Ripon, Fish & Seafood Restaurant Guide

This quirky fish specialist, with exotically styled bedrooms in the 18th century Crab Manor, certainly has an “original ambience” (“if Victoria Wood’s Acorn Antiques ran a restaurant”, it might look like this, replete with assorted “sea-fishing paraphernalia”); there was the odd blip on the service front this year, but also continued praise for some of the “best seafood around”.

2021 Review: “A very traditional Yorkshire chippie” which doesn’t offer anything fancy but “just good fish ’n’ chips” (the former “huge and well-battered”, and “you can go for more exotic if you wish”); “a little tip – avoid early evening when the ‘pensioners’ special menu’ is served – it will be heaving!”

This “amazingly busy” Montpellier Quarter veteran (est. 1971) is “just as good as it’s always been” – credit to Ray & June Carter, who’ve overseen it for a decade (and have also run the Sportsman’s Arms, Wath-in-Nidderdale, for three). The “very interesting and delicious menu” spotlights “fish cooked absolutely right” – “try the queenies (aka queen scallops) followed by fish pie”.