The Angel at Topcliffe

Book ahead, definitely. I was surprised by how busy it was on a Monday night, even though it wasn't half term. The food's been a hit on all three visits since the place opened, and this annual night out has kept its standard rather than dropping after the first year. The specials and main menus are nicely balanced, and very little seemed pre-prepared. Most things are cooked fresh to order or prepared in the kitchen in advance, which made choosing tricky. We ordered crayfish and prawn cocktail, souffle, two belly pork mains, creme brulee and sticky toffee pudding. The young team were charming, helpful and gave us really good service on a busy night. They had no problem letting us two older ladies have starter-sized portions as our mains, which meant we could still manage three courses. They also moved us from a table right by the bar when we asked. The seating was the main drawback for me. Two large groups at the bar were right behind my chair, with people squeezing past in the tight space. My dining companion speaks quietly because of a hearing condition, and I have poor hearing after 20 years running live music pubs, so I struggled to hear her over the noise. There was also a large group with young children seated next to us, plus tables of five and four. It might help to put tables for two around the edges or keep them away from larger groups, though I understand that won't always be possible. This is just my personal view of the pub seating, and it wouldn't put me off returning. We'll be back in March and April, then again next February, March and April. One other suggestion: we were given different menus without realising it. I had the full menu and specials, while my friend had the full menu and pasta specials. If I'd known about the pasta choices, I'd definitely have ordered one. It would help to give everyone each menu when they're seated, along with a wine list.

The food just kept getting better with every course. We started with homemade bread and butter, soup of the day, which was spied carrot, and juicy pan-fried prawns from the specials. For mains, we had steak and ale pie and the sausage ring with mash. The portions were generous, with thick pieces of steak in the pie that practically fell apart in your mouth. My partner particularly liked the onion rings and their lovely batter. We squeezed in sticky toffee pudding and bread and butter pudding for dessert, and wow, they were unreal. We'd been struggling to find somewhere nice nearby for date night, so we drove about half an hour to The Angel Inn. The staff were super friendly and attentive. Such a hidden gem, and we're definitely planning to come back!

The portions are proper Yorkshire size, so nobody's leaving hungry. The pies are incredible, the seafood is fresh, and the wine list is extensive. Fantastic food all round, not a bad word to say about it. Can't wait to return next time we're in Topcliffe.

The staff really made this visit. Two young women looked after us so well, and the owner was just as pleasant when we chatted with him. We’ve been to this pub and restaurant twice now, and both times the food was great. The bar and dining area look lovely, especially with the wood-burning stove. We’ll be back.