Royal Oak

I went for the grilled vegetable souvlaki and it was delicious, well cooked and presented, with a generous serving. The mushrooms, onions, aubergine and courgettes were grilled on a skewer in olive oil with salt, pepper and pesto, and came with green salad, rice and a little pot of tomato and basil sauce. The dressed salad was fresh and tasty, and both the meal and my medium glass of Zinfandel Rose were reasonably priced. I’d come here before taking the train to Carlisle, looking for lunch near the market square, and it was an excellent choice. The historic pub is spacious and wood-panelled, a little dated but full of character. There’s varied seating, a pool table in one room, and clean, roomy toilets downstairs. I ate in a comfortable lounge with nice pictures on the walls. The woman behind the bar and the chef were both welcoming. There are local ales, cider and hot drinks, plus a menu of British pub dishes, steaks, burgers, Greek and Mediterranean food, lighter smaller portions and old-fashioned desserts. It seems popular with locals and tourists, and it’s easy to see why. I’d definitely recommend it.

The Royal Oak feels like a lovely pub again, so thank you. The new owners are lovely, the place is warm and clean, and the food is good and reasonably priced. One thought: have you considered moving the wood burner into the big main room? A fire draws people in. The Red Lion and the Listers in Malham always have theirs lit, and they’re busy.

We’re so glad we gave it another try. We visited around six months ago and weren’t happy with the food, but this time it was fantastic and the staff were excellent. It’s clearly under new management, and the difference shows.

Poppy gave us fantastic service, and chef Amir’s food was brilliant. We’d read older reviews that made us wonder if the place was any good, but the more recent ones mentioned new owners, so we decided to try it. Glad we did. Ignore the early reviews, this place is brilliant!