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Yorkshire is known for hearty food, though bacon-based breakfasts and lunches of pork pies do tend to pale fairly quickly. Increasingly, the larger towns and cities, particularly Leeds, have developed a foodie scene of sorts. Indian restaurants (often called curry houses) can be very good in northern cities. Out in the countryside, pubs are your best bet for dining. Many serve excellent home-cooked food and locally reared meat (especially lamb) and vegetables. Roast beef dinners generally come with Yorkshire pudding, the tasty, puffy, oven-baked dish made from egg batter known as a popover in the United States. It's generally served with lots of gravy. Be sure to sample local cheeses, especially Wensleydale, which has a delicate flavor and honey aftertaste.
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 a sunny terrace in summer. The reasonably priced menu leans towards well-prepared traditional pub grub, including fish-and-chips or shellfish like Whitby scampi or crab and lemon salad. There are three B&B rooms upstairs.
With its oak-paneled, candlelit dining room and open fires, this traditional inn is an inviting rural dining spot. Old favorites such as duck breast in a port reduction, crispy pork belly with black pudding, or traditional Sunday roasts are served with vegetables fresh from the kitchen garden. There are also eight comfortable rooms that continue the traditional theme (£125 per night). Dogs are welcome and in fact have their own menu. The inn is 10 miles north of Skipton in the town of Grassington.
Claiming to date from 1715, this narrow, atmospheric bar in a quiet alley off bustling Briggate retains 19th- and 20th-century features, like beveled mirrors, copper-topped tables, Art Nouveau stained glass, and mosaic tiles. It serves superior pub food with an emphasis on the local and seasonal, like a grilled eggplant tabbouleh or homemade beef-and-ale pie. Beers from local microbreweries are featured, and the prices are friendly. There's also a pre-theater fixed price (£25) menu.
