White Swan Inn

Anywhere else and the White Swan Inn would probably be called a gastropub, or a restaurant with rooms, but that's fighting talk in these parts. They prefer to think of themselves as a straight-up, pretence-free restaurant, with a cosy front bar and rooms on the side – and they positively cock a snook at the inspectors, saying "We aren't bothered what the AA or Michelin say about us". The food walks the walk too, with a largely locally sourced, seasonally varying menu that's especially strong on meat and game – in particular rare-breed lamb, pork, beef and veal from the Ginger Pig, a farm a few miles away that supplies flash London butchers' and restaurants. What's on your plate? Well, maybe rump of spring lamb with spinach, puy lentils and watercress grown right here in Pickering; or fish from Whitby, just across the moors; or a classic chargrilled rib-eye with hand-cut, double-cooked chips. Lunch adds some sandwiches and a few lighter dishes into the mix. You can eat from the same menu in the bar, lounge or restaurant – we like the flagged-floor restaurant best – while in summer they set tables outside in the courtyard too.