisfarne oysters—but the crowds come for the outstanding traditional fish-and-chips. The food is good, and fans say it's worth the wait, which can stretch to an hour on busy nights. A good value set menu offers lots of choices. 

Cars belonging to diners at this chef-owned country inn often fill the hidden away hamlet of Hetton five miles north of Skipton, such is the reputation of this highly regarded, Michelin-starred gastro-pub par excellence located in an early-18th-century building with contemporary decor and views across the Dales. Specializing in locally sourced seasonal food, such as beautifully prepared roast lamb, beef, and seafood, the restaurant features three-course fixed-price menus for lunch (£85) and a seven-course tasting menu for dinner (£95). The ancient stone barn conversion across the road has five well-equipped guest rooms, with another four contemporary bedrooms in a more modern building along with six bedrooms above the restaurant.