Wet on Micklegate has landed in the space previously home to Notes which took over from Fish & Forest when that moved onto larger premises. It’s an intimate little space that’s fairly minimalist but still feels welcoming and cosy. Service is friendly and personal to such a degree that I never even set eyes on a wine list before a couple of bottles for me to sample have been selected, both white and refreshing as a precursor to a later switch to Beaujolais in honour of the day of our visit being Beaujolais Day!

Getting into the serious business of food, I decided to abandon any pretext of choice and leave the decision to our server, taking into consideration my dining companion’s vegetarian status. From the eight savoury dishes we ended up with five plates which arrived as one would expect, at a leisurely pace but without dragging on unnecessarily. That said, I enforced a wait until everything was on the table ready to be photographed… the camera eats first obv. A good rarebit balances just on the line between stodge and sharp relief thanks to the combination of beer and mustard but this one brought another of my favourite things to the party – Hendo’s. When a dish arrives with a bottle of Henderson’s Relish just for your table it’s a sign that things will progress well, as indeed they did. The rarebit hit the spot and we were soon in the swing of things tucking into Jerusalem artichoke that had been confited then served with ricotta whose delicate sharpness complemented the soft and earthy artichokes, a vegetable not seen nearly enough.

Beetroot is another favourite of mine but I tried to show restraint in the face of my vegetarian friend who didn’t share my recourse to the meat based dishes, with limited success. Simply presented with a zesty gremolata to help it live its best life, another tremendous showcase of one of my favourite vegetables. Meat dishes came next with lamb sausage coming accompanied by beetroot that, this time, had been given a touch of charring. The lamb was tender and well seasoned while benefitting from a generous spice too but my favourite plate matched one of my favourite vegetables to an unusual meat. Celeriac is a much more flexible vegetable than some give it credit for and presented as a mash here it made a superb backdrop for gamey chunks of ox heart with crispy shallots thrown in for good measure. All this food only attracted a debt of £45 which was superb value, the quantities certainly weren’t skimped on and we even had a few bits leftover to take home for snacking on. Wet is a great addition to a street which is hopefully on the up again now, the wine was memorable and clearly chosen with great care while the food represented superb value and some originality.

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Having been bestowed with a Michelin star within a year of opening there’s little doubt about the momentum that Josh and Vicky Overington are creating out in Hovingham, building on years of experience refining their craft at Le Cochon Aveugle in York which is still much missed in the city. I’ve been lucky enough to sample the evening service at Myse before and having been unsurprisingly impressed was more than happy to pay a return visit, this time pressing a friend into action as a driver in return for their first experience of fine dining of this standard. After a scenic drive passing through the Castle Howard estate, we were met in the car park by a chef who ushered us into the comfortable lounge area to peruse the drinks list and start with a few mouthfuls of smoked pork shoulder sausage and Summerfield cheese cracker that was anointed with black walnut ketchup. These were as appealing to taste as they were to look at and set the tone marvellously as we chatted to a couple of fellow diners before making our way through the dining room to take our table and admire the view of the open kitchen.

It’s always a pleasure to watch chefs of this standard work and Josh’s kitchen showed all the right signs of order and discipline. A large bone occupied an elevated position above a charcoal grill, waiting for its moment in the spotlight on the pass to be sawed in half to access the marrow in a lovely piece of theatre. First up was a “crispy pancake” which was a world away from the retro namesake on which I was fed as a child (Google them if you’re too young to remember), packing a chive punch around birch cream and herring roe which was stuffed into a crisp outer. Next up bread and butter revealed what was going on with the bone as it was paired with beef dripping enriched with the cooked bone marrow and shot through with a generous amount of tarragon. Bread can be a bit of a booby-trap at a meal like this and soak up your appetite, but the dripping with its herb offset was sensational and far too good to miss. We were then happy to be interrupted by the upcoming beef as it made a perambulation of the room before we moved on to our next course.

Squash soup may sound like a relatively mundane thing to be served in a starred restaurant but unsurprisingly here the execution was perfect and the addition of a cold element in the form of pumpkin seed ice cream brought things up another notch. Roast beef for a Sunday roast wouldn’t be complete without a Yorkshire pudding which is what comes next, though rather than served traditionally the batter had been used to encase braised ox cheek then deep fried. Presented on a stick with a crown of fermented cucumber gel, it makes a fine precursor to the beef course.

Expectations were high for this and comfortably met with a dainty slice of beef joined by leek rolled in ash, mustard cress and a sauce with allium notes. Any fears that the portion size would be on the miserly side were quickly allayed by the appearance of more beef at the table served separately so as to not unbalance the presentation. These were quickly divided up, making sure of an entirely equitable distribution and then just as quickly consumed. It goes without saying that the cooking was as perfect as the presentation and the service, bringing an end to this section of the meal before we moved to sweet courses.

The sweet dish was a masterclass in balance and pairing that brought together several elements that are not in my usual preferred choices to great impact. Quince cake with a gently smoked caramel and a lightly savoury malted barley ice cream worked wonders together in the dish with the savoury ice cream bringing contrast of temperature against a softly textured cake. Smoke wasn’t a prominent note but gave a nice backdrop while the drinks pairing elevated things even further. I’m not a huge fan of either pear or cider so the prospect of pear iced cider wasn’t one that had me in monstrous anticipation but this was one of those moments where you realise that it’s sometimes best to take a step back and trust the team. Some tasting menus with drinks pairings deliver lovely dishes and lovely wines but when you find a series of drinks so well matched to the accompanying dishes as is here, it really puts forward a compelling experience. I’d have been more than happy to end things here but after a morsel of beef fat fudge with truffle and grated ox heart my friend decided to throw cheese into the mix too; I didn’t protest. We decamped back to the bar area and happily grazed on a selection of well-aged cheeses before saying our goodbyes and making tracks back to York.

I had high expectations for this meal which were met or exceeded throughout. All the dishes were beautifully conceived and executed, feeling like Josh and the team have refined everything I’ve seen them work on over the last decade or so. The drinks pairings were all expertly judged and the whole thing represented good value for this kind of experience at £85 for the food and £65 for the drinks. Against the Grain at Myse is one to add to your list.

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With my minimal baggage deposited safely in the room, I took myself for a stroll around town, settling in a local pub with a book for half an hour before returning to Tsuchi at The Black Bull to take my seat for dinner in a dining room that was minimalist without tipping into austerity. A number of dishes on the menu piqued my curiosity and offered elements rarely seen in this kind of setting. First up though the usual trio of canapés, this time featuring a cheese fritter showcasing Mrs Kirkhams, a lamb tartare tartlet and a grilled Lindisfarne oyster. The first two of these were exactly the sort of preamble one would want before embarking on the rest of the menu, but I was struck in particular by the sweetly dressed oyster which had benefitted hugely from exposure to heat. Oysters are very much a take or leave item for me but this was a very pleasant surprise. Bread and butter up next presented the the usual test of restraint as I tried not to fill up while slathering it with the delightful cultured butter.

The first “proper” course used mushroom as a carrier for kombucha and was livened up with a few petals to break up the pallette. On eating there was an intelligently measured spice that earned fulsome praise from another couple who were dining that night, a sentiment I would echo. A distinctive and strong start that was followed by an optional scallop dish which I couldn’t resist when I noted it was served with gooseberry and kohlrabi. This was another unique pairing that I hadn’t come across before and could have ended up earning such euphemistic praise as being “intriguing” but thankfully was just plain tasty and perfectly executed. The gentle earthiness of the kohlrabi offset the indulgent sweetness of the scallop neatly.

Next up was another new one to me in the form of teal which had been cured. This small duck had a deep and slightly gamey richness that made great friends with the Jerusalem artichoke accompanying it and a generous splodge of caviar for seasoning; a great introduction to this meat for me. More meat came next in the form of a perfectly presented piece of beef served with “Tokyo Turnip” and Nori seasoning. When I posted this one to Instagram, someone commented on what a perfectly cooked piece of beef this was and I can’t agree more, with rich braised beef on the side too. The dainty turnip was just as memorable with a lovely delicate flavour to show off and accent the beef.

Sweet dishes were no less accomplished with yuzu and matcha represented across the brace of courses that also used meadowsweet for an aromatic accent somewhat reminiscent of marzipan. These striking dishes were a perfect exclamation point to end a very special meal that also came with thoughtful wine pairing; the plum sake with desserts working particularly well to elevate both elements. This meal was within the first two weeks of Tsuchi being open but there was no sign of a concept being bedded in or any early teething problems, just a quiet confidence in the dishes and the people serving them. The marriage of quality local produce to elements that represent the chef’s character can be a compelling one and it really is so here, with clever accents brought to the dishes and a polished front of house keeping things ticking along nicely.

Breakfast the following day took place in the same comfortable dining area with mackerel and scrambled egg setting me up well for the return to York after a night in that tremendous hotel room. Tsuchi at The Black Bull is a destination worthy of a journey and the opportunity to stay in such a well appointed establishment afterwards is a compelling combination worthy of your time and money.

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Legacy at The Grand remains just the refined, cool and comfortable space you would expect with plenty of attention to detail in evidence. I particularly appreciated the bespoke printed welcome card on the table complete with York on a Fork logo! There are three variations on the menu which range from £100 to £130 per person, of these we went for “Steel” which is named in honour of the rail industry coming to York and playing a key role in the history of The Grand, which was built as railway offices. This menu plotted a route through many courses of which three required some input from me, while my companion opted for the vegetarian version, making an interesting contrast throughout the evening. As is customary for this style of dining, we kicked off with a trio of snacks presented on bespoke tableware before a soft pillow of bread arrived with flavoured butters that packed in The Grand’s own honey from hives on the roof given a twist by black garlic, as well as a cultured butter dusted with seaweed powder. All this was an effective prologue to the meal alongside a glass of sparkling wine before the first course arrived bringing together bream tartare and jalapeno sorbet with notes of bergamot. This one was packed with clean flavours and neatly presented with some pops of colour from edible flowers to break up the appearance. An intimidatingly large scallop was next across my palate topped with a generous topping of caviar and an earthy backdrop of turnip to bring counterpoint to that sweet scallop.

This was all an impressive start before the pressure shifted onto me to make a decision between spiced monkfish with Thai red curry or pasta with Baron Bigod, which being one of my favourite cheeses proved too hard to resist. The candy shaped pasta was topped with a foam and slices of truffle, an indulgence that didn’t take me long to polish off. Next up, another branch in the decision tree came down to braised King Edward potato or sweetbreads cooked over charcoal. It’s a while since I’ve treated myself to a Thymus gland (actually let’s stick with sweetbread, much more appetising sounding) so I went in that direction and was rewarded with a lustrous sauce covering a tender piece of meat that carried the kiss of smoke from a Konro grill. The penultimate decision came down to Halibut or Lamb loin, with the former garnering my allegiance this time, thanks in part to the promised pickled mussel and fennel notes that would accompany it. This was one of the stars of the evening with perfect fish cookery complemented by a rich fennel cream and a gentle prickle of sharpness from the mussel.

Moving through to sweet dishes the pre-dessert found me presented with Annabel’s Strawberries which are always a thing of beauty, brought to life by ginger and vanilla here with a citrus zing. Finally I went for chocolate with a suitably lustrous touch of gold leaf matching the indulgence of the environment, making this a lovely end point, fittingly giving me the choice to choose chocolate over cherry, which is something I’m not a great fan of. This rather proved the concept of the hybrid Tasting/A la Carte concept which I thought was executed superbly, with well thought through choices and some interesting dishes with produce not seen often enough….I’m looking at you Thymus! It’s also noteworthy that my companion felt like the vegetarian version was no poor relation, with potato, beetroot and celeriac all featuring to great effect. I’ve noted before that Legacy at The Grand seems to have overcome the slightly tainted perception that seems to attach itself to restaurants in hotels outside of London; this is further evidence that Ahmed and the team are continuing to build on an already strong offering with a winning blend of innovation and common sense.

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The Pentonbridge Inn is a remote outpost with little around it to distract from eating and drinking within its confines. The views from the car park are unsurprisingly remarkable and the overall effect is of isolation and escape. With a Michelin star proudly held for three years and 3 AA Rosettes, there’s little to doubt the credentials of the kitchen here, but first impressions as one enters are of a welcoming bar space, basic without feeling sparse, and with a pleasant hubbub. After settling into my comfortable room, I had a bit of a shock at the bar with less than a fiver demanded of me in return for a pint. I know this isn’t in the costly South where I’ve recently taken a £7.25 beating for a pint, but that’s still more than accessible enough for a Michelin Star establishment.

Having established The Pentonbridge Inn’s credentials as a pub were intact and having readied myself for dinner, I took refuge in the corner of the room and surveyed my surroundings in preparation for the serious business of dinner. An open kitchen gave view of clearly well disciplined chefs working efficiently and with purpose, dutifully ticking off dishes on a chart as they worked their way through service. First up, in typical fine dining style, was a trio of bites showcasing Montgomery Cheddar, beetroot and Limousin Beef. Each bite presented itself on delightful bespoke tableware and delivered impressive injections of the promised flavours, with beetroot being worked into a macaron to memorable effect and a delicate beef tartare playing strongly toward my preferences. Next up, fresh peas worked their magic against a savoury Japanese-style custard before bread appeared with house-made butter as well as a deeply meaty potted beef that compelled me to eat more than was probably wise for my appetite.

Next up was a first fish dish that showcased mackerel with a fresh backdrop of tomato and seasoning via another delicate tart case with generous quantities of caviar and a peppery nasturtium backdrop. With a vibrant green herb oil splitting the sauce for visual appeal, this was a confidently executed dish that preceded another fish dish. This time, it was a piece of halibut joined on the plate by langoustine and cauliflower with a lobster sauce bringing cohesion to the experience; another well-judged and executed dish with bags of flavour and indulgence. The meat course followed after an appropriate pause to catch breath and made lamb its centrepiece. Augmented by smoked beetroot and a carrot puree, it also pulled haggis just across the border into the mix with a topping of earthy mushrooms. The sauce across it was so shiny as to be almost a reflective surface with there being bags of flavour to back that up too. A generous helping of smooth and rich potato to luxuriate in made sure this was a hearty and well put together plate to round off the savoury elements.

I skipped the cheese course on the basis that I’m well familiar with how good Kit Calvert and Yorkshire Blue are, so found myself next on the precipice of two sweet dishes, the first of which centred around milk and honey with a superb ice cream joined by shards of honeycomb, whilst the second was a Mille Feuille making use of raspberry and white chocolate. Petit Fours were a step too far for my appetite by this point but were very much appreciated as snack later on. The rest of the stay was seamless with the well-appointed room carrying me through to a hearty breakfast just the way I hoped.

This meal hit all the notes I expect for a Michelin and 3 AA Rosette starred spot with the impeccable service provided by clearly knowledgable servers and every bit of food delivering everything you could hope of it. The sense of indulgence conveyed by the plates of refined food was palpable. This is somewhere I’d unreservedly recommend you getting booked into for a night of indulgence and escapism.

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The menu is split slightly ambiguously between smaller and larger plates, with some of the smaller plates reading like they would function as mains. There are a number of intriguing flourishes which mention the headline elements being joined by a host of intriguing sounding condiments that made it a struggle to narrow down our selection. There’s a distinct Eastern European flavour to much of the menu too, reflecting the owners’ background. The space itself is cooler than I’ll ever be, though no more intimidating for that being the case, and all the details are spot on with bespoke tableware and beautiful joinery that happens to be the work of a very talented friend of mine.

After some in-depth debate about the menu, we settled on Baron Bigod cheese, pierogi, Plaice, Pork Steak, Roasted Celeriac and BWC salad…gambling on our constitutions’ ability to cope with an influx of that magnitude. We selected a bottle of red wine from Georgia to wash it down with and things were underway before we knew it, with Baron Bigod first to arrive. This wonderful brie-style cheese from Fen Farm Dairy in Suffolk is a firm favourite and the two wedges served here were generous and given a hint of caramelisation with a couple of rounds of toasted bread and two pink domes of a gel. This turned out to be chive blossom gel with an alium note at serious odds with the sweetness I’d expected which complemented the rich cheese perfectly; a seriously confident start before the baked potato and cheese pierogi with brown sage butter, sour cream and chives made its entrance. Pushing on for a decade ago, I had pierogi from a street food concept these guys put together and these matched up to those happy memories, with a deep richness from the potato dumplings and brown butter accented by sage and brought into relief by sharp sour cream.

Plaice with turnip, lovage emulsion, pickled agretti and mustard frill oil was a bit of a journey into the unknown for me with a couple of the accompaniments unfamiliar, but no need to worry of course as everything balanced very nicely indeed, with those preserved elements bringing a real zing to the plate before BWC salad arrived. Scattered with dukkah and making a feature of kohlrabi, this was every bit as good as I’d been led to believe, before another vegetable dish dropped into proceedings to celebrate celeriac. This had more dukkah for texture and brought romesco and a squash salsa into the mix too, drawing out all the strengths of one of my favourite vegetables. Last up came what will surely remain one of the highlights of my year, “12 hour pork steak”. This impeccably tender piece of meat was doused liberally with a leek, lovage and bbq sauce amongst which more chunks of tender celeriac were lurking. With a less delicate touch, this is the kind of dish that could easily be enjoyable but end up as an indeterminate mix of flavours. Here though, everything came together to showcase each element with aplomb while also becoming more than the sum of their parts.

I appreciate I’ve used a lot of hyperbole here, but I can assure you it’s justified. I had very high hopes for Black Wheat Club based on my prior experience and the team have absolutely smashed through most expectations, producing one of the most exciting hospitality openings in York for years. This is even more the case when you consider the breadth of the offering, which stretches throughout the day, as well as allowing you to call in passing for a loaf of bread or pastries. Truly a remarkable achievement and a real asset to York.

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Previously home to an Indian restaurant, the new location is a much larger space than the space Corner Grill House previously occupied and has been subjected to a meticulous renovation that’s turned it into an invitingly lit and super-stylish dining space. The breadth of the wine list is obvious from the number of bottles adorning the shelving around the room and with stylish but understated furniture all this comes together to produce a lovely calming dining room with a real sense of occasion. The menu features plenty of traditional dishes but makes a feature of the selection of steaks as well as featuring a number of rich starters that catch the eye. We decided to go for broke and over-order to make sure we got a broad selection of what was on offer, taking home the leftovers of course. I’m never quite sure why people are embarrassed to ask for this, do you think chefs enjoy seeing their hard work scraped off a plate into the bin?

A sharing board of three starters gives plenty of opportunity to make inroads into the starters with lamb kofta, garlic prawns and baked mushrooms forming an appetising trio when served with generous amounts of bread and side salad. I’d happily recommend any of the three that we enjoyed, all generous and rich with no weak spots on the board. The kofta was tender and with a well balanced spicing that didn’t threaten to overwhelm its companions, while the baked mushrooms didn’t skimp on the cheese, which had just started to caramelise on top for an extra punch of flavour. Prawns were given extra appeal from a creamy, white wine and cream sauce with a fresh dusting of parsley lightening things to complete a satisfying start to the meal.

The theme of over-ordering continued with main dishes as I wilted under Radek’s suggestions to try three things and we agreed on ox cheek, pork tomahawk and sirloin steak. We opted for chips to accompany the steak and a salad to go with the pork, though of course they were distributed between the plates at our whim anyway. Ox cheek was accompanied by creamy mash and a generous quantity of small onions with some parsnip crisps for texture and pea shoots to temper this rich dish. Ox cheek really rewards a long, slow cook and the preposterously soft and unctuous texture this example delivered was outstanding. Butter-rich mash brought more luxury and sharp pops from the pearls of onion punctuated the richness neatly. I’m a competent home cook and know how to do justice to a decent cut of meat, something which can be mysteriously lacking in some restaurants. The evidence here puts Corner Grill House firmly on my trusted list with the sirloin cooked perfectly and obviously from a quality supplier. Pork matched up well with a rewarding depth of flavour and tender consistency that stood up for itself against the quality of the steak well. A bold Malbec from the well-appointed wine list was perfect to accompany all this

Corner Grill House has always been a reliable spot to enjoy cuts of meat that are prepared with care and cooked to realise their potential and the King Street location just serves to even further elevate the experience thanks to the relaxed ambience and characterful interior. Service is worth a mention too as the balance of showing attentiveness without pestering was perfectly hit too. It’s been a pleasure watching Radek grow this business over the years and it has a real spring in its step now that should sustain it for many years. We were very full and happy as we strolled home replete with leftovers.

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Making your way into Betty’s feels undeniably special with a pianist gently plinking away in the background and smart servers moving with purpose and grace, though no unseemly urgency. The menu hits across a number of Bettys staples with rosti, rarebit and schnitzel both featuring prominently amongst dishes I’ve enjoyed at Bettys on prior visits. Dishes draw together the Swiss origins of the company, which took seed in Yorkshire. Of these we went for rarebit and mushroom pate to start followed by bacon and raclette rosti, and haddock, salmon and prawn gratin.

Mushroom pate had the gentle, earthy notes that one would hope for and a pleasing crunch from the slices of toast accompanying it. The rarebit was presented as a puddle of molten cheese accented by tomato halves and a few basil leaves. The cheese had a nice tang of mustard and was broadened in appeal by the Yorkshire Ale it’s cooked with, while the toasted bread gave texture. A rosti is a comforting thing as long as its cooking is judged well, producing a caramelised exterior while not robbing the centre of too much moisture. Thankfully everything was on track here with bacon and raclette joined by cream and gruyere for a rich and indulgent dish. The seafood gratin was just as luxurious feeling and packed in plenty of the promised haddock, salmon and prawns along with more of that rosti. We couldn’t resist a slice of chocolate cake to finish things off; it would seem somehow churlish to visit Bettys without eating some sweet, so we forced ourselves to share a slice of the chocolate cake, topping things off nicely.

With so much history to draw on, York has a multitude of attractions and experiences to enjoy. While there’s always space for more to join the fun, it’s nice to see such iconic institutions as Bettys continue to thrive as the world changes around it. In rather discomfiting times it’s a relief to escape into somewhere as reassuringly unchanged as this and see it retain its place in the York hospitality scene with so much confidence.

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The menu lists eight flavours to with which to imbue your wings, which you can order by the dozen or half dozen. We went for a selection including “Shang – High”, “Panang – A – Lang” and “The Honey Monster” as well as the bavette steak loaded fries which turned out to be more than enough for a two person lunch. As I say, I’ve been something of a cynic regarding wings before but these absolutely converted me, to this iteration of them at least if not the less well executed versions. These wings were plump and incredibly tender, a real joy to get smeared all over your hands as you get to work on them in the only practical way to do so. The flavours boldly represented the promised notes from the menu and retained impressive balance, one can just feel the many attempts it must have taken to reach this point. Loaded fries were groaning under the weight of strips of nicely charred bavette steak that remained pink through the majority of its depth. Fresh broccoli topped the plate along with a vibrant chimichurri that rounded things out beautifully.

It must also be said that all this was a bargain, with a dozen wings and the loaded fries being more than enough to satisfy two and coming in at £16.50 a head, more than reasonable in the current climate and all the more so for something of this obvious quality. Even better “Wing Wednesday” brings that down to just 75p a wing, get that in your diary for a great value treat!

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I’ve got to admit to being late to the party on this one as The Abbey Inn Byland has been open a while and I’ve heard a number of extremely favourable views that should have got me out there sooner. Better late than never though! The pub stands in the shadow of Byland Abbey which makes the tables outside the front one of the prettiest places in the region to enjoy a pint. Inside there’s a flagstone floor and a few different rooms to dine in, with some bar space too, though this looked a little limited, which is understandable in what’s likely a food destination for most customers. We were furnished with drinks and menus and seated in an open dining room along with a number of families who had dogs dining with them – a bonus as far as I’m concerned! It should go without saying that the emphasis here is on produce from the Banks Family farm with accents of seasonality and regionality. From the half dozen starters, we pounced upon beef tartare and smoked cods roe, with a fruity spritzer and a beer to accompany. Timothy Taylor’s Landlord might not be the world’s most exciting beer but it has proper Yorkshire credentials at least and was pleasant enough to sip on while we people-watched in anticipation of our food.

I’m an absolute sucker for a tartare and this was up with the best of them; uniformly diced beef with a deep, rich flavour further emboldened by smoked bone marrow and a hint of lovage and a couple of crisp crackers for texture and presentation. On the other side of the table, smoked cod roe was joined by a dill emulsion in being daubed around a trio of hash browns to make for a striking presentation with a topping of pickled cucumber accented by a frond of dill. All the punchy flavours you’d hope for were here with the gentle smoked roe brought to life by the pickled and herbal elements and the richly indulgent hash browns underpinning things nicely.

Mains were headlined by venison and pork, with the venison joined on the plate by a venison faggot and a spear of asparagus and new potatoes served on the side. Perfectly cooked and with the asparagus to keep things fresh, this was a well put together plate and the faggot really elevated things with boldly meaty notes and a hint of offal-metalicness. The pork came with pointed cabbage dressed generously with black garlic that did a great job of pairing with the meat. The meat needed the fat on it rendering a touch more, but was otherwise perfectly cooked.

By this point, we were too well fed to contemplate dessert so made tracks back to York feeling well-indulged and contemplating a repeat visit. This time we’d consciously gone for more restaurant style dishes but I’m very much looking forward to trying out the burger as well as sausage and mash to see what they can do with quality produce cooked well. The Abbey Inn Byland is an excellent addition to the Banks family empire which is complemented with values of sustainability, quality, attention to detail and a more relaxed vibe than its Michelin-starred siblings, which may be more appealing to some. If this is the template on which further pubs in the group will be based, then they are likely to find a bright future and willing audience.

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