Yorkshire Food and Drink Guide

Local produce, markets, farm shops, country pubs, and restaurants across the East Riding — fuel for a cottage holiday.

East Yorkshire's food culture is rooted in its farming and fishing heritage. The arable fields of the Wolds, the grazing land of Holderness, and the fishing port at Bridlington produce ingredients that you won't find in better quality anywhere else. Markets, farm shops, and an increasing number of good restaurants make the most of this raw material, and the cottage's kitchen gives you the freedom to cook with it yourself.

Markets

Beverley Saturday Market

The Saturday market in Beverley's Market Place has been trading since medieval times and remains the best regular source of local food in the area. Stalls sell locally reared meat, fresh fish, artisan bread, cheese, seasonal fruit and vegetables, and baked goods. The atmosphere is lively without being overwhelming, and you'll come away with better ingredients than any supermarket offers.

A smaller Wednesday market also runs, though it's more limited in scope. For the full experience, time your visit for Saturday morning. Arrive early for the best selection.

Driffield Market

Driffield's Thursday market is smaller than Beverley's but includes good food stalls. The annual Driffield Show in July has an extensive food hall showcasing East Riding producers.

Farm Shops

Farm shops are scattered across the East Riding, selling produce from their own land and from neighbouring farms. Stock varies with the season, which is part of the appeal — you buy what's available rather than what's been shipped from another continent.

Look for locally reared pork from Wolds farms (the breed quality here is high), beef from the grassland further south, free-range eggs, and seasonal vegetables. Many farm shops also stock locally made preserves, honey, and baked goods. Specific recommendations depend on the season and what's currently open, so ask us for current suggestions when you book.

Fresh Seafood

Bridlington's fishing fleet still brings in crab, lobster, cod, and other species daily. Stalls near the harbour sell the day's catch, and the prices are noticeably lower than the same species would cost in a fishmonger further from the coast. If you enjoy cooking fish, a trip to Bridlington harbour is a holiday highlight.

Crab dressed and ready to eat makes an effortless lunch. Whole lobster, if the budget stretches, is a genuine treat to cook in the cottage kitchen. Fresh Bridlington cod, simply battered and fried, is as good as fish and chips get.

Restaurants

The Pipe and Glass, South Dalton

The area's finest restaurant sits in a country pub about 5 miles from the cottage. The Pipe and Glass holds a Michelin star and serves food that takes East Yorkshire ingredients seriously — game from local estates, fish from the coast, vegetables from their own garden. The setting is relaxed (it's a pub, not a formal dining room), and the quality is outstanding. Booking is essential, particularly at weekends.

Beverley Restaurants

Beverley has a stronger restaurant scene than most towns of its size. Whites on North Bar Within serves well-executed modern British food. Ceruttis, near the Minster, is a long-established Italian. The Westwood and various cafes along the shopping streets offer lighter meals. For pub food, the Tiger Inn and Nellies are reliable choices.

Country Pubs

The villages around the Wolds support a scattering of country pubs that serve good, honest food alongside well-kept beer. These are the kind of places where the menu changes with the season and the chips are made from actual potatoes. A few worth noting:

• The Goodmanham Arms: A small village pub near the Wolds Way with a good selection of ales and straightforward food
• The Wolds Inn, Huggate: Serves walkers and locals in one of the Wolds' most remote villages
• The Star Inn, Sancton: Good food in a pleasant village setting
• The Ferguson Fawsitt Arms, Walkington: A well-regarded pub-restaurant between Beverley and the cottage

Yorkshire Specialities

If you're cooking in the cottage and want to try something distinctly local, consider these:

• Yorkshire curd tart: A sweet pastry case filled with a mixture of curd cheese, eggs, butter, and nutmeg. Simple and delicious. Available from bakeries and some market stalls
• Parkin: A sticky ginger cake made with oatmeal and treacle, traditionally eaten around Bonfire Night but available year-round
• Wensleydale cheese: From the Dales rather than the Wolds, but widely available and excellent. Try it with fruit cake
• Yorkshire forced rhubarb: Grown in dark sheds in the "Rhubarb Triangle" near Wakefield, this forced variety is tender and sweet. Available in late winter and early spring
• Bridlington crab: Sweet, fresh, and best eaten simply with bread and butter

Beer and Drink

Yorkshire has a strong brewing tradition, and the East Riding has its share of independent breweries. Look for beers from the Great Newsome Brewery (near the Holderness coast) and the Wold Top Brewery (on the northern Wolds). Both produce excellent ales using local ingredients — Wold Top grows its own barley for brewing.

Pubs in the area generally offer a good selection of real ales alongside mainstream lagers. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) guide covers the best pubs in the region if you're a dedicated ale drinker.

For general area information, see our attractions guide. For tips on self-catering, browse our self-catering guide.