Middle of nowhere, casual dress, Michelin-starred…read more My husband and I went out of our way to eat and stay here. Was it worth the 3 hour journey from London (2-hr train ride, 1-hr by car) to make our reservation from 6-months earlier? Absolutely. Courses are small, but plenty. Staff are immensely courteous and thoughtful (they made a custom menu for our dietary needs and even had the chefs sign it before we left). And the setting couldn't be more idyllic. I'd suggest getting the wine pairing as it really completes the meal. Go ahead and stay the night as breakfast is included the next day. Just make sure to work out your travel from the train station to the restaurant. It really is out in the sticks.

An absolutely fantastic experience enhanced by the charming and beautiful countryside that The…read moreBlack Swan at Oldstead is nestled within - an area that I wouldn't have visited otherwise but am grateful for having done so. Make sure to make a small detour to Kilburn to see The Kilburn White Horse which stands firmly in the hillside. The Black Swan is a beautiful picturesque old pub full of warmth and charm. Upon arrival you are welcomed into the bar area for aperitifs where a log fire crackles and glows. Make sure to notice the Robert Thompson mouse carved into the bar. Great selection of small batch gins - I enjoyed a glass of Sir Robin of Locksley from Sheffield with tonic. Amuse bouche are served here before moving upstairs to the restaurant. The Smoked Eel and Apple Tartlets were light and well balanced in their flavours whilst the Chicken Dumpling was rich, satisfying and would sit well on the finest of dim sum plates in Hong Kong. The restaurant is more modern in decoration with an "open kitchen" where some of the dishes are prepared with a clear artistic love and attention to detail. Service is friendly, knowledgeable and attentive without being intrusive. Good selection of wines for most palates and wallets. I had the 10 course tasting menu which, at £85, felt like a bargain compared to the price of Michelin starred food in major cities. To start, a Mussel with Oyster Leaf canapé - so perfectly decorated that it felt wrong to eat it, but so tasty. Next up Langoustine with Caramelised Whey, served like a lollipop with a twig to hold it with - lovely textures and cooked to perfection. Venison Tartare followed - a small dish but rich in flavour and beautifully prepared and decorated. Sour Bread and Sour Butter was distinctive and a good filler in preparation for the main courses. The Monkfish with Asparagus and Onion, although delicious, was probably the weakest dish. The sauce tasted like heavy sweet soy sauce and was a bit overpowering in its saltiness for the delicate flavour of the fish. Still very enjoyable though. The Slowly Cooked Crapaudine Beetroot was the star of the menu. Cooked in beef fat (I believe), the beetroot takes on a heavier composition and is chewy and almost glutinous with all of the accompanying decorations providing broad and bold flavours. Absolutely fantastic! Scallop Cured with Rhubarb was another standout with the smoothness of the slightly charred scallops countering the tartness of the rhubarb, all tied together with a rich and balanced sauce. Herb-Fed Chicken with Wild Garlic from this Year and Last was another amazing creation with a blanket over the chicken in the form of a garlic leaf. The chicken was more warm than hot but extremely tasty. The first dessert was ice cream (or iced yoghurt?) Lollipops which were wonderfully innovative with their unique flavours. The Sheep's Milk with Douglas Fir Oil was also an memorable dessert with natural tastes of the season. The final dessert, served with coffee was Cake made from Artichoke, Chicory Root and Thyme. The combination worked well although the chicory root (?) was slightly bitter. A great end to a fantastic meal and experience. For most who visit The Black Swan at Oldstead, a significant journey will be involved but don't let that put you off...It's well worth the effort and will be one of those great food experiences.

Best find on holiday ever!!…read more Set in a beautiful little village with a huge village green with loads of parking round and about (although im sure that on a mid summer sunny day parking may be somewhat difficult!). The pub has a bar area and a restaurant area - we only ever went into the bar as you could eat int here and it was really cosy (dogs are also allowed!). The staff were incredibly friendly and chatty (lets face it, Yorkshire, particularly North Yorkshire folk are possibly the most friendly on the planet - i challenge you to disprove this!). The food was INCREDIBLE. Nothing fancy pants, just really good food, VERY big portions (trust me on this, you dont need three courses - choose your weapon of starter or dessert to go alongside your main - we made the mistake one night and 1) couldnt eat it all and 2)pretty much rolled home). We spent an evening in the pub, had a meal and then sat playing card games - we felt incredibly welcome. So welcome that we ended up visiting three times in a week long holiday. You cant really get a better recommendation than that can you??

A wining combination of fantastic food and wonderful service make the Railway a go to spot for…read moretravelers and locals alike. A wonderful English pub nestled in a beautiful location, the decor is traditional pub but with modern upgrades to the bar, but its the food that's the real winner here. Specials listed on chalkboards around the pub offer alternates to the solid menu, i really wished i could have ordered about 5 appetizers and 6 main's but alas, only one stomach! Prawn cocktail app was traditional English, small prawns in a delicious marie rose sauce with a few slices of granary bread, this was a huge serving, could almost feed two (but there was no way i was sharing!) For mains i went light, grilled salmon with baked potato with seasonal veggies, absolutely cooked to perfection grilled salmon with a decent sized potato with carrots and green beans. Other winners at our table were the Sunday roast, meat and potato pie, ribs and chicken and the southern fried chicken. Great value, clean, and a well diverse menu make The Railway one of my favorite places to visit when i'm in England.

Very surprised to see that nobody has reviewed this great little pub-cum-restaurant yet, as it's…read morebeen popular locally for years! You can always get a really good feed, with food ranging from hearty pasta dishes to Asian favourites like Thai green curry etc. Maybe none of the food is particularly groundbreaking, but it's hard to bear for value for money and me and my wife often come here when we have someone to look after the kids. There's plenty of space and the pricing is very fair for what you get. Only minor quibble might be that the music is sometimes a little on the loud side and I always feel vaguely rushed when that's the case, but like I say: a minor quibble in what is otherwise a very nice little local haunt.

Great pub, upstairs from bottle shop. Friendly staff, maybe best atmosphere in all of York! Don't…read moremiss this gem!

This place was a little hard to find. Look for the liquor store on the ground floor that says…read more"trembling madness" on the window. Pub is upstairs. Pub was fairly cool. Saw some reviews saying something about a Harry Potter vibe, but I didn't get that at all. It has some cool elements, but definitely did not live up to those expectations. Had a nice beer selection on tap. And prices were quite reasonable. Ended up picking up a few interesting beers on my way out.

I found this pub purely by chance and what a gem it proved to be.Perched on a hillside it has a…read morelarge car park overlooking the valley and village below and has outside seating for the more hardy souls amongst us.On entering we were immediately struck by the cosy atmosphere in the bar,greatly helped by a log fire crackling in the grate.The staff were welcoming and friendly and when we enquired about food we were given the choice of eating in the bar or the restaurant.The bar had a choice of cask ales from the Blacksheep Brewery as well as a range of lagers,wines and spirits.The menu was very comprehensive with most of the food coming from local sources and all dishes are cooked to order.Our meals were well cooked,nicely presented and arrived at the table piping hot.Portion sizes were large and very good value for money.I would place the meals at the top end of pub cuisine and say this is a must visit place if you are in the area.

This place makes the perfect retreat at the end of a day of sightseeing. Once you arrive, you won't…read morewant to leave, although that may have something to do with the 10-15 minutes of narrow country roads it takes to get here from the highway. It can be a bit, umm, exciting, to meet another car on a road not quite big enough for two. The family that runs the inn are really nice and committed to making sure their guests have everything they need. They could pay a bit more attention to the details: The toiletries are not replaced between guests (except the soap) and our sopping wet towels used to dry the floor after I dropped the shower hose and sprayed the bathroom with water were rehung for the next day's use, But a quick request to the innkeeper got everything replaced without any hassles. The rooms are nicely remodeled, all with en-suite baths, but many without showers. There is plenty of hot water, individual heat controls in the room, and comfy beds. One of the best parts of this inn is that the rooms are full board, breakfast and dinner. Breakfast is amazing, with a buffet of fruit, cereals, yogurts, and other cold items, followed by a basket of fresh toast and tea or coffee, and then a full, hot English breakfast, cooked to order. When we were there, the fruit was mostly berries, including some of the sweetest, most intense little strawberries I've ever had. Dinner was excellent pub food that was a few steps up from any other pub we tried. The fish and chips were perfect and not at all greasy, and I had a salad that was a perfect balance of a creamy blue cheese, apples, greens, and a fresh raspberry dressing. After one cold, rainy day exploring York, it was wonderful to come back to the Fauconberg Arms to an excellent dinner, a complementary glass of slow port, and and evening by the fire with a book to read and a cat to pet.

The Red Lion is amazing! Would highly recommend staying here. The service was amazing, and everyone…read moreis very nice. They breakfast comes out very quick, and servers are awesome. We stayed in a cottage and a room, and it was great! Will be back!

Set in a beautiful location, but if you go in summer expect lots of children. Food in the…read morerestaurant is subpar and you could tell it was all highly microwaved. We sat in the dining room area and it was very tired and worn, sit in the Pub area instead. Outside seating is very smoky. No A/C or even ceiling fans especially since we were in the new set of rooms. No one opened up the windows prior to our arrival and it was literally like an oven. As secluded as it is there is another hotel/restaurant nearby which we enjoyed better.

I visited the funny onion last night and it was a pleasure to be in. Drink was good and I had a…read moresnack. Will definitely be back for a meal next time in brid.

The food is fantastic you get what you pay for. I have eaten here several times and have never been…read moredisappointed. If you want a cheap burger that isn't as great then go to McDonald's

Foid excellent, service excellent, we go Sunday lunch, always great, staff wonderful, need to try…read morea steak one night.

Possibly the best steak in the North East?…read more They cook their steaks on a super heated stone at your table to perfection. While the chef does that he talks to you and that is half the fun. If you love your steak, this place is a must.

I just had a drink in the New Inn this evening and all I can say is 'Wow'!…read more The pub doesn't look very big or even 'publike' from the outside, but walk through the door and you'll be surprised to find a beautifully newly refurbished pub. I can't work out what it's trying to be, old fashioned? I don't think so - but there is a lot of aged dark brown leather and the wooden furniture is slightly Gothic - hmm I'm not sure, but I know I like it! I had a perfectly tasty glass of red and my drinking companion had a Gin & Tonic, and the prices were average pub prices. It was really rather lovey sitting in candle light on the comfy sofas sipping our drinks! We didn't want to leave!! So the only criticism I could possible give this place is, it's hard to leave!