September 17, 2023

Day out with Kids Bainbridge North Yorkshire

Yorebridge is aiming for Michelin status with its sophisticated take on modern British food, and its menus are crammed with local produce.

Dinner (included in the rates at weekends) begins with canapés in the buzzy bar or the cosy lounge, before you move through to the restaurant - an airy room with dark wood tables, mirror-hung walls and pretty views through picture windows. Starters when we visited included a creamy white onion velouté with a tangy tomato confit, and escabeche of mackerel with a delicate saffron aioli; our mains were pan-fried East Coast bass with Whitby crab ceviche, and a lip-smackingly tender fillet of beef from the farm across the road. Dessert was an imaginative trio of gooey chocolate treats, served with refreshing green tea mousse and chilli ice cream.

For folks who like simpler food, there’s an all-day bar menu listing favourites such as pumpkin and parmesan risotto, crispy pork and pea soup, seared trout with hollandaise sauce, Yorkshire ploughman’s, and lemon meringue pie.

Breakfast (included in the rate for all rooms) doesn’t disappoint, either. Help yourself to a buffet of fresh fruit, thick slices of Wensleydale cheese, smoked salmon, yoghurts, local honey and preserves, then tuck into locally smoked kippers, eggs Benedict or the full Yorebridge (sausages, honey-cured bacon, fried duck eggs, local black pudding, slow-roasted tomatoes and toasted homemade bread).

If you fancy a change of scene, Bainbridge is home to the quirky Rose & Crown pub and The Cornmill (closed in winter), a traditional - if not especially exciting - tearoom. But there’s much more on offer in Askrigg, just a mile away, including 3 pubs (the most atmospheric is The Kings Arms), the sophisticated Rowan Restaurant and the Cake Walk Tea Shop, a lovely modern café serving cakes, soups and ploughman’s lunches. If you’re willing to drive, it’s worth making a detour to The Wensleydale Heifer in West Witton for sophisticated Dales dining, or visiting The Blue Lion in East Witton for upmarket pub grub in a classy setting. And, if you’re here in summer, make a pitstop at Jervaulx Farm for Brymor’s ice cream.