The Knox: One of Harrogate’s best spots for outside dining

This article is sponsored by The Knox Harrogate

With Spring now upon us, the recently refurbished Knox pub on the outskirts of Bilton is an enticing choice for outdoor dining.

Simon and Katie Swannie took on the pub in 2016 and have worked tirelessly ever since to make sure it becomes the hub of the local community.

The couple’s continuous improvement led to a major refurbishment, both inside and out.

If you need to shake off the winter blues and soak up some sunshine, or just want some space to let the kids run off the Sunday dinner, The Knox has the space, and the atmosphere, for your perfect outdoor dining experience.

Great dining space inside and out

The welcoming beers garden are dog friendly and south facing, making the perfect sun trap.

Out the back the large dining area is perfect for taking advantage of the weather and large family meals. The goats and chickens in the pen just behind the pub will no doubt be a hit with the kids while the parents enjoy a drink.

The inside of the pub is spacious. There’s plenty of room in the main dining area, or if you’d prefer there is also The Barn which is quirky, cosy, and available to hire.

Revamped menu

The new menu is sure to be another hit for The Knox and compliments its steak nights and pub food classics with locally made and sourced food specially selected for outside dining.

Convenient if you’re after a quick snack while you drink. If you need a quick rest while exploring the beautiful Nidd Gorge or Oak Beck, the pub is a short walk away.

So whether you are looking for space for a family meal in the sunshine, or a picturesque corner to settle down in for the afternoon the Knox pub in Bilton is the perfect spot.

Visit The Knox on Knox Lane, Harrogate, HG1 3AP, or find more details at theknoxharrogate.co.uk.

Leon to open drive thru restaurant in Harrogate

Fast food chain Leon is recruiting staff to work at a drive thru restaurant in Harrogate.

The company, which has about 70 outlets in the UK, is to open on the Wetherby Road site that received planning permission to be a Starbucks..

The Stray Ferret revealed last month that speculation was growing that the site could host a Leon.

Now Alex Parkinson, general manager of the first Leon drive thru in Leeds, is advertising for staff.

In a post on a Facebook recruitment site, she said:

“I’m currently the general manager of the first Leon drive thru in Gildersome, Leeds — and I’m super-excited about opening our second drive thru in Harrogate.

“We are looking for team members and supervisors to join us.”

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Leon describes itself as a place that sells healthy fast food that is environmentally friendly.

Options include vegan sausage muffins, Harissa chicken salad and blackberry, apple and ginger porridge

Leon was recently bought by Euro Garages group, which was awarded planning permission last year to open a drive-thru Starbucks on Wetherby Road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stray Foodie: Taste of India in central Harrogate

This article is sponsored by Deliveree

 

Stray Foodie reviews are brought to you by Deliveree, and written by Michelin-starred chef Frances Atkins. Frances independently chooses which restaurants she will visit. This month, Frances visits Cardamom Black in central Harrogate.

 

 

 

Having spent four consecutive years in India cooking with some of the world’s greatest chefs at sophisticated dinners for charity, I came to marvel at the joy of their cuisine.

The combination of texture, colour and warmth is unique. Personally, I tend to err away from very hot and spicy foods, having considered them in the past to kill flavour. I have been wrong. It is all about technique and I would go so far as to say there isn’t another country that produces such flavour in their food made from very little.

So it was with great pleasure that I dined at Cardamom Black in Harrogate with friends. I was at first in awe of the size of the menu! Suitable for everyman’s palate but hard to execute, but they did it.

Whether you want a quick curry after a good night out, British style or you are wanting a more academic supper, it is there for the asking. Being into the creation of Vegan and Vegetarian food at the moment I decided to go with their sensational platter of vegetables. Stuffed, fried and unique – all my party had a great time sampling these delicacies.

My friends had two chicken dishes, one mild and one hot, they were very different and once again all down to the seasoning. The preparation of the rice to accompany them was sensational. One with Lime and Coriander and one with Tamarind. Beautiful flavour. The only slight difficulty I might have had was getting all these flavours together to compliment the chosen dish. It took some degree of concentration.  Having said that, the true Indian style of service was friendly and informative and made you feel at ease.

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I listened to another guest on the night we were there who boasted he had tried every dish on the menu!  He must have been going there for a very long time and he was a very happy man! 

Like all my Indian experiences, Cardamom Black reflects colour, warmth and happiness.

Well worth a visit. All taking place in a converted Methodist Church and theatre. It certainly takes central stage in Harrogate.

Star Rating: 4. This is a place to watch!

Stray Foodie reviews are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years. Frances now runs Paradise  at Daleside Nurseries.

 

 

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New restaurant to open at former Bistrot Pierre site in Harrogate

A new restaurant celebrating “exceptional British produce” is set to open at the former Le Bistrot Pierre site in Harrogate this month.

Work is underway to transform the building into Samsons restaurant and bar, dubbed a “vibrant yet elegant dining and drinking destination”.

The spacious unit on Cheltenham Parade has remained empty since July 2020 after Le Bistrot Pierre became one of the first restaurant casualties of the pandemic.

Managing director Mark Morris said:

“I am thrilled to bring the people of Harrogate and the surrounding area a unique drink and dining location in the heart of the town.”

The team behind Samsons includes executive chef Josh Whitehead, who is known for his work with the Harewood Food and Drink Project. He was also a semi-finalist on MasterChef: The Professionals 2016. Andy Castle, who was head chef at the Ox Club, Leeds, is also involved.

No opening date has been announced yet.

Roof garden

It aims to be the first carbon-neutral restaurant in the UK. This includes plans to launch a full roof garden with a wild flower meadow and bee hives next year.

The ‘design-led’ restaurant, which will offer an all-day dining space with plush booth seating, will have space for up to 182 guests across the main restaurant and bar, as well as a snug room for private wine-tasting.

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Samsons is currently recruiting staff, with a job advertisement for various positions stating:

“Samsons is unique, reflecting its heritage and location, but founded on the core values and principles. Sustainability, provenance, seasonality and traceability shines through.

“We will be striving to be the best restaurant in Harrogate.”

The empty premises were due to be occupied by Tomahawk Steakhouse, however the restaurant chain is now planning to move into Solita Food Hall’s space on Parliament Street, which closed last year after just six months.

The steakhouse had planned to open in January, but with the change of location it is now planning to launch in April.

The site was also formerly Jamie Oliver’s restaurant.

Former pub near Boroughbridge to be converted into flats

Harrogate Borough Council has approved plans to convert a former pub near Boroughbridge into flats, despite objections from local residents over the loss of a community asset.

Stonefield Developments applied to the council to convert the building in Lower Dunsforth, It was most recently a restaurant called The Hideaway Kitchen. Before that it was a pub called The Dunsforth.

The village is four miles from Boroughbridge.

The restaurant closed last year. Planning documents cite a “lack of customer trade and consequent viability issues” as the reason.

Now, proposals will see the ground floor of the former restaurant converted into two two-bedroom flats, along with car parking.

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The upper floor of the building already has three existing flats, so if approved the building would have six in total.

37 letters of objection

The decision comes despite objections from the local parish of Dunsforth, which said the conversion would “strip a community of a vital asset”.

Chris France, who submitted the objection to the council on behalf of the parish, added in his letter:

“The pub is the only secular amenity in the village so its removal would severely impact village life leaving nowhere for the above to take place.”

In addition, 37 letters of objection were submitted to the council pointing out that the former pub has been a community asset in the village for more than 100 years.

The move comes as other applications have been lodged to convert former working men’s and private members clubs into flats.

In January, a proposal was lodged to Harrogate Borough Council to convert the former Ripon City Club into a house.

Michelin-starred chef’s new cafe to open at Killinghall nursery this month

Michelin-starred chef Frances Atkins is to open her new Paradise Cafe at Daleside Nurseries in Killinghall this month.

The cafe, run by Ms Atkins, chef Roger Olive and front of house manager John Tullett, will be open six days a week from 9am until 5pm. It will be closed on Mondays.

The trio, who have all worked together for 20 years, have been operating out of a wagon at the garden centre for the last 18 months.

The Paradise Cafe wagon at Daleside Nurseries in Killinghall.

The Paradise Cafe wagon has served its last meal.

The wagon has now finished trading as attention turns to the new venture.

A post on the Paradise Cafe Facebook page said:

“It has taken longer than we anticipated to finish the cafe given the various curveballs we have all been thrown in the last two years.

“From today we are using all our time to be fully prepared for our opening date.”

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The post added:

“To begin with, Friday evening will be open for a series of special dinners, these will be bookings only and there will be more information coming shortly.

“We look forward to progressing our opening times and our takeaway business in the future as we develop.”

 

Gino D’Acampo restaurant in Harrogate set to close

An Italian restaurant owned by Gino D’Acampo will close this month after more than four years in Harrogate.

Gino D’Acampo My Restaurant on Parliament Street is one of five of the celebrity chef’s restaurants to close.

After opening the business in 2017 Mr D’Acampo claimed it was the only “proper Italian” in Harrogate.

His comments sparked a furious backlash at the time from a number of Harrogate’s Italian restaurant owners.

The closures follow the news from the start of the year that his My Pasta Bar chain entered liquidation amid problems with coronavirus.

Piccolino will take on the former Gino D’Acampo My Restaurant in Harrogate, which will reopen after a rebrand on Monday, January 24.

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A spokesperson for Piccolino, which is part of the Individual Restaurants group along with Gino D’Acampo My Restaurant, said:

“This former Gino D’Acampo My Restaurant will become part of the Piccolino family of restaurants on January 24.

“We are thrilled to announce that we will soon be opening a brand new Piccolino restaurant in Harrogate.

“We can’t wait to welcome you through our doors of Harrogate’s brand new Piccolino.”

Giggling Squid sets Harrogate opening date

A Thai restaurant chain known for fresh dishes and bright interiors has revealed the month when it plans to make its Harrogate debut.

Giggling Squid is currently renovating the former Las Iguanas unit on John Street in anticipation of a March opening date.

The restaurant started in the basement of a fisherman’s cottage in Brighton but has since developed into a business with more than 40 restaurants.

When it opens there will be the opportunity to eat indoors, outdoors as part of the alfresco experience or take the food home with click and collect or delivery.

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Andy Laurillard, Giggling Squid co-founder, said:

“Thai mealtimes are energetic, informal, adventurous and where food is celebrated. It’s relaxed and there’s no standing on ceremony.

“We simply want people to have a great time over something tasty. Every Giggling Squid has its own personal touch to it, and this restaurant is no different.”

Giggling Squid Harrogate will be open Monday to Thursday 12pm to 10pm, Friday to Saturday 12pm to 10.30pm and Sunday from 12pm to 9.30pm.

A few restaurants already specialise in Thai food in Harrogate, including Sukhothai, Tah Chang and takeaway service Nakhon.

Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant reveals plans to re-open

A Chinese restaurant set in the main hall of the Royal Baths in Harrogate plans to reopen next year after months of repairs.

Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant has been closed for most of the last two years due to coronavirus lockdowns and an extensive refurbishment that began in May this year.

Because the restaurant is based in a Grade II listed building, the work has been more complicated than expected.

The building, which is owned by North Yorkshire County Council, underwent a series of roof repairs before work started on the internal central hall in September.

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Now the Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant has revealed that the works are almost complete. It said on its Facebook page:

“We are almost finished with the renovations. However we will not be open until after the New Year.

“Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant wish you all a very merry Christmas and happy New Year. We look forward to seeing everyone in 2022.”

Although the Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant has been closed, the owners have continued operating at their other site, Haks Little Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant, on Station Parade.

Famous North Yorkshire pub ‘reduced to ashes’ in overnight blaze

A North Yorkshire pub famous for its food and setting in a historic thatched inn has been “reduced to ashes” in a fire which took hold overnight.

The owners of the Star Inn at Harome, which will be well-known to food lovers in the Harrogate district, called the fire service at around 10pm last night.

Firefighters battled the blaze overnight with nine fire engines on scene at its peak. As of 7am this morning, crews were still working to extinguish the fire.

In a dramatic video posted by the pub’s owners on social media just after 4am the thatched roof can be seen ablaze with smoke billowing out into the night sky. They said:

“It’s been a long night so far…I’m afraid we won’t be open for a while as we are reduced to ashes with The Star on fire and still burning, residents please call after 9 am.”

Read more:

https://twitter.com/TheStaratHarome/status/1463723386534862849

The Star Inn is famous for its food, having held a Michelin star for much of chef Andrew Pern’s tenure who has been at the pub for 25 years.

Fire crews from Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside and Pickering along with the aerial ladder platform from Huntington have attended the fire.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said at 7am:

“At it’s peak the incident had nine appliances, one aerial ladder platform, one water bowser, one welfare unit and an incident command unit in attendance.

“Crews worked with main jets and hose reel jets to contain the fire and the aerial ladder platform was deployed to removed thatch from the roof.

“The incident is still ongoing and crews are still working to extinguish the fire.”