With its cobbled streets and unspoiled Cathedral, Ripon is one of North Yorkshire's prettiest outposts. History looms large - Lewis Carroll was apparently inspired to pen Alice In Wonderland here, while an official hornblower still sounds his horn every evening, a centuries-old tradition. However, the city is no museum piece, with a thriving food and drink scene drawing a new crowd to the region.
Sitting in the shadow of the Cathedral, The Old Deanery hotel is a beautiful Grade Two listed building and one of the city's oldest, dating back to 1625. The elegant four-poster rooms enjoy a view of a well-manicured garden, while the restaurant seeks to combine 16th century dishes like dripping pudding with 21st century cooking techniques. If the concept sounds tortured, the cooking stands up to it - a perfectly cooked steak comes inventively served with liquorice spear, fired onion, and “earth” – an umami-packed sprinkling of crumbled dried mushroom.
The hotel serves breakfast, but the best brunch in town can be found at neighbourhood restaurant, Lockwoods, where Head Chef Matthew Lockwood's Full Yorkshire is just about the best fry-up you could hope for. The secret here is the quality of the meat, with sausage and bacon sourced from renowned local butchers, R&J. The glorious black pudding, however, is all the chef's own work, made fresh on site to a closely guarded recipe.
Butchery is a local strength, and in Ripon's market square you'll find Appleton's, a dedicated pork butcher, famed for its range of pork pies (Prince Charles is reportedly a fan). Pick up a couple and sneak them into nearby hostelry The Royal Oak, a cosy local serving a good range of ales from assorted Yorkshire brewers. If the weather is fair, a good alternative is The Water Rat (Bondgate Green, HG4 1QW. 01765 602251. thewaterrat.co.uk) which boasts a pleasant terrace overlooking the Ripon Canal.
For fine dining, a short drive out of the city centre takes you to Samuel's, Simon Crannage's 3-AA-Rosette-winning restaurant. Housed in Swinton Park, a handsome stately home hotel, Samuel's' classically appointed dining room looks out over acres of rolling hills and dales, where the kitchen's meatier produce can be seen gamboling past. Order the tasting menu - a thing of extreme delicacy and an excellent showcase for Crannage's team - and hope for the estate partridge with beetroot and red cabbage to make an appearance.
The hotel itself is an excellent place to stay for a foodie getaway, with an on-site cookery school offering half and full day courses covering everything from brunch to baking. A former Georgian stable block converted into a welcoming Yorkshire kitchen (complete with AGA), the school is headed up by chef Kevin Hughes, who is as well-versed in South East Asian cooking as he is in the virtues of AGA toast. The latter in particular is a life-changer.
Where to eat, drink and stay in Cromer, Norfolk
