Dales Dining

[Fjell]

Since finding a decent eatery seemed to be an issue recently, maybe we should have a series of relevant food reviews?

We could start with the Marton. It’s been a bit rocky in the past decade, but since the middle of Covid there seems to be a definite intent to move towards fine dining. After a bracing and thoroughly clean-washed trip yesterday morning we stopped for lunch. You need to wait to be seated, and this is not a Covid thing now. We ended up next to the carbide and rusty krabs again, the last remnant of the past it seems. As usual I sneakily checked the ignitor was still functional, just in case. We shared a belly pork and the luxury burger. Really pretty good and not excessive pricing by local standards these days. The menu is really quite attractive and comparable to more expensive places in the area.

You can certainly take your mum for an upmarket ladies-who-lunch outing. The Lady of Leck was having lunch on the next table, so that removes all doubt on that score.

We reminisced about sharing a Pescatore pizza seated at the Pacman table. The only time we ever ate out as near-penniless students.

 

[Steve Clark]

Marton last Friday after Aquamole. Had to persuade them to pull us a couple of pints at 2230, but they did in the end. Defo aiming for the evening dining market.

Had an experience just prior to covid where I walked away from the bar staring at my change having just paid £12.50 for two pints and two bags of crisps. All was resolved when the barmaid appeared a few minutes later with a big bowl of free chips. "Sorry about the price of the crisps lads, they're priced like that for the tourists, here have some chips."

 

[Fjell]

If you think I am joking about pricing, here is another pub to the north of us. Thankfully it is out of area for caving so I won’t have to pass on how hard it was to eat it all. However they can cook a soufflé.

THE DOG & GUN INN

THE DOG & GUN INN

www.dogandgunskelton.co.uk

 

[RobinGriffiths]

"Is yours a 7 or a 12 incher luv?" was a phrase regularly heard in the Marton in the early 90s as the waitress made her rounds.

 

[Pitlamp]

The Helwith Bridge Inn has a good reputation among locals for food; nice, filling and very reasonably priced.

 

[Fjell]

The Helwith Bridge Inn has a good reputation among locals for food; nice, filling and very reasonably priced.

Does it still have the swings?

 

[thehungrytroglobite]

Imo the marton is rubbish these days. Way overpriced for mediocre food and small portions, and no character left to the place. I'll still go for a pint en route back from Kingsdale but that's about it. The Helwith Bridge is also meh, it is struggling a bit and needs the support but honestly I don't think the place has much character and the food isn't great, so I won't go out of my way to go there.

Game Cock in Austwick is great, excellent food, standard pub prices and lots of character to the place. Gets very busy in punter season though.
Wheatsheaf in Ingleton holds a special place in my heart. I go there at least once a week (for drinks, I can't afford to eat out every week lol). In terms of food, great variety, good prices and giant portions. Not super fancy but I personally don't need it to be, and not many cavers I know do.
Car & Kitchen in Settle - amazing brunches / lunches. Bit more middle class ladies-that-brunch vibe if you're looking for avocado on sourdough and that sort of thing. Tragically the food is actually delicious.
Inglesport - again, nothing super special / fancy about the food but very affordable grub that is good for hangovers or packing in the food before a caving trip.
The Station Inn in Ribblehead has good food and good vibes. I also go here regularly. I might even go so far as to say it is my favourite pub in the area, nice garden and views in summer and super cosy in winter. Did I mention how much I love the Station?
These are basically the only 5 eateries/drinkeries that I frequent and that is enough for me.

 

[moorebooks]

Imo the marton is rubbish these days. Way overpriced for mediocre food and small portions, and no character left to the place. I'll still go for a pint en route back from Kingsdale but that's about it. The Helwith Bridge is also meh, it is struggling a bit and needs the support but honestly I don't think the place has much character and the food isn't great, so I won't go out of my way to go there.

Game Cock in Austwick is great, excellent food, standard pub prices and lots of character to the place. Gets very busy in punter season though.
Wheatsheaf in Ingleton holds a special place in my heart. I go there at least once a week (for drinks, I can't afford to eat out every week lol). In terms of food, great variety, good prices and giant portions. Not super fancy but I personally don't need it to be, and not many cavers I know do.
Car & Kitchen in Settle - amazing brunches / lunches. Bit more middle class ladies-that-brunch vibe if you're looking for avocado on sourdough and that sort of thing. Tragically the food is actually delicious.
Inglesport - again, nothing super special / fancy about the food but very affordable grub that is good for hangovers or packing in the food before a caving trip.
The Station Inn in Ribblehead has good food and good vibes. I also go here regularly. I might even go so far as to say it is my favourite pub in the area, nice garden and views in summer and super cosy in winter. Did I mention how much I love the Station?
These are basically the only 5 eateries/drinkeries that I frequent and that is enough for me.

Cumberland Inn in Alston is very good a reasonably priced with good beer and great service - useful if over at Nenthead or some of the lesser known Caves in the area.

Cumberland Inn

The Cumberland Inn, Alston is a Three star rated Inn offering Bed and Breakfast accommodation, Lunch and Dinner in a traditional bar atmosphere. Muddy boots and dogs are welcome. Walkers and Cyclists needs catered for

www.cumberlandalston.co.uk

Mike

 

[Steve Clark]

It's obviously busy at the weekends, but I have to say that the station at ribblehead has been by far the most welcoming for a pint after a mid-week evening trip in the winter. It has actually influenced our choice of cave if we are out early in the week (tues/wed). The marton arms is often shut and the KL pubs & brewery are shut at 10, or earlier.

 

[danthecavingman]

The curry house in Kirby Lonsdale used to be really good..... 25 years ago. Not been recently.

 

[Pitlamp]

Fish, chips, peas, bread & butter, pot of tea - takes some beating in the Fisherman, opposite the Co-op filling station in Settle.

 

[Fulk]

I wasn't impressed by being charged £9 for a (medium) glass of wine at the Marton Arms not so long since.

 

[AlanClark]

Fish, chips, peas, bread & butter, pot of tea - takes some beating in the Fisherman, opposite the Co-op filling station in Settle.

Seconded, my regular on the way back

 

[andrewmcleod]

Seconded, my regular on the way back

I think that one still cooks with beef dripping, so not so good if you are vegetarian...
I believe the one in the market square cooks with vegetable oil.
The Ingleton chippy still cooks with dripping normally but has a fryer for doing veggie chips if you ask now. I assume Inglesport and the new Ingleton pizza place (still not tried it) cook in veggie oil.

 

[JoshW]

Water lily Chinese takeaway in Kirkby is becoming my go to for driving over to the dales 👍🏼

 

[JoshW]

The Helwith Bridge Inn has a good reputation among locals for food; nice, filling and very reasonably priced.

Big up the helwith! Thursday night steak night for you meat eaters. And a cracking vegan chilli (plus other options for us veggies)

 

[MJenkinson]

Me and my mate Phil once left a couple of cans in Easegill Beck, and on the way back across the fell on a lovely warm evening we had a cold beer. We then set up the most OTT table and chairs (with table cloth) in the car park at BPF and had some pasta concoction. Best post caving drink and meal I have ever had.

However, for finer dining I would support the above recommecdations for Gamecock, curry place in KL, Helwith for simple pub food and the Station. Me and a mate once had a massive Ploughmans starter to share, and then a mixed grill each at the Station. It was both delicous and far, far too much food for a normal human being.

 

[ChrisJC]

Who remembers the Hill Inn when they used to do proper caver meals, which were a gigantic yorkshire pud with either chilli or curry in it?

Obviously that was some time ago.

Chris.

 

[Stevie]

I don’t remember the food at the Hill Inn (to be honest there’s a lot of nights at the Hill Inn that are a blur at best) but does anyone else remember climbing through the wooden wagon wheels between the booths? Not sure that would pass as acceptable any more.

 

[kay]

I don’t remember the food at the Hill Inn (to be honest there’s a lot of nights at the Hill Inn that are a blur at best) but does anyone else remember climbing through the wooden wagon wheels between the booths? Not sure that would pass as acceptable any more.

Can remember watching someone do it just before Covid, so current owners