Keighley Restaurant Guide

2022 Review: A “very good value, high-quality place in Ilkley” where Joel Monkman’s large and small plates of British seasonal fare continue to win plaudits three years after its founding; also on the menu, lunchtime BBQ Buns and hearty Sunday roasts.

2023 Review: “Afternoon tea IS Bettys!". This old-fashioned tearoom is “always worth the queue” for its epic teas and fine spreads of pastries and sarnies. It’s also “a great place to meet over a very good breakfast. Coffee, understandably, is excellent!”

2021 Review: “Hockneys in view” as you dine are the most famous attraction of this noisy but atmospheric venue: a large, post-industrial space in the UNESCO-listed Salts Mill complex, open from breakfast on for a coffee or fuller meal (Saltburger, Caesar salad, etc).

Seemingly “sailing on unperturbed by changes in ownership and chef” – Adam Frontal has owned it only since 2022 and Aussie chef Brayden Davies was appointed in early 2024 – this ‘Gavroche of the North’ inspires ratings in line with its historical performance, and one regular notes that “if anything, it seems to be harder to get a table these days: I‘ve tried a couple of times recently without success”. Located in one of the town’s oldest buildings, it has operated as a restaurant since 1962 and – unlike the cooking – the interior is very “traditional” if with some updating that’s not universally popular (“It might seem a bit fuddy-duddy to moan about tablecloths, but in such an old-fashioned environment, polished table tops seem out of place”). Foodwise, though, it’s ever-more “contemporary” and there’s a feeling that recent innovations are for the better (“new chef, new tasting menu, very much to our taste”). “As well as the inevitable hike in prices, the style seems to have changed, with only one main course (but served in 2 or 3 parts)”. Service is generally “good and knowledgeable”, particularly from sommelier Didier Da Costa (who has been in post since 2009). Top Menu Tip – “the traditional Box Tree soufflé for dessert is still superb”.

2023 Review: Mohammed Sabir was still working as a bus driver in Shipley when he launched his Kashmiri curry business as a mobile takeaway from his Commer van, the ‘Spice Box’ in 1976. The next year he opened his first bricks-and-mortar restaurant Aagrah, which still wins consistently solid marks for its food and has nine branches across Yorkshire.

This “elegant” hotel dining room (FKA The Burlington) in a “beautiful Daleside setting” at the Duke of Devonshire’s country getaway is a bright and relatively relaxed – given the poshness of the surroundings – spot overlooking the gardens and wider Bolton Abbey Estate. Chefs have come and gone over the years (including notables Michael Wignall and Peter Howarth), as have the Michelin stars, but for “as good a Full English as you can enjoy”, fancy afternoon tea or their new summer seafood tasting menu, there’s much to like – and “staff are happy to show the open-plan cellar” that fuels their “very extensive wine list”. The premises also hold a more informal brasserie and bar.

The more casual (and vividly hued) dining option at this hotel owned by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire turns out “good food” of a brasserie bent, featuring plenty of produce grown on the estate and in the hotel’s kitchen garden. A “great open-plan wine cellar” and terrace add to its charms.

“Whether it’s a quiet meal for two or a large family celebration, it’s always a treat” to eat at this Bradford institution, which has grown over 45 years from a tiny Kashmiri shop into a vast restaurant accommodating 500 guests. Founder Mumtaz Khan based his original menu on his mother’s recipes, and has entertained guests including the late Queen. He now has a branch in Leeds, a national brand of ready meals and a halal baby food brand with global sales.

“Lovely surroundings and great traditional food” have won a large fan club for this well-known former mill, which has ‘only’ been a pub since 1890. “Nestled in a valley in West Yorkshire, it caters to those wanting something a little extra-special and those loving traditional Yorkshire value” with “elevated pub cooking”. It’s a particular favourite for those who stay the night.

A “fantastic setting beside the River Wharfe” provides the perfect backdrop for “good Italian food and friendly service” from Alessandro & Sofia Elena Tocca, who have established a strong local following over more than 20 years. Their Italian take on the classic Sunday roast is a highlight of the menu.

2021 Review: Passed from Northcote’s Ribble Valley Inns group to Brunning & Price in 2018 (and promptly refurbed), this poshified gastroboozer is a “lovely place to visit” for its “agreeable surroundings with nooks and crannies” and “excellent food and service”.

This “buzzy, busy” subcontinental started out here as a tiny 28-seater, but its waistline has expanded over the years in sync with what is now a ten-strong national chain (the most recent offshoot of which, opened in early 2024, is the flagship of Blackburn’s £50m Cultural Quarter). The “seriously yummy food” (“always cheers us up!”) features epic naans, baltis and a special section of old-school classics; if you can’t get enough of it, try the ‘Chef’s Challenges’: the quantitative ‘For the Big Man’ and qualitative ‘For the Brave’ (you face a plate ‘hotter than a dragon’s breath’). Breaking news… RIP the founder of the chain, Shabir Hussain, who passed away aged 56 in October 2024.

2021 Review: “Fantastic food” (“always plenty of interesting seasonal options, including great vegetarian choices”), that’s “great value” too, ensures the continuing popularity of Janet & Simon Baker’s eclectically decorated stalwart.

“Truly innovative tapas” (from crab and miso chips, to pulled pork gyoza with apple and gochujang mayo) has won a loyal band of followers for Mark Kemp’s “beautiful” converted pub, which, even half a decade on, is “so consistently good” (and excellent value to boot). Even though they’ve extended the opening from Wednesday to Sunday, the venue remains distinctly oversubscribed (“I really shouldn’t be posting this because it‘s always hard to get a table!”).