Best Restaurants in Harrogate

How we score

Every place has a score out of 10 that starts from public reviews and is adjusted for recognition stated on the venue's own site, such as AA rosettes. Nobody can pay to move up, and featured listings are labelled. The directory lists every real restaurant in town, not only the top rated, and each listing is written from the restaurant's own website.

Where to start

Start with the highest scores. FIFTY TWO at Rudding Park serves a 10-course tasting menu from an open kitchen beside its own kitchen garden. Jodhpur on Station Parade cooks Punjabi curries, tandoori dishes and Rajasthani specialities, and North Slice on Cold Bath Road is a neighbourhood pizza bar inspired by Naples, New York and London. Kismet on Kings Road is a Turkish Aegean brunch and meze bar with a Konro grill, and Pitta Star on Bower Road serves gyros, souvlaki and mixed grills to eat in or take away.

By occasion

For a celebration, Rhubarb Restaurant on Cheltenham Crescent says it holds two AA Rosettes and has a covered terrace, and The Tannin Level on Raglan Street serves modern British menus from Yorkshire suppliers across three dining rooms in a Victorian mansion. The Drum & Monkey in the Montpellier Quarter is a family-run seafood restaurant whose menu changes daily, and Champagne + Fromage on Royal Parade pairs champagne with cheese.

For pizza, Stefano's Pizzeria on Kings Road bakes wood-fired Neapolitan pizza with San Marzano tomatoes and fior di latte, and Pizza Social on Mount Parade makes slowly fermented sourdough bases. For Asian cooking, Sukhothai on Cheltenham Parade and Giggling Squid on John Street both serve Thai food, Gurkha Nimto on Kings Road makes Nepali momo dumplings and thali sets, and LILYPAD mixes Asian and South American sharing plates. For tapas, try Essenza Bar & Tapas on Oxford Street or La Feria on Cold Bath Road, with free-range rotisserie chicken and an all-Spanish wine list. Konak Meze on Mount Parade marks vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes on its menu.

By area

Most restaurants are in the town centre, along Cheltenham Crescent, Cheltenham Parade, Station Parade, Oxford Street and Parliament Street, where the long-running Cattlemens grills steaks and Oliveta serves Mediterranean sharing starters, grills and pasta. The Montpellier Quarter has Efes Bar & Grill on Swan Road by Valley Gardens and Orchid Restaurant inside the Studley Hotel. Kings Road has Stefano's, Gurkha Nimto and Stuzzi for Italian small plates, and Cold Bath Road has William & Victoria, Pranzo Italian and La Feria. Further out, Al Bivio has served Italian food at Hornbeam Park in Oatlands since 2004, Oatlands Mount Fisheries on Mount Street fries fish and chips, and Starbeck has Mikeys Way Sandwich Co. and Starbeck Tandoori.

Before you go

Book ahead for Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday lunch, especially at the smaller rooms. The town gets busier when a large event is on at the Convention Centre, so book further ahead then. Menus and opening times change, so check each listing and the restaurant's own site before you set off.