The Black Swan at Oldstead

“Special, unique, warm, unpretentious” is one reader’s verdict on The Black Swan, while another settles for “inventive, sublime, always pleases”. Either way, you shouldn’t mistake the Banks family’s 16th-century pub-with-rooms for a bog-standard country boozer – even though it still has a rustic flagstoned bar, ‘Mouseman’ furniture, local ales on tap and lovely views of the rolling Yorkshire Wolds from the highly productive kitchen garden.

The serious business takes place upstairs in the Michelin-starred dining room, where chef Tommy Banks – a two-time winner of Great British Menu - offers “exemplary, creative AND tasty food” built around a challenging 12-course tasting menu of “gutsy flavours dressed in finery”.

Banks’ family has lived in the area for generations and the menus reflect the best of Yorkshire’s seasonal larder and produce from the family’s smallholding or foraged from the surrounding hedgerows and woodlands.   

The “knowledgeable yet approachable” staff “explain every course in detail”. Langoustines are paired with salted strawberries, scallops are cured in rhubarb juice, lamb is given the salt-aged treatment, and a signature dish of crapaudine beetroot is cooked slowly in beef fat – although other dishes such as cod with cauliflower and parsley strike a more conventional note.

As proceedings head towards their conclusion, you might be offered ‘damson and kernel’, sheep’s milk with Douglas Fir oil or even ‘root vegetable toast’ – not exactly your run-of-the-mill desserts. Saturday lunch is a trimmed-back version of the full works, while vegetarian and vegan tasting menus can be provided with advance notice.

To drink, the impressive global wine list offers a staggering selection by the 100ml glass (thanks to Coravin) and there are “interesting cocktails and juices”, too, with homemade cordials and liqueurs to the fore. The atmosphere is engagingly welcoming with a “great vibe”, the rooms are “beautifully furnished” and the whole place has alluring appeal. Quite simply “a wonderful experience”.

Lying on the edge of the North York Moors, sandwiched between Kilburn White House and the Byland Abbey ruins, is the beautiful Black Swan. Run by chef Tommy Banks, this Michelin-starred restaurant serves elegant tasting menus using produce from Tommy's own farm and gardens. 

The heart of the restaurant is undoubtedly the Banks' family farm, where Tommy and his family rear and grow the bulk of the produce that is then used in the restaurant. Tommy's family have lived and farmed in Oldstead for several generations- Tommy is joined by his brother James, and their parents Anne and Tom, on this exciting and unique adventure.

Tommy works closely with executive chef Callum Leslie and head chef Alice Power to create the restaurant's hyper-seasonal menus. Everything is grown and sourced from within a few miles radius, both from the family farm itself, as well as wild and foraged ingredients. Pickling, fermenting and preserving are crucial to the way The Black Swan operates, ensuring nothing is wasted and prolonging the seasons for as long as possible.

There are two tasting menus available, one for lunch and another for dinner. Dishes at the time of writing include smoked eel with fermented turnip and dill, Dexter beef, gherkins and bone marrow, and lobster with lemon verbena and rhuboshi. The menus at The Black Swan don't give a huge amount away, instead giving just a hint of what's to come with a description of ingredients or flavours.

The restaurant offers vegetarian menus as well, although do let the team know when you make your reservation of any allergies. Drinks are taken just as seriously as the food, with a cocktail list that uses techniques such as distilling, infusing, drying, preserving freezing to bring guests creative drinks throughout every season.  

Due to the remote nature of the restaurant, it also has a number of rooms available for those who wish to stay overnight. There are nine guest rooms in total, and guests also get a Yorkshire breakfast in the morning.