You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Going there for a quick overnight away in a couple of weeks. Anyone recommend things to do, good pubs and nice places to eat?
Afternoon tea at Betty’s is compulsory, isn’t it?
Only if you like queuing…
What sort of food do you like, OP?
Only if you like queuing…
Mrs_oab grew up in the area.
They were very disappointed in Betty's a few years ago - just one long queue, even though they had booked. Very very expensive for what it was too.
Ha ha, yes thats the only thing on our list so far. Got to do it.
North Bar. Tea from Pizza Social next door - you can eat it in North Bar.
We like nice pub food, Italian and Mexican.
Blues bar for muzic
William and Victoria is a pretty nice Bistro, been a while since i was out for a meal in Harrogate come to think of it though.
Drink the sulphurous waters at the pump room. Good for what ails ya.
Hopefully the pesky EU regulation that forbade it no longer applies, and we are free to poison ourselves!
My parents are off to Harrogate soon so asked some friends who live nearby for recommendations. Cut and paste below of their suggestions though more restaurant bias than nice pub food, but worth adding to the list just in case:
1. The Orchid Restaurant. Pan Asian.
2. Gianni Brio. Italian. Family owned good Italian food. Friendly good service. Doesn't look anything from the outside but warm welcome.
3. The William & Victoria on Coldbath Road. Good atmosphere been in Harrogate a long time. Well known.
4. Drum & Monkey is popular.
5. The Giggling Squid in John Street in town. It's off James Street. New here but seems very popular.
6. There is Fisk in Montpellier. Expensive.
There's 2 things I like: the general convenience to some great outdoors nearby and The Old Bell Tavern.
Betty’s is crap.
Best Indian - Spice Culture or Shalimar.
Thai - Pranthakon (sp. , they’ve just changed the name).
Best place to eat overall - Konak Meze (again, sp., but I think that’s right) - it’s Turkish/Greek and absolutely amazing.
There is no decent Mexican (Salsa Posada disappeared many years ago).
The best Italian is on King’s Road, next to Cold Bath Brewery (another nice bar) - Gianni’s.
Bars - Old Bell, North Bar, Major Tom’s Social. Montey’s if you like loud rock music and live bands. As mentioned above, Blues’ Bar is also very good. Tap n Spile is another like Old Bell - more traditional and a good choice. Avoid Coach and Horses - it was great but was recently overhauled and is now a faceless shit-hole for people with too much money (see also Fat Badger).
Anything more specific- give me a shout 👍
Avoid Giggling Squid - it’s bloody awful chain food. W&V can be very good, as can Tannin Level if you like a more varied menu.
Santorini is good for Med. food.
Also - avoid The Ivy and West Park - over-priced rubbish.
And don’t try to get in The Den next Friday - it’s booked for a private party (that I’m going to). 😹
Westpark is wetherspoons basically
oldmanmtb2
Free Member
Westpark is wetherspoons basically
Ehh? Wetherspoons is in the old Turkish Baths, much further down the hill, well past the Cenataph from West Park Stray.
Surprised no-one's mentioned the Cambridge Cafe (great fresh chinese food at lunchtime) which we go to almost every time we're in Harrogate. Bean and Bud for hipster coffee and expensive pastries. There are loads of good cafes you don't need to queue for an hour to get into, can't fathom why anyone would bother with Betty's.
We used to really like the Orchid thai at the Studley Hotel but it's not often open at a good time for us.
Cold bath Brewery for a nice pint and Gianni Italian is next door. We go there often for food and beer.
Little Ale House is lovely for some really nice beer.
Valley Gardens is nice for a wonder to work up an appetite.
Tannin Level has been around for years and is always busy. We are going on Saturday night!
Prologue Cycling has a great couple of shops, next door to each other, good for a wander around. Attached is brilliant cafe, great coffee, great cakes and great craic.
This reads like an exercise in spending money.
My advice would be to pop into Lago di Como for some delicious breakfast/lunch and then spend a few hours in the brilliant 'spoons - a wonderful building with a great vibe.
No dinner recommendations I'm afraid as we're normally spannered by the evening and grab a takeaway back home.
Is the gardeners arms still running?
Is the gardeners arms still running?
I believe it is, but it's not very central (although there is a nice walk to get there). In fact, you could walk (or indeed ride) the shared cycle path, stop off at the Gardeners' Arms for a pint, then carry on your way to Ripley, have an ice cream from the lovely little ice cream shop in the village, then head back for another beer.
This is handy, we're camping up near harrogate in a couple of weeks.
The wetherspoons - rememeber going there about 15 years ago and it being an amazing building. But, is it dog friendly? Is there an outside area where we can sit with the dog and order food? And child friendly - a lot has changed since I was last there.
Ah, answer to my own question - lots of google reviews from angry dog owners saying they're not even allowed in the outside seating area.
Johndoh has covered the eating, as for the pubs I'd just stick to the triangle of Parliament Street, Montpellier Hill/Parade and the Ginnel as most of the recommended pubs are on these or in the pedestrian streets between with The Old Bell Tavern just at the other side of The Crown roundabout.
Tom's Social is happy to let dogs in. Basic food but good drink and atmosphere.
Some good suggestions here.
Also try Husk Beer Emporium. They've recently moved to bigger premises up on James Street (near the train station).
Tannin Level booked cheers for all the advice, looking forward to it.
Excellent choice. You are at the top end of town so relatively close to Husk, Tap n Spile and Harrogate Tap (at the station).
If you are hungry later on, Chico’s are great for post-beer scran 👍👍👍
Excellent choice. You are at the top end of town so relatively close to Husk, Tap n Spile and Harrogate Tap (at the station).
Ex Harrogate dweller here - has the Tap changed (fairly) recently then? I was there probably a couple of years ago and it had morphed from the beer pub I remembered into some sort of poncy gin seller.
If you are hungry later on, Chico’s are great for post-beer scran
I am Doner, opposite the bus station. Kebabs (and other stuff) that are good enough to eat sober…
I am Doner, opposite the bus station. Kebabs (and other stuff) that are good enough to eat sober…
Yes, they are very good but unfortunately, they don't open late (close at 9.30pm at weekends, 9pm during the week) so you are likely to be sober 🙂
Ex Harrogate dweller here – has the Tap changed (fairly) recently then? I was there probably a couple of years ago and it had morphed from the beer pub I remembered into some sort of poncy gin seller.
Do you mean Harrogate Tap or Tap n Spile? Harrogate Tap is still very much beer-orientated, Tap n Spile went through a bit of a morphing after the old landlord left, but since the Coach and Horses went all crappy Gastro-pub last year, it has become the local for everyone that used to go there and serves a great range or beers and has a great atmosphere.
Many have been mentioned already but my faves:
Pubs - Major Toms (good pizza too), Starling, Taps, Harrogate Tap, North Bar, Little Ale House, Cold Bath Brewery, Old Bell and Roosters (Taproom out of town by one stop on the train or 20 min walk).
Coffee / cafes - Hoxton North, Bean and Bud, No35, Prologue, Marconi.
Restaurants - Papas, Stuzzi, Tannin Level, Pranzo, Orchid, La Feria, Konak, Essenza and Al Bivio (Italian out of town near Roosters).
You also have many of the standard chains but I avoid them whenever possible and support the local independents.
Tap n Spile went through a bit of a morphing after the old landlord left, but since the Coach and Horses went all crappy Gastro-pub last year, it has become the local for everyone that used to go there
Tap and Spile, as was, it was always just referred to as the Tap back in the day but then I haven't lived in Harrogate since 1994 so we're going back a ways. I must try and spare the time for a proper wander some time when I'm up - hard to picture the Coach as a gastro pub, and the old West Park seems to have gone a bit upmarket from the bog standard Tetley's pub it used to be!
hard to picture the Coach as a gastro pub, and the old West Park seems to have gone a bit upmarket from the bog standard Tetley’s pub it used to be!
Yeah the whole of West Park has gone through a transition in the last few years - there's always Aston Martins, Lamborghinis etc parked up down there.
Probably been mentioned but here goes anyway:
The little ale house, central, small but always a good range of beers. Nice patio out the back if sunny.
For pizza and beers Starling bar and cafe is my favourite.
The Gardeners Arms is worth a visit (CASH ONLY, NO DOGS, DON'T TALK SO LOUD, etc). But the beer is good and the interior is something to see.
If you're passing through Knaresborough then the Track and Sleeper on the East bound station platform is worth a cheeky visit. As are Blind Jacks and Six Poor folk (very close to one another). If you want a spot by the river and a good pint the Half Moon is the place to go.