Forge at Middleton Lodge is a fine dining restaurant run by head chef Jake Jones serving high calibre tasting menus using the best of Yorkshire's natural larder.
Nestled within the 200-acre Middleton Lodge Estate near Richmond in North Yorkshire, this Michelin-starred restaurant – complete with a coveted Green Star – transforms the estate's natural bounty into unforgettable tasting menus that tell the story of Yorkshire's landscape.
Open Thursday to Sunday for evening reservations only, Forge offers both six and ten-course tasting menus that showcase Jones's innovative approach to estate-to-plate dining. The kitchen works in harmony with the estate's gardeners, who tend the walled gardens, greenhouses, and heritage orchards specifically for the restaurant. When abundance peaks in summer, the team pickles and preserves ingredients for the leaner winter months – a tradition that's been practiced on the grounds for centuries.
The restaurant itself occupies beautifully reimagined farm buildings, where original materials have been thoughtfully upcycled and estate timber repurposed. There's a genuine warmth here that complements the honest and authentic cooking.
While menus changes constantly, examples of previous dishes include potato with fermented nasturtium, guanciale and swiss chard, folllowed by an English mushroom biscuit with mascarpone and Wiltshire truffle. Elsewhere, you might find leeks in pumpkin seed miso with cultured buttermilk and Kaluga caviar, and dry aged duck with orchard plums, cucumbers, squash and fermented lettuce. For the sweet course, expect more clever creations, like a bread miso caramel tart with damson jam and rosemary doughnut.
Jones has brought expertise from some of Britain's most celebrated kitchens, but at Forge, his focus is singular: creating an experience that is innovative and creative, always while reflecting Yorkshire's seasons.
Do note that vegetarian and vegan tasting menus are available in both six and ten-course formats, ensuring everyone is catered for.