I absolutely love discovering new and unexpected places to enjoy a bite to eat, and my most recent discovery is Gisborough Hall. This gorgeous North Yorkshire hotel is a fabulous place to stay and maybe get a spa treatment, but you can also enjoy lunch or dinner in one of their restaurants without having to book a stay! I was invited along to explore their dining options and I was so impressed, so keep reading to get all the info you need to know.
Where is Gisborough Hall?
You’ll find Gisborough Hall out in the picturesque countryside on the cusp of Teesside and North Yorkshire. Located close to Guisborough, Great Ayton and the lovely surrounding walks, it’s positioned perfectly to enjoy a bite to eat after doing some exploring. The address for your satnav is Gisborough Hall, Whitby Road, Guisborough, TS14 6PT.
Do I need to stay in order to eat there?
Nope! Absolutely anyone can book a table to have lunch or dinner at Gisborough Hall. You don’t need to have a room reservation. The same can be said about their spa treatments – there’s no need to have a room (although what a lovely bonus!). However, if you did want to stay at the hotel, they offer luxurious rooms that combine Victorian charm with modern amenities. Or if you’re a fan of a self-catering stay, you might be interested in their three stunning shepherd’s huts that come complete with an outdoor heated soak tub.
What are the Gisborough Hall menus like?
Whether you dine at Gisborough Hall for lunch or dinner, there are plenty of menus available with dishes to suit all. On our visit, we ate in the De Brus Bar & Grill, which is a relaxed and contemporary space, and there were three different menus brought out to look over. This included the general menu, a pizza menu and the two courses for £20, which is the one we sampled (please note that this menu ends in mid-November 2024 and resumes in January 2025).
Each of the menus was so varied and made it quite difficult to choose. While the two courses for £20 menu had four starters and five mains to choose from, there were some great options. But if you wanted even more choice, you can take a look at the regular menu, which also included some very delicious-sounding desserts.
The De Brus Bar & Grill
As I mentioned, we ate in the De Brus Bar & Grill. This is the more relaxed and informal restaurant in Gisborough Hall, but it still felt high quality and welcoming. We were quickly greeted by our server and shown to our table. There was soft background music and the decor made the space feel laidback and comfortable.
Some of the other dining spaces in Gisborough Hall include Chaloner’s Restaurant, which is an award-winning fine dining space for both residents and non-residents. There’s also The Drawing Room for an elegant afternoon tea, The Old Hall or The Safe for a unique spot for pre-dinner drinks, and The Terrace for al fresco dining in the shining.
Starters
Matthew chose the salt and pepper squid, homemade tartare sauce and charred lemon starter. Initially, he’d been a bit iffy about it because you can never quite tell how calamari is going to be until it arrives at the table, but I’m glad to say that this squid was beautiful. We can’t be doing with rubbery or chewy squid and this squid was gorgeously crispy with a delicious crunch. With the squirt of lemon over the top, it was absolutely perfect, especially after a dip in the homemade tartare sauce!
For me, I couldn’t resist the guacamole, pickled chilli and tortilla chips, and I was completely taken aback when it was brought to the table. I loved that it was positioned into a tower with the tortilla chips stood up in the guacamole! The chips were incredible and very clearly handmade with a lovely snap. The guacamole was also fantastic, creamy and with just a slight touch of heat from the pickled chilli.
Mains
Matthew continued his fish-themed lunch by ordering the fish and chips for his main course. We were so amazed when this was brought over to the table because the fish was more like a whale! It was one of the biggest fish and chips I’ve seen in a restaurant, and it looked sensational. The batter was perfectly crispy and the fish fell apart when cut into – it was spot on. And the fish was on a bed of the chunkiest chips, so the whole thing was comfortably filling. Served alongside mushy pease, more homemade tartare sauce and a charred lemon, it was a much more upmarket seaside favourite and Matthew utterly loved it.
I couldn’t resist the De Brus Burger. This was two chargrilled 6oz steak burgers, streaky bacon, cheddar cheese, red onion marmalade, gem lettuce and beef tomato in a toasted pretzel bun. I hadn’t realised quite how huge it was going to be until I saw the server bringing it over and my jaw fell open. It was such a huge stack! I was determined not to be defeated, so I split the burger into two separate, smaller burgers – I recommend tackling it in this way! I loved that the burgers were proper thick steak because while I do like a smash burger, there’s something about a proper burger. The combo of the streaky bacon, cheddar and red onion marmalade was sensational, the perfect blend of salty and sweet.
I can’t lie, I didn’t manage to finish the whole burger, but I gave it a really good go! I did, however, finish the skinny fries, which were so salty and tasty. Every bite of both the fries and burger was phenomenal!
Final thoughts
We tried the two courses for £20 and it was absolutely fabulous value for money. Our main courses were so filling and the portions were definitely not to be sniffed at. We could’ve easily just had our burger and fish and chips, and been more than happy, so the starters were a lovely little bonus. The quality of the food was brilliant too and you could tell that time had really been put into making everything taste and look great.
If you’re looking for somewhere to dine, whether it’s for lunch, dinner, afternoon tea or a special occasion, keep Gisborough Hall in mind. It’s a real hidden gem, so make sure you get your tables booked to give it a try.
This meal was gifted by Gisborough Hall in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.