Willowgate Bistro in Ryedale

My wife and i booked in for a meal in September for our anniversary. The staff and owners were absolutely wonderfully and very attentive. The food was absolutely delicious and expertly presented. The menu was really varied and had a great wine menu. The insides of the restaurant was lovely and was also immaculate. 5 star food rating by the local authorities. We will definitely be back. Thank you Everyone for a wonderful experience.

Fine dining at its best. Nice restaurant, comfortable seating, good atmosphere. Friendly and helpful staff. Amazing, delicious food, superbly cooked, artistically presented. Well deserving of the 5* reviews.

Visited the Willowgate Bistro after we had heard good reviews. We live local and planned an evening out to visit the place. First impressions when arriving was a very small room, nothing special in the decor a little tired to be honest. Was seated to a table in the corner with bench seats to the back of the wall. White table cloths (which I like). Other than the white tablecloths nothing stood out. No elegant table settings, no nice glasses, no nice crockery. It was a set price for either a two or a three course meal with a supplement if you wanted steak. The two course meal was £48 per head and a the three course meal £55. The menu was ok but I could not understand how they could justify the price charged. Was it £30 for the main and £18 for the starter???? I had pork fillet starter which was 2 small pieces of sliced fillet. extremely dry. My partner had scallops (2) with dry black pudding and beetroot puree. We both had belly pork for mains and although the dish tasted very nice it was presented on a very small dinner plate having to find every vegetable crammed on the plate. The wine was mediocre and expensive at £32. All in all the meal cost £150 with a tip. I was left with a feeling that we were paying for a standard of food and surroundings /service that this establishment just did not deliver. I am sad to say we will not be returning

Came here this evening having not tried the restaurant but live locally and had heard very good things about it, for mains i had the steak and my mum had the vegetarian crumble which she thoroughly enjoyed and said it was the best meal she’s ever had , the steak i had was cooked perfectly along with season mushrooms tomatoes chips and a delicious sauce , puddings were amazing presented beautifully and tasted delicious! for £48 for two courses it was definitely worth every penny and will be definitely coming back more often. Additionally the complimentary tapenade was a lovely touch and very tasty.

Everything here is spot on. The greeting on arrival is friendly, the service is friendly and the food is absolutely delicious. The tables are well spaced, the ambience is subdued and everything is done to make the guest feel at home.

Beautiful food and great little restaurant for a special night out. Staff were friendly and welcoming and gave just the right amount of attentiveness . Cheesecake was exceptional.

Great food, friendly staff. A real treat!

Lovely restaurant, fabulous food and service. Great to see a full gluten free and vegetarian menu too. Portion sizes good - we managed 2 courses

A gem of a restaurant. This was our second visit. The first time we discovered the place and they managed to squeeze us in - this time we booked in advance! Excellent food and friendly service, with a cosy atmosphere. Highly recommended!

Atmosphere, service, quality of the food and wine all beyond expectations. Difficult to choose what to have as everything looked tempting. Portion size very generous. Staff went over and beyond to make the evening special, but attentive not intrusive. Would recommend without hesitation.

We were staying in Pickering and decided to give this place a try. We were both really impressed with the quality of the food, the way it was cooked and the way it was presented. The Pickering Trout on pea rissotto was excellent as was the Venison Wellington. Wines are good and reasonable. There is no extensive wine list but this place is highly recommended. Costs for the quality and service are reasonable

Pleasantly greeted on arrival and service throughout was attentive but not intrusive - a lovely atmosphere to eat and relax in. Complimentary Amuse Bouche tapenade & warm bread to start - beautiful fresh tasting. I opted for the most amazing blue cheese & chive soufflé for starters. This was breathtaking and the best l've ever tasted - a generous portion - go try it. For mains we opted for the steak & wellington venison - yummy but l have to comment on those vegetables too - WOW. My husband decided on the rhubarb panna cotta which had an exquisite taste and texture..... we shared a little. Cannot wait to come back.

Lovely evening, food really good. Couple running the restaurant are excellent and deserve success. Well done 👍

The Bistro was welcoming, stylish and comfortable. The set price menu is small but varied . I am always encouraged when I see that, it suggests real thought has been put into what to offer. I was also pleased to see a clear gluten free menu rather than codes. We opted for two courses, main and dessert. After the drink arrived we were served complimentary bread with tapenade (lovely). It was not a long wait for the main which was truly delicious but if you are a dessert person then definitely visit Willowgate Bistro, both of ours were glorious. A very enjoyable evening.

Excellent friendly and welcoming service. Food was excellent and beautifully presented. Very well looked after by all of the staff. A very nice touch was the door being opened for us when we left.

Great food . Went above and beyond to make you feel welcome.

Visited for Friday night dinner. Good mix o meat fish and vegetarian starters and mains. I had the soufflé - it was perfect! J had the salmon and cod croquette - lovely. Mains - I had the venison wellington - loin still just pink at the centre, ate perfectly, J had the herb crusted cod with a delicious butternut squash purée ,both with nice veg accompaniment. Sweets both delicious. Good wine choices by glass or bottle. Service excellent throughout . Unfortunately, didn’t take pictures.

Beautiful meal with my daughter here last night. Discreet, helpful, friendly service, varied menu, perfectly cooked food, well worth the little bit more than average price.Happy to recommend

Some excellent seasonal and locally sourced dishes

This is possibly one of the best places I have eaten in. We booked on spec and we were so glad we did excellent food, fantastic service and lovely staff, highly recommended.

Booked this with friends on a Saturday night as part of on long weekend away. Delighted we found it as this is a gorgeous little bistro with fabulous service and amazing food all in a very relaxed atmosphere. High quality ingredients beautifully cooked. Wish this was closer so I could visit again.

The starters were exceptional, however the partridge was very tough and over cooked....it should have been perfect based on it being one of their handful of main courses.

A place we have visited for many special occasions and Wednesday evening's dinner was as wonderful as ever! The staff are fantastic, friendly and passionate, making you feel valued and the table service is top notch without feeling fussy. I had venison for starters, beautifully balanced flavours and textures. A scrumptious succulent monkfish with mussels for main. My husband had Pickering trout followed by lamb loin, polished off both with a grin! We shared a cheesecake, which was light as air and melted in the mouth and a chocolate cherry mousse cake equally as delightful. A meal that will last in my memory until the next time we get to visit this fantastic restaurant. My only suggestion on the atmosphere, would be perhaps to soften the lighting even further with candles on the tables, the lights in the window interrupt the views down the high st and I love snooping out of the window! Thank you Willowgate Bistro! Xx

Wow amazing food amazing place and the staff are so lovely. 100 percent worth the drive over from teesside. Highly recomend

Fantastic food, great presentation, fabulous service, highly recommend

Quiet evening meal for two. Good choice of food on the menu. Good selection of wine. Booking in advance is recommended, as was fully booked on our visit.

Wonderful place. Fantastic food. My husband and I had a thoroughly enjoyable wedding anniversary meal here.

Really lovely little restaurant with great food and very friendly staff. Good wine selection too. A little gem in Pickering, we will be back!

A group of seven ate at Willowgate last night and everyone had a lovely meal . My crab arancini was delicious, lovely pieces of tasty crab meat . I think everyone else had the soufflé which went down very well from the comments around the table . Mains were fab , and I finished with sticky toffee pudding . What’s not to love Excellent friendly service , in nice relaxed surroundings

Absolutely perfect. 5 star. Attentive and non intrusive service. Food fresh and gorgeous. A little gem in Pickering. Highly recommended.

Had an excellent meal at this lovely Bistro. We came here in 2019 and were not disappointed by our latest visit. The food is excellent and the staff provided exceptional customer service. The atmosphere was very chilled and relaxing. Would highly recommend a visit.

As a meat eater with a partner who is vegetarian we always look for interesting restaurants. We eat out a lot. Staying in Pickering we read reviews for this restaurant and it had a vegetarian menu as well as a meat one. We could not get a table first night so took the only slot available at 5.3o today. My food was lovely, but my partner's was bland and although the food looked the part, it did not deliver on taste. The mushroom dish had grit and one of the stalks was inedible,It is a pity I think the chef must not understand the vegetarian palate, not the best dining experience.

I was looking forward to this as they have a separate vegetarian menu. As is often the case it turns out the vegetarian food here is an after thought. Whilst my partner's food from the meat menu was apparently quite tasty mine was bland and uninteresting. My mushroom and cream based starter was tasteless and there was grit amongst the 'shrooms. The main course looked pretty, but turned out to be lacklustre; style over substance. The pastry on my 'tian' dish was undercooked and the veggies within it lacked pizzaz, especially the aubergine, half-cooked, sad and yearning for spice. Not recommended for vegetarians.

We had the pleasure of eating in the Willowgate Bistro on Saturday 21st October. The welcome was very pleasant and friendly with coats being taken and hung up for us. The drinks were served with a very nice Tapenade on sour dough as a welcome before the meal. We all had different dishes for starters and main course each one of us really enjoyed them, including the perfectly cooked vegetable's. The deserts were also spot on. It is rare that I can say that each one of us had an excellent meal, but that was one brilliantly tasty and perfectly cooked meal. Compliments to the Chef and his staff. We will certainly return when in the area.

Found the resuarant on Go Pickering. Booked in advance for my birthday. We enjoyed fantastic food and excellent service. I particularly enjoyed pigeon starter and venison mains. Garlic mushrooms and a cheese souffle were winners too for my non meat eating friend.

Beautiful good and excellent service. This is a repeat visit and will go again. £38 for 2 courses, but we'll worth it. Reserve a table.

AMAZING FOOD!! Everything was delicious. The complimentary tapenade was surprisingly moorish, especially when neither of us like olives and it was a nice touch. We had the crab arrancini and pork to start, both were very fresh and piping hot, incredibly enjoyable. We had the monk fish and venison for mains and neither could be faulted. The monkfish was cooked perfectly, it was soft and fell apart. The venison was also perfectly cooked. We managed to squeeze in dessert which was well worth it. It was one of the fluffiest sticky toffee puddings I've ever had and the chocolate torte was huge and absolutely incredible. It was easy to tell the staff were passionate about their business and took the time to talk to us about the food and the local area. Definitely worth a visit. The higher price tag is reflected in the quality and quantity of the dishes.

The only restaurant in Pickering to serve genuinely top quality food. Well presented, with friendly staff too.

We were really looking forward to eating at the Willowgate Bistro given the good reviews it gets, but were really disappointed. Given the extensive menu (for such a small establishment), I guess the food must be over-prepped and briefly heated up again just before service. I also think the chef must feel that he far more talented than he really is. This is reflected in the dishes we tried. The pigeon consisted of a piece of breast (which was good) and an unidentified element of the bird which was as tough as old boots and quite inedible (if cooked correctly it should have fallen off the bone). My venison was quite good but my wife's monk fish was appallingly cooked and utterly tasteless. It had the same consistency as the sauce in which it was served - goodness knows how it was cooked, it appeared to have been poached or boiled. A horrible mushy dish and the worst monk fish I have ever tasted. My constructive advice to the proprietors would be to substantially cut down on the menu choice, to eliminate all the extraneous vegan/veg choices, and instead concentrate on just four or five main courses cooked well. I don't know about the owner's claim that it may be the No.2 eatery in North Yorkshire, but we ate at ten or twelve different restaurants in the area over the last two weeks and it was by far the worst meal we had.

Have to say this place shines. Booked on the off chance as we'd had an Indian and Chinese the nights before which had been poor. This place did not disappoint. You have to book a table, it's popular and id say unlikely to get a walk in table. I had shoulder of pork for starters, and venison for my main, was just excellent. Good size and went home very happy and enjoyed every moment. Would highly recommend and will be going back the next time I visit Pickering.

Lovely food and excellent service. My wife uses a wheelchair, and access if fairly straightforward, down a single step. Let the restaurant know, and help will be provided, as access road slopes down. Very nice atmosphere.

This small Bistro was full when we arrived on a Wednesday evening. Delicious food, well presented by very helpful serving staff, who were welcoming and cheerful. The menu was not extensive, but there was a good variety of meat, fish and vegetarian options from which to choose. Not inexpensive, but worth the extra for the taste experience. The decor is a little “dated” and not luxurious, but nonetheless comfortable and the ambience is very friendly. We enjoyed it.

A well thought through evening menu, very well presented and service was excellent. Well worth a visit if you're in the area.

Amazing food as always. First visit in a few years but just as good as always. Great menu choice and great quality food. A must when visiting Pickering.

Delicious menu; we could have ordered any of the dishes. Good value wine. Loved the personal service. The complimentary homemade bread and tapenade were a nice touch.

Truly excellent meal! Creative and beautifully cooked food in a friendly atmosphere with great service! What more can anyone want?! Wish we lived near enough to be regulars

We found by wonderful chance this fantastic location. We had been traveling most of the day and were absolutely famished when I called by pure chance to see if this restaurant could consider four hungry souls. We now know we met the hostess Gemma who advised it would be 45 minutes but would have a table then, We were back at the allotted time and taken care of beyond belief. Service excellent food very excellent and the general ambiance incredible. This was a true find and the highlight of our trip to the North York district. Keep up your fantastic work. Martin Smethers and three other very impressed diners.

This was a fantastic find on our way back to Helmsley where we were staying for a few nights. Wish we had been staying in in Pickering because we definitely would have visited this restaurant again

What a find! We were so lucky to get into the bistro when we found ourselves let down elsewhere on a Tuesday evening The restaurant offers fine food at a reasonable cost with set prices for 2 and 3 courses. Bearing in mind we had paid an eye watering £35 for a mediocre sirloin steak the previous evening at the White Swan, the bistro also represents great value for money Lovely food. Fab service and an informal but exclusive atmosphere which sets it apart from the local pub satieties

We think it's the nicest food we've eaten in years. We've tried a few Michelin one star restaurants and been disappointed. But this was exceptional throughout, and another plus - we weren't hungry when we left. Bravo.

Went with friends very last minute . This place gets five stars on every level for me. Food delicious excellent choice and friendly staff. A special place and the best place we visited on our mini break. Would like to return.

Decided to try somewhere new and we were delighted with our experience at the Willowgate Bistro. Really impressed with the quality and presentation of the food served by the attentive and efficient owners. It was delicious! There is a small but perfectly adequate choice on...

Wonderful meal! Lovely small intimate bistro with plenty of space between tables. Very comfortable. Good interesting menu and wine list. We were offered a complimentary amuse bouche while we waited for our stater. A nice green olive tapanade with warm bread and as my husband...

We had a fantastic meal at Willowgate Bistro. The food was fantastic and the service was excellent. We had the blue cheese soufflé and ham hock bon bon for starters and steak and pork wellington for main. The bistro were also very accomodating with my...

Wherever we stay, we like to have a special treat on our last night, to put the finishing touches to our holiday. Willowgate Bistro did not disappoint. Situated at the top end of the town, the bistro is compact, thus providing a more intimate atmosphere....

What a fabulous place , it was literally round the corner from our hotel . We had popped in earlier to book a table and the lady was lovely & booked us in for 8pm. The restaurant full bar one table so good atmosphere. The...

A cosy bistro serving interesting and excellent dishes. Only gripe was that service was a tad slow, though it was a busy Friday evening, and the servers were very friendly and attentive

Beautiful food in a lovely little restaurant -highly recommended especially the fish dishes.

Simply perfect! An outstanding meal in a small but friendly bistro with the most welcoming staff. One of our party has significant mobility problems and was brilliantly looked after by Gemma.

It's a Lovely place to Dine in and the staff are very welcoming and friendly, my parents and I have been here quite a lot over the past few years and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who wants a nice quiet night out 👍

Fantastic food and really friendly, knowledgeable staff. The waiter could not have been more helpful, and Gemma the owner was approachable and welcoming. The menu choices were all delicious, we loved every morsel and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Highly recommended.

This is an excellent small bistro in Pickering with a very good menu serving freshly cooked good food and drink! Would definitely return if in Pickering again!

My wife and I had an absolutely wonderful three courses each and could not find fault with anything even if we had tried to. The service was warm friendly and exuded professionalism without being at all stuffy. There is a reason this restaurant gets so...

Fabulous, small family run bistro in Pickering. Food exquisite, staff attentative but not over powering. Knowledgable about the food and drink they serve. Couldn’t fault it and highly recommend.

This was our second visit to the Bistro. Both times the service was impeccable. The food was delicious. It gets very busy so would recommend you book early.

The service is impeccable, the two ladies who looked after us where very friendly, professional and made us feel very welcome. The restaurant is very nicely decorated and impeccably clean. The food (I can’t think of a better word) AMAZING. We had crab, to start,...

Great Menu, delicious food, superb service all in a delightful setting, Excellent

This is the place to be for good quality and well prepared food. Booking is advisable. Will definitely come back in the future. Staff are very helpful and take notice of what you would have.

Excellent menu, food quality and service. Small friendly bistro, varied menu. As locals in the area we eat out regularly and often have to travel outside of Pickering for a nice evening meal. Not anymore, we will be back thoroughly enjoyed our meal and wine....

The food was stunning and the service was beyond amazing. We didn't have a reservation and we're lucky to get the last available table. Right from the start Gemma was incredibly friendly and helpful when discussing dietary needs (my partner is Coeliac and needs gluten free). We got complementary tapenade, neither of us are big fans of olives but this dish changed both of our opinions! The crab Tian was incredibly tasty, the smoked duck breast was the best duck I have ever eaten, the black cherry sauce balanced it perfectly. Both the chocolate torte and the gluten free cheesecake finished the meal perfectly. The precise are very reasonable too. We will definitely be returning and make sure we book next time!

Both the food and the service were absolutely amazing. We were lucky enough to get the last table as walk ins. We'd scouted the menu online as I'm coeliac and need the gluten free menu. The complimentary tapanade was lovely and I don't usually like olives! I had the crab to start which was sweet and fresh with its accompaniments. The duck breast for a main was cooked to perfection and the hint of black cherry in the gravy/sauce was amazing. I was pleasantly surprised to see a cheesecake on the gluten free menu and being as cheesecake is my favourite dessert (that I can't normally have when I'm out!) I jumped at the chance. It was served in a cocktail glass with salted caramel sauce and fresh fruit (just no biscuit! What an simple change to cater to the GF community!) We will be singing the praises of this place to everyone and will definitely be back, (and will book next time!) :)

Tonight we went to the bistro in willowgate for dinner. What an experience! From start to finish the time spent in this tiny find was brilliant. The staff are friendly, polite and informative, making you feel welcome and relaxed the minute you walk through the...

This is not just any Bistro this is 'Willowgate Bistro' Where the finest food is served using locally sourced ingredients . But don't take my word for it just book it and try it for yourself you will not be disappointed. Thank you Emma, Mathew...

A most delicious meal at this friendly, cosy, family run restaurant. I would certainly recommend the monkfish and the salted caramel cheesecake was to die for. The service was impeccable. I would definitely eat there again and recommend it to all. It also boasts separate...

They serve excellent food, they give excellent service, we would highly recommend this restaurant for everybody, we have returned many times

We've been meaning to visit Willowgate Bistro for years and hearing they were celebrating their 10-year anniversary, we thought it was about time we did. We visited on a Saturday night and were warmly greeted by Gemma running front of house. From the time we...

Enjoyed a romantic meal on a Friday night. Food, service, drinks, portion size, etc, could not fault this place. If we lived closer we'd be there very often. We tried 5 different dishes between us and they were all outstanding. Defo recommend

Enjoyed a romantic meal on a Friday night. Food, service, drinks, portion size, etc, could not fault this place. If we lived closer we'd be there very often. We tried 5 different dishes between us and they were all outstanding. Defo recommend

Wow wonderful food good service definitely worth a visit . Starters, mai course and dessert were amazing !@

What a lovely hidden gem 💎 that everyone knows about. Looked at booking somewhere local to our overnight stay, read reviews and booked instantly. Arrived to lovely welcoming staff, choose any table (they'd just opened for the night) asked if we would like a drink while looking through there amazing menu, response YES PLEASE my usual fussy white wine self was easily delt with. Food ordered along with accompanying wine 🍷 😋 to breath at the table 👌 The food... well absolutely devine, from the complementary warmed bread with an olive infused Pesto and tomatoe mix 😋 To crab, ham bonbon starter's and sirloin steak cooked to perfection for such a delicate piece, and a duck main course husband said was also delicious. Fantastic food and we will be back

A real lovely meal out with friends. Service was attentive without being fussy, food was extremely tasty (with complimentary amuse bouches and post-coffee handmade chocolates) and the wine excellent. Place was full midweek which is always a good sign

Excellent experience. We visited on a Thursday night, menu choice very good. Wine list good and not too pricey. The sea bass with Thai green curry was so fresh and yummy. We both had the home made panacotta for dessert which was lovely. Staff great,...

We enjoyed a most pleasant dinner at this popular small dining venue. Our starter and mains featured local produce and each component was well cooked and tasty. My duck was cooked pink and a tiniest chewy but the generous bowl of vegetables were cooked to...

Had a really enjoyable evening, the staff are super friendly, the Bistro itself has a lovely atmosphere and the food is amazing with good wine, will definitely be back when we next in Pickering.

This bistro is amazing. from the warm welcome to the fabulous cuisine. Nothing was too much trouble for the Willowgate team, very attentive. My only problem, is that it is so far away from where I live, as it would be my regular dining out...

Had an extremely enjoyable dinner with outstanding service. The only problem was choosing from the menu, hope to return soon

A little hidden Gem, Gemma and her staff make you welcome as soon as you enter. Lovely atmosphere staff very attentive, time given between courses which we thought was great not to be rushed off the table like other restaurants. The food is of a...

Ate for the second time at Willowgate last Saturday night and will definitely return, great thoughtful menu from chef. I had mushroom aranchini to start then Sea bass followed by cheese board, couldn't fault it. Hubby had souffle to start then beef boguignon pudding and...

Ate here last night.Fantastic service,amazing food we were looked after from the moment we went in. Would not hesitate to recommend one of the best restaurants we have eaten at.

Amazing food and service from the moment my wife and I entered,will definitely return. One of the best meals we’ve had in any restaurant

Excellent little bistro. Unassuming from the outside with a sleek interior and a very warm welcome. Great service, superb food and great value. Glad I gave it a try and hope to return often.

Had a lovely evening at thia small bistro. Food was very good and it had a lovely atmosphere. Staff friendly and attentive.

Whilst staying in Pickering we had a meal at Willowgate Bistro. This place did not disappoint on either the food or the hospitality. You feel you get the personal touch as Gemma (front of house) is very attentive, happy and smiley. The food was equally...

We have just had the most amazing meal at Willowgate Bistro. We were worried because of the weather conditions (snowstorm) I’m so glad we went, the service, the food and the value. We appreciated all the wonderful ‘extras’ Thank you so much. We will be back!

Wow what a little gem. The food was amazing and the presentation was worthy of a photo shoot. Had 3 courses & all 3 were great. The belly of pork was to die for. The staff were super friendly and very helpful as well. Can't...

We went to Willowgate to celebrate my wife’s birthday and, as usual, the food and service were excellent. Gemma and Matt and their staff provide a warm, welcoming, professional and very personal experience, which, together with the excellent, varied menu, makes for a fantastic dining...

wow what Gem tucked away, its a lovely place, the staff were very attentive and polite and nothing was too much bother. the food was presented well and tasted great. well worth a visit, Come on what you waiting for get it booked .....

The staff were very knowledgeable about the food they were serving, attentive from the moment you walked in and couldn't do enough for you, atmosphere was really nice, mainly couples when we visited. Food selection was good and really well presented and tasted as good...

Had our booking cancelled as the chef was ill but the owner kindly booked us a table at the near by White Swan which was very kind of her.

Exceptional! Delicious evening meal. We visited on 30th December. Luke was very welcoming, asking us what bought us to Pickering, a genuine waiter who really cared about service. We had scallops, trout, fish pie, pork belly, cheesecake and chocolate and nut baked Alaska. All were...