Melton's

Try this unassuming York restaurant for a top gastronomic treat

Members choose Melton's to:

Enjoy simple, well cooked local food.
Dine in comfortable, unpretentious surroundings.

Melton's, about a mile away from the centre of York, has become famous in the city for its straightforward use of local produce. It's well known for its constantly evolving menu, which changes every fortnight according to which ingredients and dishes are in season.

'You may be lucky enough to try the Whitby crab or the Pickering trout,' says our restaurant expert Hernan Castro-Vidal, 'and members have heaped praise on the bread and butter pudding with Yorkshire clotted cream – like the restaurant, it's simple but oozes flavour.

'Pease pudding is still on the menu here too, after nearly disappearing as an accompaniment to pork everywhere else.' The wine list offers a variety of global producers.

Small, and set in a Victorian terrace, members say Melton's has the look and feel of an unpretentious brasserie. It has a welcoming, relaxed ambience and an informal dress code. The downstairs restaurant has wooden floorboards, panelling and brightly painted murals, while the upstairs dining room is decorated with muted peach panels and blue upholstery.

Melton's was founded 18 years ago by Michael Hjort, who started out working with the Roux brothers at London's Le Gavroche – one of only five restaurants in the UK to have earned two Michelin stars. He has transplanted their appreciation of detail to York, using touches such as junipers in a red wine sauce, or capers and gherkins in mash to bring flavours out of simpler dishes.

With its unfussy and straightforward food and atmosphere, it's a place that members immediately warm to.

Guide price

Two courses a la carte: around £25.

Insider tips

Members who want a more formal evening should ask us to book a table upstairs.
For a lively night, we can book you in to one of Melton's monthly whisky and wine evenings in the loft room at sister restaurant Melton's Too.
Melton's is on the outskirts of the city centre, so ask us to organise transport.