8 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).

Perfectly positioned at the bottom of the village, this friendly retreat dating back to 1828 looks out from atop a seawall to dramatic views of the North Sea (if you can get a coveted window table), with a warming open fire in winter and sunny terrace in summer. The reasonably priced menu leans towards well-prepared traditional pub grub, fresh fish and chips, and shellfish like Whitby scampi or crab and lemon salad. There are three B&B rooms upstairs.

Betty's has been a York institution since 1936. The decor—inspired by the art deco ocean liner the Queen Mary—the dessert trollies, and the solicitous white-aproned staff all contribute to an impression of stepping back in time to a more genteel era. An excellent afternoon tea is served in the café downstairs; breakfast and light lunches are served in the Oak Room upstairs, where you can see the mirror inscribed by the RAF air aces who dined here during WWII. An in-house store sells a range of specialty coffees and teas, plus pastries and old-fashioned sweets like rose and violet creams.

The Harvey Nichols department store's roaring success is partly due to the lure of this stylish café, a standout for food, city views, and dramatic, high-tech design. The well-crafted Modern British menu changes bimonthly, but is sure to have imaginative dishes like pan-fried turbot with a roasted pepper purée, herb gnocchi, and samphire, or honey and rosemary glazed duck breast with duck leg and potato terrine, carrot and star anise purée, and confit fennel. There's also a separate plant-based menu. Irresistible desserts include Maple syrup cheesecake with blueberry compote. It's not cheap, but a three-course set menu plus a Champagne cocktail for £25 offers better value.

This cozy independent restaurant receives rave reviews for its hearty Eastern European fare. You'll find primarily Polish dishes, including favorites like pierogi, bigos (a hunter's stew made with cabbage, wild mushroom, and sausage), pancetta-wrapped rabbit leg, and schnitzel, as well as vegetarian options. It's popular, so it can get noisy and reservations are suggested.

With its oak-paneled, candlelit dining room and open fires, this traditional inn is an inviting rural dining spot. Old favorites with locally sourced ingredients such as sausage and mash, crispy pork belly, and traditional Sunday roasts are served with fresh vegetables from the kitchen garden (gluten-free options like a mushroom and Mediterranean vegetables Wellington add a contemporary note). There are also eight comfortable rooms that continue the traditional theme (£125 per night). The inn is 10 miles north of Skipton in the town of Grassington.

Everyone visiting Scarborough has to have fish-and-chips at least once, and this harbor-front spot is a classic of its kind. Choose an upstairs window table for the view, and tuck into freshly fried, lightly battered, locally caught cod or haddock. Fresh fish pie, mussels, crab, and lobster plus burgers, sausages, and seasonal game casserole, all locally sourced, are also available.