secret beer garden out the back
Hebden
Bridge
DINING GUIDE:
where to eat
DINING GUIDE:
where to eat
with view onto
canal marina| The
White Swan secret beer garden out the back |
Hebden
Bridge
DINING GUIDE: where to eat |
Rim
Nam Thaiwith view onto
canal marina |
|
|
Please
tell the restaurant you choose that you read about them in the HB
Hostel Dining
Guide
To be included in the Guide, email mama@hebdenbridgehostel.co.uk RIM
NAM THAI RESTAURANT: Butler's Wharf, New
Road:
(01422) 846888 Rim Nam translates as 'Waterside' and the restaurant does have a fantastic location overlooking the canal, marina and colourful narrow-boats. Huge windows make the most of the view. (see pic above) Rim Nam is Thai run. Thai and local staff wear silk sarongs and flowers in their hair. Décor is simple and elegant. We felt as though we could be in Thailand, even before the food arrived. Friendly staff are happy to let customers practice their Thai and wais and will reminisce about Chiang Mai with you. The menu is extensive. There are plenty of vegetarian options, all the classic Thai dishes, plus regional variations such as the 'chef's special' Issan spiced sausage. Thai names of all the dishes are used – phonetically spelled out in English script - followed by descriptions. The food is divine. Like real Thai food only, perhaps, slightly richer. Tiny eye-watering chillis, cashews and crushed peanuts may turn up in garnishes, so if you don't like chilli or are nut-allergic, mention this when you order. Prices
start at £4.50 for an appetiser, £10 for a main
course with
rice.
Set meals (starter, main course, side dish and coffee) are around
£20/head. The most expensive main dishes (fish fillets;
char-grilled
chilli steak) are £13-14. This
is a good restaurant for large parties as there is space and
willingness to create long, banquet-style tables. Rim
Nam does takeaways (10% discount) and has an 'earlybird ' set meal
for £9.95 a head 6-7pm Tues-Thu & Sun. THE
OLIVE BRANCH: 21
West End (Market
St/Bridge Gate crossroads):
(01422) 842299 Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine in a cosy, fully licensed restaurant in the centre of Hebden Bridge. A popular choice; at the weekend you'll almost certainly need to book in advance. Warm air infused with aromatic herbs swirls around cheerful diners. Painted Mediterranean scenes glow in golden candlelight. The Olive Branch strikes a good balance: homely and unpretentious, yet eating here is slightly exotic and very definitely a treat. The tastes are unmistakable – olive oil, garlic, oregano, salty cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, paprika and creamy yoghurt - another perfect balance between rich and subtle. Meats are marinated, cheeses grilled, pizzas baked in a stone oven, salads generously drizzled with oil. The service is almost unbelievably smooth. Piquant starters whet the appetite. Vine leaf rolls, calamari, nachos, halloumi, garlic bread... if you can't choose, go for the meze to share – that way you get a gamut of flavours to graze on. Starters £3-£4.50. When it comes to main courses, the DIY kavurma (Turkish fajitas) are messy and fun. Calzone arrives on a plate almost too big to fit on a table for two; the spinach and feta version is a favourite vegetarian option. Spiced, succulent kebabs are a very, very distant relative of the after-pub variety. Mains £6.50-£13. Desserts –
including home-made
baklava, very good vanilla ice cream,
tiramisu and cheesecake – cost
£3-£4. A decent wine list, a summer-holiday-style cocktail menu and a bar serving spirits and bottled beers provide plenty of choice in the drinks department. Jugs of tap water with ice and lemon are provided free of charge and with a smile if you're keeping it simple. The
Chef's Choice changes daily; a special offer
starter-plus-main-course-for-£10 is available
Sun-Thu; NELSON'S WINE BAR: Crown St: (01422) 844782 "Atmospheric" This cellar wine bar and vegetarian restaurant is a gay-owned, gay-run business that welcomes all with tolerant attitudes. Men and women, gay and straight, singles and couples can all feel equally comfortable here. Sturdy wooden tables are equipped with candles in wax-drizzled wine bottles for maximum Bohemian atmosphere. The walls serve as a gallery for local artists. Friendly, competent staff look after the place and the customers well. Choose your table, peruse the menus, then order food and/or drinks at the bar. The table menu is simple, tending towards bar snacks and light meals. More filling options can be found on the 'Specials' board. Vegan dishes are clearly marked. There's a wine list writ large on the wall and a stack of beer menus on the bar. Starters/nibbles,
around £2.50, include garlic bread, dips, soup and marinated
olives. Side salads are generous and tasty. Hot food arrives sizzling in terracotta bowls (it tastes better as it cools so be patient; have a chat and savour the wine). Nelson's is a place to linger the entire evening, sampling the alcoholic beverages and enjoying the company of friends. No hand-pulled real ales here; however, expect a fine selection of bottled beers, priced around £3 and ranging from Little Valley's organic ale, brewed just up the road in Cragg Vale, to Dave's favourite Polish Zywiec (the bar staff kindly pretended I'd pronounced it correctly). The wine list is long and includes fairtrade and organic wines. House wine is £1.90/small, £3.80/large, £11/bottle. I enjoyed a glass of special offer organic Shiraz for only £2. Nelson's is open Tues-Sat 5pm-midnight, Sunday 5pm-10.30pm. Food is served 6pm-9pm. (Closed Mondays.) MOYLES: 6-10 New Road: (01422) 845272 "Swanky" First impression: bamboozled by the mishmash of styles. Transparent perspex chairs, Oriental concertina room dividers, rustic wooden window frames and a faux-real fire in a raised modern grate... Second impression: I like our intimate table-for-two nestled up close to the fire, adorned with a real rose, a candle and a pair of enormous wine glasses. The table soon becomes crowded with wine, water, complimentary fresh-baked bread, a hefty wine menu and slim food menus. Moyles goes for quality over quantity in its menu. Choice is limited but the dishes are artfully presented, look fantastic and taste divine. The standard offer is 2 courses for £15, 3 courses for £19.50. My only criticism would be that there was just one vegetarian main course on the menu and nothing vegan at all. Billed as International food, the menu is largely based on English/French classics. Starters include black pudding, salmon and soup. Mains when we visited were roast chicken, fish, steak (reputedly the best in town), or a wonderful brie tart with big complex flavours that reminded me of Laphroaig – rich and smoky and sweet. Desserts (concocted on site, no mass-produced frozen disappointments here) include cheesecake, crumble with custard, crème brulee or cheese and biscuits. Nothing is over- or under-cooked and the textures are perfect. Moyles is a small, independent hotel and has a CAMRA award-winning bar adjoining the restaurant. This is one of the smarter places in town but retains a fairly relaxed atmosphere. Staff are polite, eager to please and happy to ferry drinks from the bar through to the restaurant, so you can dine with a real ale or fine cognac to hand. Restaurant and bar are open daily. Snacks are available from the bar noon-6pm. The restaurant is open evenings only; booking required. www.moyles.com/restaurant AJ's
FISH & CHIP RESTAURANT: 1
Bridge Gate: (01422)
846755 No greasy diner, this: “So clean you don't mind eating your chips after they've fallen on the table... in fact, I'd probably eat them off the floor!” was overheard in AJ's. Plenty of vegetarian options and a beer/wine menu make AJ's rather special for a chippy. Pots of tea, coffee and soft drinks are on offer for the teetotallers and there's a children's menu. Tell the staff when ordering if you'd like your chips fried in vegetarian oil. Every weekday evening there's a different Special: 'Wine & Dine'; 'Super Seniors'; 'Two for One'; 'Kid's Eat Free'... There are also lunchtime Specials Mon-Fri. Starters
include soup, prawn cocktail, garlic mushrooms and deep-fried brie
(yum). Prices £1.25-£4. If
you don't want to sit down, or would rather eat your chips on the
riverbank, there's an AJ's takeaway next door. EASTERN SPICE: 19 Market St: (01422) 844319 "Unpretentious" Takeaway downstairs, restaurant upstairs; Eastern Spice is a cheap and cheerful Indian diner with no pretensions. Himalayan mountains, the Taj Mahal, hookah-smoking men, sari-clad women, peacocks and snake charmers have been painted, in acrylics, directly onto the woodchip wallpaper. At weekends a hubbub of happy chatter rises above the Bollywood soundtrack. The food is good value: starters from £1.80, mains generally under a fiver (chef's specials c.£6). The mushroom bhajis (4 bhajis per starter for £1.90) are outstandingly tasty. Expect good-sized portions of standard British-Indian fare: rogan josh, korma, jalfrezi etc. with your choice of meat/chicken/prawn or vegetables. Prices include rice or chapattis and you can up the spiciness of your dish for 20p (40p for the masochist who requests a 'tindaloo'). The dessert menu is skimpy – lemon kulfi or mango kulfi – and when we went they'd run out. Lassi sufficed. A jug of tap water and glasses were produced on our arrival and topped up without us having to ask; a nice touch. Poppadoms were crispy and pickles tangy. BYO alcohol. Open 7 days, 5.30pm-Midnight. MARCO's CAFE (formerly Cafe Belview): Valley Rd: 07758 007 059 "Homely Italian" Eating at Marco's is a little bit like being invited into an Italian family home. Warm, sociable, child-friendly and slightly chaotic, this small cafe serves pasta, ciabattas, foccacia and delectable authentic pizzas. Tiny espressos, lovely long lattes and Italian ice-creams complete the picture. Marco is half English but until recently lived in Italy. Having relocated his family to Yorkshire he's doing his best to cope with the changeable climate and funny British ways. He is chirpy, chatty and dynamic. A small percentage of the pizza takings go to his favourite Italian charity – 'Emergency' – who operate hospitals in war zones. A limited menu ensures fresh ingredients. Food is prepared to order. Basil and garlic-infused olive oil scent the air. Fresh flowers, stacks of newspapers and a children's corner add to the homely feel. Small outdoor tables at the back of the cafe overlook the river. Definitely
a cafe rather than a restaurant, this is a good spot for lunch, a
snack or an early supper. Pizzas cost £4.50-£7.50;
Pasta
dishes
£5-£6; Calzone £5. Ciabattas are
c.£3.50; a
portion of garlic
bread or a pizza slice £2.50. Opening hours are 9am until 6.30 or 7pm... or longer if customers linger. Takeaways are available. Grub in Pubs: Old,
New, Near &
Far... A real Yorkshire pub in the heart of Hebden Bridge, just opposite the old packhorse bridge after which the town is named. Landlady Liz has been running the White Swan for 30 years. An imaginative menu for a small pub and very reasonably priced (starters c.£2.70, mains c.£5.25). Service in the dining area is careful and polite and the bar is a proper, down-to-earth locals' bar. Order at the bar, then take a seat in the dining area or in the 'secret' beer garden which is reputedly one of the last places in the valley to hang onto the evening sun. Options
include: The 'Tea Time
Trembler' is fantastic value: 3 courses for only £5,
available
5-7.30pm. THE WHITE LION: Bridge Gate: (01422) 842197 "Historic" under new management since we reviewed it! A C17th coaching inn beside Hebden Water, this is the oldest pub – possibly the oldest building – in town. It's also the closest to HB Hostel. A variety of nooks and crannies in the bar area, a separate dining room and a small paved beer garden provide plenty of space for locals and visitors; however, the Lion can get busy at weekends and it's wise to book ahead to be sure of a table. You can choose to eat in the dining room or the bar. This isn't the cheapest pub to eat in but the food is particularly good – artfully presented, good-sized portions and very tasty indeed. Accompanying vegetables are cooked and seasoned with care. The manager-cum-chef makes an effort to source fresh produce locally. Bar and waiting staff are friendly and attentive. The menu is geared to meat-eaters – Hunters' chicken, Cock-and-Bull pie and Rib-eye Steak are popular choices; vegetarian options include pasta, salads, hot baguettes and jacket potatoes. A children's menu offers small versions of sausage and mash, fish and chips etc – but there's nothing on this menu for vegetarian kids. Soup is priced at £3.95, other starters around £4.50. Baguettes £4.95; delicious goat's cheese salad £6.95; haddock and chips £9.95; steak or very fine rump of lamb £11.95. Desserts c.£4; cheeseboard £4.95. There's a whisky shelf behind the bar (we counted 16 bottles) and a reasonable selection of well-kept ales. On cold evenings a fire blazes in the huge stone hearth, making it rather difficult to leave. Food is served noon-3pm and 6-9pm Mon-Thu; noon-9pm Fri & sat; noon-8pm Sun. www.whitelionhotel.net The
STUBBING WHARF: King
St (beside
the canal):
(01422) 844107 It's the location that makes 'The Stubbings' special. Ten minutes walk along the towpath from Hebden's centre, this is a thriving, traditional pub situated between the River Calder and the Rochdale Canal. On sunny days you can sit on wooden benches beside the canal, gazing out over moored-up barges and wooded hillsides; or you can use the tables alongside the river wall. During chillier months a real fire keeps the old-fashioned interior cosy. The wood-panelled ceiling, mismatched wooden tables and simple red/cream décor create a homely feel. This is a popular spot for meals out – lunch and dinner – especially at the weekends. Booking ahead is essential to be sure of a table. Children, dogs, walkers and boaters are welcome. There's a good range of guest ales and probably the finest selection of ciders in town. Coffees and teas are also available. The food is fairly standard pub fare, although with a good number of vegetarian dishes and plenty of light meals as well as the pie / steak / fish-&-chip classics. A range of roasts are on offer on Sundays and a Specials menu offers variety throughout the week. Smaller, discounted portions are available for children. Starters range from (very tasty) soup with hot crusty bread for £3.95 to mussels in creamy garlic-wine sauce for £6.25. Mains are £7.50-£12.50. 'Lighter' meals include a pretty hefty scampi-&-chips for £7.25, perfect-for-sharing nachos at £5.25 and hot or cold baguettes/ciabattas with chips and salad for £5-£7 . For afters you can choose from a variety of tarts and sticky puddings (£4.25), ice-cream (£3.25) or cheeseboard (£5.25). Food is served Mon-Fri noon-2.45pm and 5.30-9pm; Sat noon-9pm and Sun noon-8pm. Acoustic music, pub quizzes and story-telling sessions are regular week-night events and canal cruises are on offer via the Stubbing Wharf. www.stubbingwharf.com for more info. [see our Walking Guide for how to get there.] BAR-BA-ME NOODLE
BAR:
The
Hole Int' Wall, Hangingroyd
Lane:
(01422) 844059 sadly Bar-Ba-Me closed down when the pub changed hands... An anomaly this... a Thai-run noodle bar in an old Yorkshire pub that's been revamped to look like a Bohemian student hang-out. Sit beside an enamel, solid-fuel Rayburn on squishy leather armchairs chasing noodles around a plate with chopsticks... and enjoy the incongruity. Enjoy too the very good food - “Modern Asian cuisine based on traditional Thai cooking”. A simple menu offers starters for £3.50, main meals at £6 (except for steak which is £10) and desserts for £2.50. There's a good mix of veggie and meat options and many dishes can be made with your choice of prawn, pork, chicken or tofu-and-vegetables. Deep-fried tofu, tempura, spring rolls, tom yum soup and crispy wontons can be eaten as starters or bar snacks. Main courses include Thai curries, Chinese and Thai noodle dishes, Malay-style noodle-curry and spicy steak. All very tasty, with a good balance of spices, tangy but not scorching (if you want scorching, just ask). Service can be almost too speedy with barely time for a gulp of beer between courses. Noodles don't take long to boil and the veg tends to be stir-fried and crunchy. Ideal if you want a fresh, healthy version of pub grub before settling down to a real ale session or dancing to a live band. If
you don't really want to be in a pub at all... Bar-Ba-Me serves up
food good enough to entice you in. Best go before 8pm or your dinner
conversation is liable to be drowned out by a band tuning up or a jam
session kicking off. HARE
and HOUNDS: Lane
Ends, Wadsworth:
(01422) 842671 A friendly country pub in Wadsworth (near Old Town), about twenty minutes walk uphill from HB Hostel - or a little longer if you take the off-road route recommended in our Walking Guide. A pub with quirks that make it worth the walk: as well as imbibing you can browse the second-hand bookshelves; enjoy awesome views and idyllic sunsets from the beer garden; and watch rare-breed pigs rooting and snorting in the neighbouring field. Pub
classics on offer include: Mon-Sat
there's a '2 courses for £6.45' special menu. Otherwise,
prices
are
£2 for a starter, £5.50-£7 for mains and
£2.45
for a dessert. On
Sundays, filling roast dinners are served (traditional and vegetarian
versions). At the bar there's a fine selection of locally-brewed Timothy Taylor real ales as well as Trappist beers, tasty Stowford Press cider and a range of good whiskies. Oh, and local free-range eggs. Walkers,
children and dogs are welcome. On chilly days a real fire roars in
the stone hearth. The SHOULDER of MUTTON: Bridge Gate: (01422) 842585 "Central" This is a large old pub with stone-flagged floors and dark beamed ceilings, right in the centre of town. It has big wooden tables out front, on the edge of St. George's Square. The Shoulder has changed hands recently and when we visited it hadn't quite found it's new identity; but it will always be a fine spot for sitting outside, watching the world go by and listening to buskers. Indoors the décor is simple and neutral; there's a small selection of real ales; menus are on blackboards near the bar. The food is affordable: £3.25 for starters; £5-£6 for standard mains eg. fish and chips, pie of the day or chargrilled vegetarian kebabs; £9-£16 for steak dishes. There's a good range of side dishes for £2-£3 and ciabattas for around £5. We were told a dessert menu would be 'coming soon'. The new management – a pair of old school friends from Otley, one channelling Pete Doherty, the other smart in a suit – seemed keen to make a good impression. Hopefully they will turn the Shoulder into the thriving pub it should be in this prime location. It will probably remain more of a drinkers' pub than a gourmet destination but if you fancy watching the world go by while having a bite to eat in the heart of Hebden – you can do that here. In April food was being served noon-3pm and 5-8pm; in the height of summer it will probably be available all afternoon and into the early evening. Sadly, we cannot
recommended Theo's
Greek Restaurant on
Bridge Gate: DINING
GUIDE DISCLAIMER |