A beautiful pub in Yorkshire has been awarded one of the highest foodie awards going.
The Punch Bowl Inn, North Yorkshire, was recently awarded an AA Rosette for its great quality ingredients, culinary expertise, and meticulous attention to detail - making it one of the best places to eat in the region.
This award is reserved exclusively for restaurants that showcase a real talent for their craft, with precision and a passion for excellence apparent in all of their dishes, and it's not given out lightly.
Known for its great pints and beautiful surrounding country views, the pub's Head Chef, Alex Wood is inspired by seasonal flavours and uses these to inform the menu at The Punch Bowl Inn.
Image: The Punch Bowl Inn
The village pub also takes pride in growing its own, fresh produce at the nearby kitchen garden in Mount St John estate in Felixkirk. The private, walled kitchen garden supplies seasonal produce all year round to the Marton-cum-Grafton pub.
Speaking about the prestigious award that has put The Punch Bowl Inn on the map, General Manager, Paul Neesam, said: “We pride ourselves on the provenance of our food so being recognised with an AA Rosette award is an incredible achievement for us.
"Alex is an accomplished chef who deserves to be recognised for the incredible dishes he creates, supplemented by produce from our kitchen garden.
Image: The Punch Bowl Inn
"The hospitality industry has experienced such a tumultuous time so it’s a real honour to be recognised in such a way. We are also hugely grateful to the local community in Marton-cum-Grafton for giving us their support and helping us to achieve this award.”
As well as a warm Yorkshire welcome, The Punch Bowl Inn offers a light lunch menu featuring the likes of gourmet sandwiches and light bites, such as haddock fishcakes with a lemon and baby caper beurre blanc and Yorkshire Wolds chicken breast with gnocchi.
Or for those looking for something a little more substantial, the a la carte menu packs a punch with sticky beer braised oxtail, Mount St John beetroot cured salmon, Yorkshire wagyu burger and Yorkshire reared free range duck breast with Chinese greens and a hoisin jus, amongst an array of other tasty dishes.
The dog-friendly pub is part of Provenance Inns, a group of seven sites based around Yorkshire.
Image: The Punch Bowl Inn
The group's latest acquisition is The Coach and Horses in Harrogate which is due to open in 2022.
Each pub has its own personality and prides itself on attention to detail when it comes to the food they serve.
Their passion for the county they call ‘home’ was most recently showcased in sales of their ‘Yorkshire Special’ – a chicken and chorizo pie with £1 from every pie sold donated to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance that ran for one month.
The group has managed to raise over £500 to donate to the charity. Paul concluded:
“We’re really proud of our Yorkshire heritage and this helps to inspire our offering. We hope that this AA Rosette award encourages more people to come and taste the delights on offer at The Punch Bowl Inn. They can be sure of a proper Yorkshire welcome and some incredible food.”
Leeds restaurant The Cut & Craft has announced further expansion plans for the spring.
Swanky all-day dining restaurant and bar, The Cut & Craft, is expanding its popular Leeds site, investing a whopping £1.2 million to create a new adjoining elegant bar, lounge and private spaces.
Located within the former historic Collinson’s Cafe, the renovation will transform the former neighbouring Paul Smith store, to extend the existing brand offering.
The extension will celebrate the original beauty of the space, whilst acknowledging the legacy of Wallace Hartley - a talented musician who played at Collinson’s Cafe in the early 1900s before his role as bandleader on Titanic during its maiden voyage.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The Grade II-listed building’s features including its iconic glass dome, stained glass and circular central bar will remain, with the addition of two beautifully designed private dining rooms.
The extension is due for competition this spring and will transform the existing venue into a space with seating for an impressive 370 covers.
Oscar Akgul, CEO at The Cut & Craft said: “Planning for this new chapter began within the first year of opening. By year two, it was clear that we required additional space to serve the city’s appetite for The Cut & Craft’s signature hospitality.
Image: Supplied
“The brand’s deep affinity with the Victoria Quarter and the heritage of the building played an essential role in the decision to grow here.
“We want to thank our regular guests and everyone who has joined us at The Cut & Craft Leeds since opening and we look forward to entering this exciting new chapter with you all.”
New BBC TV drama starring Bel Powley and Harley Squires to be filmed in Leeds this spring
Clementine Hall
The BBC has announced a brand-new crime drama set to be filmed in Leeds and Hull.
We all love a BBC drama, and luckily for us one is about to be filmed right here in Leeds.
The new drama will be titled Shy & Lola, starring Harley Squires from The Night Manager and Bel Powley from The Diary of A Teenage Girl.
The six-part series has been described as a "dark comedy" about two women caught up in a murder in the criminal underworld.
The plot follows an unassuming pair in a small coastal town in northern England where the pair both realise they have a hidden talent for crime.
The series synopsis states: "As they build an operation that threatens to blow the local bad guys out of the water, opposing futures beckon – using their earnings to fund a fresh start, or becoming the new bosses in town."
The show is based on a popular French TV series and is written by Amanda Coe, an acclaimed English screenwriter and novelist.
Amanda Coe spoke about the announcement: "With such a rich and spiky central relationship at its core, Shy & Lolais a dream of a show to write, full of fun, action and emotion. I can't wait to see our hugely exciting cast and director bring it to life."
Rachelle Constant, executive Producer for Clerkenwell Films, said: "Amanda has written a brilliantly bold series centred on a dynamic female duo, which blends dark comedy with propulsive storytelling.We’re thrilled to have Hayley and Bel as our leads, alongside an exceptional cast and crew."
The new series will begin filming in Leeds and Hull this spring and will air on BBC One and iPlayer and we'll absolutely be tuning in.
Georgina Pellant -
29th October 2021 
