Masham, French Restaurant Guide

Yorkshire reporters are very enthusiastic about the late 2023 reformatting of this property owned by Layton Hill Hotels, now pitching itself more as a ‘restaurant with rooms’, with chef Adam Jackson – formerly at the Black Swan in Oldstead – at the stoves. Nearly all accounts on its tasting menu are of “incredible cooking”: “we first sampled Adam’s food when in Oldstead, and this was our first visit here with food just as good as we have come to expect from chef Jackson, with a well-matched wine flight. Service was attentive, and the pacing of the tasting menu was just right. The building is lovely too with superb views over the garden”.

Living up to its name with a laid-back style and regular evening entertainment (such as ‘music bingo’, or the ‘call my bluff wine tasting challenge’) – this small-plates restaurant doesn’t take itself too seriously but delivers dishes that are much more interesting than you might anticipate.