Fox and Hounds

This is a hidden gem. Booking is essential as this is a small quaint restaurant with a loyal following.

The food is exceptional – the menu which changes by the week combines fresh local fish, high quality meats selected for flavour and high quality ingredients – this is not pub food, this is high quality food cooked and served with passion.

The chef has a natural ability to put together flavours and ingredients that really work well – there is a lot of Italian influence in the food combined with a modern classical outlook. The food is kept fresh and vibrant with a typical offering of 3 starters, 3 mains, and 3 desserts allowing the food to be very fresh and the menu to change by the week. Home baked bread adds a lovely touch.

I had hare ragu pasta – something at home we do not have the time to spend all day preparing – followed by seared halibut on a bed of garlic and herb crushed potatoes with an anchovy and rosemary drizzle – finishing with a lovely lemon tart with mascapone cream. The hare pasta was well balanced – not too strong – pasta cooked to perfection and niceley presented. The fish was very moist with a crips skin, not over cooked, with a lovely balance of garlic in the potatoes and the drizzle worked really well and did not over power the fish which was very fresh. The lemon tart was a wonderful balance of sweet and sharp with a crisp and thin pastry that shows the skill of a good pastry sheff.

The wine list for a small restaurant features some well thought out wines with a range of value for money to some nice French white and red burgundies and a great sweet list of wines including vin santo, pedro ximinez and other wines.

Onto the service – the quality of the food is matched with the quality of the front of house. A friendly, knowledgeable and efficient front of house delivers a real personal service. Nothing is a problem or trouble for this department – remembering names of returning guests, even recalling favourite wines coupled with a thought for the finer touches (Fever Tree Tonic with the G&T with reasons for it, open fire, great coffee, wine being ofered to taste with a diner not sure of what to have) and details make the whole experience worth making an effort to visit this restaurant. If you are in the Whitby area make the effort to travel 6 miles and have a meal on the cliffs overlooking Whitby harbour and you will not be disappointed, I promise you.

I absolutely love this place and we always visit for dinner when we are up in the northeast. The food is always divine and the service friendly and unstuffy. The steak and chips are the best I've ever eaten, either in the UK or abroad and my mouth waters just thinking of it! The wine list is also lovely and not overpriced. Lovely little touches in the dining areas (and also the loo!) really make this is a special and comfortable destination – what a pity they dont have rooms for stuffed guests to sleep in afterwards! We're going to be back there next month and I cant wait. Everything is beautifully cooked and utterly delicious, service with a smile, it's my very favourite restaurant ever!