Liversedge, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

2024 Review: “An airy space with unusual dishes and great cooking” – this comfortable independent opposite the civic hall scored highly in this year’s annual diners’ poll. The focus is on small plates, some of them very original: who’s for ‘honey, soy and gochujang roast carrots, toasted sesame, with tahini satay’?

Well known as “a gorgeous getaway spot” ten minutes’ drive from Halifax, this old corn mill has served as a “warm and cosy” inn for more than a century, with a “lovely restaurant” that offers a “good range” of modern British dishes “cooked to a high standard” (available in either tasting or à la carte formats, plus sandwiches at lunchtime). There are 11 “beautiful rooms upstairs” for overnight stays.

2023 Review: “A popular local staple for many years”, this posh and hugely successful pub has been run by the Truelove family since 1968 and – much extended over the years – is known for its “consistently good food and service, with a great atmosphere”. Supporters reckon it is currently “back on form and, though expensive, a great meal is guaranteed (potted shrimps and shellfish superb!)”. A contrary view is that “the dining room decor is in a time warp, with no hint of frivolity to brighten the dullness”, while the “surprisingly long menu could do with being edited”, and the dishes arrive in “generous portions, but lack finesse”.

A report of “the best meal of the last year” is indicative of the quality of the food at this modern canalside venture in the city centre, which originally opened five years ago at Kirkgate Market. Chef Mark Owens, who trained at Le Gavroche and was head chef at the Box Tree, sends out a souped-up gastropub menu featuring the likes of beef & oyster sausages. Founder Liz Cottam closed her flagship restaurant, Home, last year.

A lot of business has been done over “lovely food, very well served” at this Leeds institution – a classic French restaurant that’s “been going forever” (well, since 1991 – “I don’t think the menu has changed but it’s really nice food for a business lunch or dinner”). Founded by restaurateur Robert Chamberlain and executive chef Andrew Carter, who still run the show, it occupies a basement in the city’s financial district. Top Tip – the heavyweight wine list runs to 70 pages.

“Intimate and incredible” – Sam Pullan and Nicole Deighton’s lovingly restored ‘Cafe, Bar, and Wall of Flame Rotisserie’ channels the late Victorian vibes of its namesake on this site to deliver a thoroughly 21st-century formula, mixing an “ever-changing menu” of “innovative” bites incorporating small plates, and chicken from the rotisserie, plus “wonderful drinks”.

Run by the present regime since 2016, this proper community pub has had a couple of renovations since, and currently offers two dedicated dining areas: the ground-floor ‘Green Room’, with its garden theme, and the more upmarket ‘The View’ upstairs. Chef Darren Milner turns out “great” seasonal countryside classics, from hearty breakfasts to Sunday roasts and proper pies – and while, if you opt for fancier fare, it can be “expensive”, it’s “worth it and very good for a special occasion”.