The Moon & Sixpence

Despite being the playground for the masses from Middlesborough, Whitby is now a destination area, & this classy brasserie ups the ante. The views across the harbour to the Abbey are stunning, & at night when the lights shimmer across the water, you can pretend for a minute you’re at Lake Garda. There’s a casual vibe in the bar, where youths with Orlando Bloom good looks throw powerful champagne cocktails together, while the sleek dining room increases the sense of being somewhere a million miles from the North Sea. The alessi pasta with fresh crab & red chard zings, while grilled halloumi with mediterranean veg & basil yogurt hits an earthier note. Roast rump of lamb with juniper berry crust, roasted garlic mash, green beans wrapped in pancetta with mint & red wine jus arrives in a happy pile on a white plate the size of a carpet tile, going down a treat with a smooth red & the even smoother piano man.