Wow! My husband and I had a fantastic time. The food was incredible and the service was excellent. The staff were very knowledgeable and passionate about the food and the drink. I currently have some food intolerances and the staff worked their magic to produce exciting food that I could eat. They even made their own gluten free bread with chicory for me because I can’t eat gluten at the moment. I love the fact that they use the produce that they have grown and all the herbs they use which add to the flavour. It really was a wonderful experience which we will never forget. Thank you.

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A 2-night package with tasting menu first night, Abbey Inn the second. Having had the privilege of eating in many a top establishment this is up there with The Best. The main event a total joy with amazing matched wines from the 'Adventurous' flight. Just one small niggle which has been noted before and from which the management could take note: on arrival at 3.45 having had a long and tiring journey we were informed that our room "was not ready" (yes, the stated time is 4.00, but really...) & were instead "invited" to take (i.e. buy) a drink in the small bar area - given that one need to vacate by 10.30 a..m. this does seem an inconsideration. So, started poorly but then swiftly became exemplary!

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Family booked a lunch to celebrate and it was my first visit here. The surrounding countryside is picturesque, the building is stone and is very old England. Simply done inside, the warm welcome was great and the food tasted incredible. I’m used to eating bigger sized portions, but this is a taste sensation. Like the fact it’s a family run business and nearly all the food is grown or foraged from their gardens. A pleasant day.

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Wonderful food, accommodation and service for dinner, bed and breakfast. The food was simply amazing and the service was warm and friendly. We will return. Located in a beautiful part of the world too.

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First impressions once inside the reception/lounge we not good insofar as the smell of paraffin/soot pervaded the room, which, upon enquiry turned out to be the wax they use for the tables, unpleasant. The bedrooms were spacious - though the toilet lid would not stay up, what fun - and a personal note, I hate soap dispensers, but accept this saves money though at this level hardly a consideration surely. We both found the first half of dinner to be a little unbalanced with such rich food (the first three offerings having to be taken in the reception area with accompanying odours) and felt some of the touches were unnecessary and just showing off the kitchen’s Michelin*. The Dining Room with brick, stone and plaster walls and principally wooden floors led to a noisy dining room, perhaps the ambiance would be improved by softer furnishings, especially as the staff were explaining every course, just too much noise. Anyway, onwards and we both had a restful night’s sleep, great bed, and looking forward to breakfast. The breakfast menu, no physical display of the offerings, started off with a rhubarb “pasty”, which must be their idea of fruit and which we observed, many left untouched. Surely fresh fruit from basic to luxury accommodations today is de rigueur, but no other fruit was offered. Geared again to minimizing waste maybe. Good ingredients and tastefully presented, but off key. At this level we prefer the luxury one gets at Le Manoir.”“Take the bar soap and the slippers” you are encouraged and even though you know you are paying for them as they are included in their room price, this leaves you feeling pampered and satisfied upon leaving, and of course, the food is faultless; not so much here.

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Booked dinner, bed and breakfast the day before arrival and paid a £300 deposit.Surprised to get in. Went for dinner, on entering the bar there was a very strong smell of furniture oil / kerosene. The smell was also overwhelming in the restaurant, so asked to see the manager. No one was available to see us. The waitress was very nice, agreed about the smell but other than eating outside in the cold there was no where else to dine. We couldn’t eat an expensive tasting menu like that as it would spoil everything. So our only option was to leave. The waitress was great very apologetic and said she would arrange a refund the following day. The place was empty other than one other couple in the bar who left was we did - this was a Friday evening… something odd. The following day we received a very curt email refusing to refund us saying the food had to be thrown away. Saying the reception couldn’t smell anything - despite me asking them to stand outside for a minute and re enter. They were effectively calling us liars. I WOULD SAY DONT GO TO THIS PLACE.

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..he'd be Bruce Springsteen because you know you're in for a memorable evening. We've been lucky enough to try some fantastic chefs over the past five years, Roux Jr., Outlaw, Blanc, and we always conclude that TB is innovating at a level that puts him in a league of his own. Highlights were the amuse bouches (it's like Springsteen kicking off with Born In The USA), you get that feeling of 'forget the tasting menu, just keep bringing these and topping up the sparkling wine cocktail; sea bass, asparagus and razor clam, oh my, the sauce; the lamb saddle, pea and stagette; the yoghurt and stunning Douglas Fir, incredible; and stealing the show the dessert (yes, dessert) of mushroom, artichoke and woodruff. Service and ambience were excellent too, and a big thank you to gardener Ed for the Ed(ucation) the following morning. We had to settle for the attic/loft - to be fair even I can only bang my head not that many times, but we knew what we were getting, so no problem there. I'd just ask a member of staff to actually take a bath in that room. Not fiddle with the taps, take a bath and see how you get on. Honestly, the best tasting menu in the UK, it has to be.

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Stayed 2 nights with friends to experience Tommy Banks cuisine. Small hotel and restaurant up very steep stone steps. Small but fully equipped and furnished bedroom and bathroom. Nice to have walk in shower and free standing roll top bath for 2. Small patio overlooking the extensive kitchen garden. Mini bar with fresh milk and water but beer and Tommy Banks canned wine were expensive. The first evening's meal was at the Abbey Inn, a mile away, down a very narrow lane. Impossibly dangerous to attempt on foot after dark. The drink and food was excellent and the staff were happy to exchange our "dining boards " to proper chinaware. The tasting menu was a great experience which we all thoroughly enjoyed. Possibly better than other Michelin star tasting menus we have experienced in recent years. The bar here was less well stocked than at the pub. Little choice of pre dinner drinks apart from the in-house foraged concoctions and limited whiskies and brandies. Breakfast, in the same restaurant, was a set menu apart from a choice of cooked items. Their own fruit juice, yoghurt with granola and honey, sourdough toast. But the smoked eel on scrambled eggs was excellent although the black pudding wasn't up to Lancashire standards!!! A tour of the kitchen garden would have been appreciated and the deputy chef did say he would take us round but the very heavy rain prevented it. Generally a great experience.

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How does one review a Michelin restaurant? I leave the intricacies of this to the professionals and all I contribute is how it made us feel. From the first contact when we arrived we were made feel very welcome and after a little cocktail in the garden we were shown to our room (Duckendale) which was spacious and very nice. The weather gods were very kind, as when we started our dining experience we were able to start this in the garden. Decided to give the wine flight a miss as I spotted a cpl of bottles on their list which complimented the whole menu very well. Beauty is that every wine (I looked at) was available by the glass too, so if so inclined one could have a lot of fun! Food was impeccable as one would expect and some elements were sheer genius! A smoked eel and apple combo and the scallop dish stood out. As did the bread! Service throughout was warm, very knowledgeable, sommelier included! Friendly, very competent and clearly enjoyed what they were doing. We opted to share a cheese course and it was well worth it! Very well curated and perfect examples of the best of English cheese making! After a good nights sleep the breakfast was equally well done and delicious, served with the same love, care and attention as it was prepared. Absolutely delicious! Fazit: spending about 1k for two as an experience of DB&B isn’t for everyone but well worth it for us. I thought that the B&B value itself (250£) was excellent value, considering what some charge for a tent in a field these days. But the staff made it! So thank you a great experience!

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Just wondering if anyone has been there when Tommy Banks was actually in the kitchen cooking? Still serves bread and butter as a course, very funny.

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We went to the Black Swan for a surprise 40th birthday for my partner, also deciding to stay over in one of the beautiful garden rooms. Overall it was a wonderful culinary experience, and the room was fabulous. We opted for the basic wine pairing which complimented each dish perfectly. As one would expect, this is a significantly expensive experience, especially with the additional cost of the room. My one issue was the supplement they charged for one of the courses, this was an optional choice that we agreed to; however, charging £28 each for the lobster ravioli (just one piece of filled ravioli in a sauce) seemed at tad unfair, given the cost of the tasting menu. There was also an additional £23 each supplement for the cheese course. We have eaten at other Michelin starred restaurants and supplement charges have never been added to the tasting menus. I would suggest that Tommy Banks reviews this element of their dining experience. Regardless of this, we still had a fantastic time and this minor issue did not detract from the exceptional dining experience we had.

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We had an amazing overnight stay and the best quality food and wine. Such a relaxing break in an amazing setting. The most welcoming place to dine and have some great pre dinner cocktails. A beautiful place and a must do if you love fine dining and being spoiled.

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I ordered the hunger gap signature menu home delivery for a surprise special birthday meal for my husband. The menu was really extensive and sounded incredible. It came with matching wine for 3 of the courses. Our expectations were high but what we received exceeded our expectations by a long shot. Firstly the packing. Each course was beautifully packaged separately with everything ( and I mean everything..even down to an egg yolk to glaze the beef Wellington) included. Secondly, the instructions were really straightforward. Easy to understand and follow. Lastly the food and wine. Everything was just exceptional. Each course was beautifully created with skill and the highest quality ingredients. It only required heating , a little bit of cooking and assembly as per the instructions to create a real fine dining experience in our own home. The wines complemented the food wonderfully. The portions were very generous, causing my husband to check with me a few times that we hadn’t ordered a meal for 4 people rather than 2 😂 Over all it was a brilliant experience. We would highly recommend this and will be ordering again in a heartbeat. When you factor in the entertainment element, the fact that we didn’t need to pay for taxis, tips or babysitter as we were enjoying this feast at home, it was great value for money. Hats off team Oldstead 🥳 The menu: Canapé: Potato & Truffle Croustade Bread & Grazing: Haxby Sourdough, Chicken Fat & Cep Butter, Yorkshire Coppa, Oldstead Salami, Oldstead shredded Cornichons Fish course: Scallops, Mussel Broth, Dill Pickled Apple, Fermented Pepper Powder Main: Beef Wellington, Hen of the Woods, Leek Top Emulsion, Onion Sauce Pallet Cleanser: Apple & Gooseberry Juice Dessert: Douglas Fir & White Chocolate Cremeux, Caramelised White Chocolate Crumb, Douglas Fir Sherbet, Lemon Verbena Curd Petit Four: Toasted Hay Fudge

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Fab 2-night experience eating at the Abbey Inn and the Black Swan. The food was delicious on both nights and the breakfasts were equally impressive. Everything felt very well organised. Our room in the little cottage next to the Black Swan was very cosy and comfortable. It was lovely to be able to spend 2 nights in Oldstead and explore the local area with some short walks during the day as well. A fantastic short break for any foodie!

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We went for an overnight stay including bed, breakfast and evening meal as a special treat for the pair of us after having a small windfall . Having eaten at a number of high end restaurants previously we both had some idea of what to expect . The settings are lovely and the building itself is delightful . Our room was very spacious and comfortable with all that was required for an overnight stay , including double blinds on all but one window which I shall get back to later . Our meal was booked for 19:30 and we started with an amuse bouche of beetroot and crab apple juice which was sensational , accompanied by 3 other appetizers one of which was a smoked eel and celeriac tartlet that was off the scale . On choosing the wine flight for my wife we took to our seats .The first dish at the table was a beef plate with accompanying jus , very tasty indeed , followed by sourdough bread and sour butter. This was ok but the bread needed more proving and the butter wasnt anything special to be honest , creamy and tasty and thats about all i can say .We were told to keep some bread back for the fish course as it came with an amount of sauce . Yes the sauce was velvety and lush but the Turbot as lovely and well cooked as it was required a much needed boost in size , the portion was slight and the dish seemed more of a sauce dish than fish plate . Their show stopper was the main event of home grown pork with possibly the best event of the evening which was a pork sauce , I could have downed a jug of this , however the potato component lacked in seasoning and was tasteless , the pork loin was a little over done and but the pork belly very nice . So to dessert courses , a frozen whey yoghurt and birch sap greeted us which was stunningly good , followed by a twist on rhubarb and custard that was in need of a flavour punch, but the best was last in the form of a mushroom and artichoke sweet that punched well above its weight and was probably the star of the night . My wife chose a cheese platter that was unimpressive and poorly presented without any sidekicks such as grapes or celery which was conspicuous by its absence . The final mouthfuls offered included a delightful chocolate dense in flavour and a lovely end to a meal that pleased and disappointed in equal measure , which was sad as we both really wanted to savour every morsel . In addition the 6 glasses of wine with the wine flight totalled 3 full glasses and was charged at £85 per person , very poor value it has to said . So we retired to digest and get a comfortable nights sleep , or at least that was the idea . The one window that had a single blind allowed a steam of light from an outside light , which we found out later was on a timer till 1:00am , to fill our room and kept us awake for hours . The following morning my wife was very unwell and we had to leave and get her home quick smart , this was relayed to the hotel prior to breakfast service and noted that neither of us would be attending breakfast because of this . On paying for our stay etc I was given a silver foil package with two somewhat stale pastry offerings in recompense for us not being able to indulge in breakfast which was paid for . I simply wanted to get my ill wife home and did not make any issue of this at the time , however , i have since been in contact with the restaurant several times regarding the lack of sleep due to the lack of window covering and the breakfast which we had been charged for which we did not attend . They have offered us nothing for our troubles and have been given every opportunity to do so . This has left us both with a very bad taste in our mouths and disappointment instead of elation .We have both followed the success of this place and the brothers who own it with Yorkshire pride but can not honestly recommend this to anyone else , and we are truly sorry for that .

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The Black Swan is a restaurant with rooms in the southwest area of the North York Moors ran by James and Tommy Banks. Its culinary competence currently boasts 4 AA rosettes, and a Michelin star to boot. The restaurant burst into the headlines in 2017 when it was voted the best restaurant in the world by Trip Advisor, a fine achievement regardless of how you view the quality of that site’s output. Finding the restaurant can be a bit tricky, even What3words needed all its processing power to guide us in once you leave the A19 or A1 (also follow the guidance on the restaurant’s website) but on your arrival very pleasant views over green moors are there to greet you. There’s plenty round about to visit including the Kilburn White Horse and nearby York. It’s a 25 min bendy B-road walk to Byland Abbey and pop into the recent addition to the Banks stable right opposite, The Abbey Inn, for a warm-up beer before dinner. Any visit to a restaurant adorned with Michelin’s highest accolade is an experience from the outset. We went for a dinner, bed and breakfast package. We were welcomed by disarming staff in the bar located below the main dining room. Checking in was prompt, special occasions and dietary requirements captured in a few taps. This is cheaper during the week. I’ll get to the gastronomy shortly, but the accommodation is worth a mention. A short walk around the main building takes you to a terrace of rooms. All are well appointed. I am no Kelly Hoppen but these were what I would call country chic. Your bolt hole for the night comes complete with rolltop bath which may have the nearby Brayton Barff reservoir on an amber alert if filled and with a mini bar including a bunch of Banks brothers’ products there’s a lot to like here. Minor quibble was the central thermostat was obviously caught between the Summer into Autumn / Winter zone and proved too hot a setting during the night we were there. The restaurant offers a Tasting menu only, so no a la carte or fixed price menu, although the lunchtime menu is better value with a few courses less. The 11 course dinner menu, excluding the optional cheese course is £175, with the lunch menu at £135. For openers pre dinner snacks were delivered to us in the aforementioned bar seating. A row of 3 delights were given a thorough overview, with an order of consumption helpfully recommended, by our waiter. First up a Smoked Eel tartlet, with eel emulsion running through. I always find eel strong, smoked mackerel turned up to 11 if you will, but the Julienne of apple nicely suppressed this. The tart was topped with Royal Beluski caviar for added luxury. A fine starting morsel. Next a Baron Bigod donut with grated truffle on top. The donut mix was Donut very slightly doughy but a rich cheese hit nonetheless. Finally, duck liver, endive and elderberry. This was beautifully earthy with a gamey flavor, blackcurrant providing colour and a slightly richer base for the tartlet, a fine finish. We moved upstairs to the dining room, sparsely decorated with 8 or so. The dining room was above the bar area. The atmosphere would have been somewhat library like if it wasn’t for the well thought out music mix that was playing jauntily in the background. Some may be put off by the noise cause by the hard floor as staff and customers move around but it didn’t bother us, and again the lack of windows on each side may both some who like a view but the food on offer is the star. To kick off hogget. I haven’t come across hogget a lot, but this is a 1 – 2-year-old lamb. The creamy top gave way to a deep ragout underneath and intense foamy custard. Alongside this was what was described as a hogget cigar, a spring roll like component containing hogget tartare. This showcased great use of the livestock available locally. It was unusual to introduce a bread-and-butter course so far into the meal but two grain loaves including cultured butter which was cleverly topped with what was described as sourdough molasses. The humble squash was used in several ways to accompany the perfectly cooked. The squash had been roasted, pickled and included in a miso butter with some roasted tomato (season end apparently). Lots of sweet elements to this dish but the scallop was not overwhelmed. A herb called tagete ran through the dish to freshen. Staying with the sea next with a nugget of cod, which was perfectly cooked. The flesh translucent and first my thought was it was under, but it was perfection. This was supremely accurate cooking and the lightly crisped skin on top showing off more technique. The surrounding sauce was a creamy number with a seafood taste due to a reduction from the razor clam but this lacked a little intensity for me. Next was Charlotte Potato with lardo and alliums. This was slightly underwhelming due to the potatoes being undercooked. The pork jowls were flavourful piggy medallions and made up for potatogate. This minor blip was rescued by a showcase of partridge. A well thought through presentation from west to east on the plate of Partridge breast, sausage made from leg meat and, parsnip, plum with damson and a sticky damson jus. This was intense flavouring that may overwhelm some but a crowd pleaser for game lovers. Onto dessert starting with Blackberry. This light yoghurt dish was adorned with spruce powder made from handpicked early spring shoots. This was refreshing, the blackberry came with a milk yoghurt foam, apple and spruce gel, milk. This was my dining partner’s favourite, fresh and vibrant, the brilliant blackberry ice cream coyly hiding what lay below. Mushroom elbowed its way into the second dessert, providing a subtle earthy background to dark chocolate shards, rich chestnut ice cream and chocolate soil. To finish a trio of imaginative Petit Fours which again included the use of chicory, birch sap syrup, anise hyssop and crab apple. Service was top notch with staff providing details of every dish and really emphasizing the sustainability of the Black Swan’s operation that has brought it a Michelin green star to accompany the big one. The Black Swan is well worth the diversion that Mr. Bidendum recommends, just don’t put too much faith in GPS technology!

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We have wanted to try the Black Swan for a while and it was definitely worth the wait. We stayed in a garden room which was really lovely. Spacious, beautifully decorated and under floor heating in the bathroom! There was also outside seating for the summer. There are some rooms in a house just down the lane (couple of mins walk away) which we didn’t see but if we came away we would ask for garden room again as it was perfect. The food was outstanding and we had a lovely evening. I’m vegetarian and enjoyed every course, I definitely didn’t feel I was missing out and with notice the waitress said they could cater for gluten free and pescatarian. The staff are an absolute credit to the restaurant, friendly and very knowledgeable and definitely deserve their service charge. Breakfast was a real treat, yoghurt, compote and a choice of cooked items. We Will definitely be back (need to save up!) thank you for a perfect evening.

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We had dinner and breakfast here. The tasting menu was good with some interesting dishes. I would agree with the other comments, it is difficult to hear the descriptions of the dishes. The optional courses were very expensive so we didn’t have either the lobster or the cheese. We had the English red wine which was probably one of the poorest bottles of wine we have had all year, not sure how it got passed their sommelier, at £65 for a bottle it was thin and weak. The breakfast was excellent and it was obvious that all the ingredients were local and fresh.

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Been on our hit list for a while. We had heard mixed reviews, but decided to give the black swan a try…special treat so meal and nights stay. The room was okay, well equipped and comfortable (but nothing swish for the price). We headed to the bar for some pre dinner drinks, comfortable, quiet, and nice open fire. Nothing on draft here…but it’s not a real a pub (as such). However, the cans were nice and some interesting flavours. Nice welcome and good service, as expected. Appetisers served in the bar, which were nice and tasty, before heading up the the restaurant upstairs. The taster menu was very good, the food was high quality and service very good. We didn’t pair the wines, decided instead to get 2 bottles of our choice (significantly cheaper….but by no means cheap). You need around 3 hours for the taster experience, and it is an experience and thoroughly enjoyed. This place is expensive, but on a par with other Michelin restaurants….so if this is your thing, it’s very worthwhile. Would we go back…..yes for the food! Breakfast very good, so leave plenty of room for more calories!!! Great night

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Welcoming open log fire on a wet Saturday lunch was great. Staff, attentive friendly and knowledgeable. Definitely worth the trip but portion sizes are small, but in my experience most other tasting menus offer similar size portions,so has to be expected for the experience I suppose. Overall great staff serving excellent and well presented food. Only gripe is the noise which made it difficult to hear exactly what was being presented. Would recommend and would re-visit.

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