A restaurant in the Yorkshire Dales, less than an two-hour drive away from Darlington has been named in the UK's Top 100 for 2024 list, curated by SquareMeal.
The Angel at Hetton in Skipton was ranked in 19th place and featured alongside other eateries further afield in West Yorkshire, such as Tharavadu in Leeds (ranked in 97th place).
SquareMeal’s list of the top restaurants in the UK “forms the backbone of what we represent as a brand.”
The food experts said: “It’s a chance for us to shout about the best-of-the-best in both emerging and established culinary roles and allows us to celebrate the incredible chefs and hospitality teams out there going above and beyond to give their diners top-class experiences.
“We say it every year, but this year truly must have presented the highest calibre of restaurants yet.
“Whittling down the UK’s burgeoning dining scene into just 100 top spots was an excruciating job that took months of planning and deliberation by both our team, and you, our readers.
“Despite incredibly tough economic circumstances, our homegrown hospitality professionals have overcome it all and managed to deliver top-class experiences for diners, with flair, ingenuity and individuality.”
They added: “Each of the top 100 results are a unique combination of our own in-house critic-led opinions and thousands of diner votes.
“It’s this dual approach that makes our list incomparable, representing not only our professional opinion but thousands of real-life experiences that help to reinforce and bolster our final decisions.”
Why is The Angel at Hetton one of the UK's top 100 restaurants for 2024?
With its exterior described as “a quintessential Yorkshire pub”, the inside of The Angel at Hetton has “been hollowed out and filled with crisp plaster, living fungus screens, and bonsai trees in a series of linked rooms,” writes SquareMeal.
“It’s clever, because Japanese nods aside it retains the feeling of a cosy local with the preservation of low-slung beams and crackling fires.”
The food experts also praised the pub’s award-winning chef Michael Wignall, saying: “However good the interiors, the food is the biggest draw. Michael Wignall is a man who’s been collecting Michelin stars for decades.
“In fact, he’s one of the UK’s most awarded chefs yet flies somewhat under the radar as a bit of a chef’s chef rather than a media personality. This is his first family-run venture, and the passion is palpable.”
Have you visited The Angel at Hetton? (Image: Tripadvisor)
“There’s no doubt there’s a nerdy approach at play. Michael is well known for precision and love of technique."
When it comes to what food you can expect to treat your tastebuds to, SquareMeal explains: “You can see it in the intricate, layered dishes, but behind the scenes there’s also automation used on super yachts to moderate the kitchen’s power usage and home-grown hydroponic herbs.
“They’re the herbs that are woven throughout the tasting menu. First, topping a fermented white asparagus tart and a ripple of silky chicken liver parfait for canapes and later crowing a clever cheese course which is balanced via tannin rich tea granita made with liquid nitrogen.
“If it all sounds a bit mad scientist, it is, but in a good way. Wignall conjures up food that’s easy to love with surprise elements along the way.
“Early on, a set savoury custard is an umami hug in a bowl, while later a dainty plate of hand cut pasta with mushroom dashi, a quail’s egg and tiny potato crisps is inspired, somehow seamlessly blending Italian and Japanese techniques in a little flavour-bomb.”
SquareMenu adds: “There’s a lot you could say about The Angel at Hetton, you could write a dissertation on the incredibly detailed tasting menu alone, but ultimately, it’s just a joyful place to be.”
On Tripadvisor, The Angel at Hetton has a current rating of 4.5/5 out of 218 reviews.
One recent visitor said: “Incredible tasting menu experience from start to finish.
“Can't wait to find an excuse to go again! Wonderful staff very attentive.
“Incredible food, very attentive and explained every course. Great wine menu. Beautiful restaurant inside and out.”
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