The Abbey Inn review: a 'proper' Yorkshire gastropub

Tommy Banks – and his brother James – first came to the attention of many when their pub, The Black Swan at Oldstead, was voted "The Best Restaurant In The World" in a TripAdvisor poll in 2017. That venture won chef Tommy a Michelin star. 

The next venture, Roots, in York, secured Tommy his second star. And, recently, the two returned, cough, to their roots and opened another pub, The Abbey Inn. And, as you might expect, with that sort of DNA, it's all rather lovely… And, unsurprisingly, it shot into the Top 50 Gastropubs list within a year of opening.

Why stay here?  

For all of Banks's Michelin-level refined cooking, the thing he's best at – well, the thing the Banks family is best at – is northern hospitality. Roots is clever, super-stylish and creative but it's also warm, friendly and generous. If you fear tasting menus because they baffle or leave you contemplating a sandwich on the way home, Roots might be the place to convince you otherwise. And, actually, the pub may even be the more fitting setting for Banks's cooking – and remarkable attention to detail.

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In the case of The Abbey Inn, it's also a great location for exploring Yorkshire. York is a short(ish) drive, Harrogate and Scarborough are both about an hour away (in different directions) and Byland is on the edge of the North York Moors National Park. Oh, and the pub itself is a 19th-century inn, with some original features (and much sensitive remodelling). It's directly opposite the beautiful remains of Byland Abbey, which is quite the dramatic statement. 

The rooms

Above the pub are three guest bedrooms, on the first floor. The design is simple, functional, and sympathetic to the muted tones of the rest of the building. There are nods to the building's origins courtesy of the odd piece of antique furniture but, mostly, the feel is of a very pleasing and comfortable hotel room. 

Expect roll-top baths, a mini bar (stocked with the Banks Brothers' own-brand canned wines and collaborative beers), a fridge with milk and water, tea and coffee-making facilities and a TV with Netflix and other streaming services. Your view will either be of the Abbey or across to Abbey Bank woodland.

Sleep quality was excellent, possibly thanks to the bed, possibly thanks to the meal, possibly thanks to the fresh Yorkshire air or, most likely, an anaesthetising combination of all three. 

You'll be given a neat little itinerary for your stay, reminding you of your dinner time and when, and perhaps where, breakfast will be served – on some days the Abbey Inn is shut but they cater to guests at the Black Swan (about a mile up the road). 

Eating & drinking

Frankly, there's very little need to look outside your location… but, if you do, perhaps I can recommend the Black Swan just up the road? At The Abbey Inn, though, head chef Charlie Smith (and chef director Tommy Banks) have crafted what Banks describes as "a proper, country pub serving up reimagined classics with our signature Oldstead style" and it's hard to disagree. 

Much of the menu comes from the Banks family farm, Oldstead Grange, and the surrounding area – either fresh or via Tommy's love of pickles and ferments. These include the fruit in the damson brandy that elevates the mulled wine to something quite extraordinary, the Dexter beef (and the chicory root jam) in the (jaw-stretching and jaw-dropping) Byland burger, the Herdwick hogget on the menu at the time of my visit and the rare-breed pigs in the snack sausages and Oldstead Charcuterie. 

There's a very good wine list – the own-label canned wines are excellent too – but I found it impossible to see beyond pints of Timothy Taylor's Landlord and Black Sheep. Hey, when in Yorkshire…

As for breakfast, the initial dismay at the absence of bacon and sausages – a reasonable expectation, surely, given their reliance on their own delicious pigs? – passed swiftly as small course after delicious small course was presented. Local apple juice. A homemade Chelsea bun (perhaps the only slight misfire in an otherwise exemplary overnight stay). Brilliant homemade yoghurt, granola and seasonal fruit compote – or an even more delicious, as it turned out, spelt, barley and oat porridge, with salted local butter, compote and crushed hazelnuts. Oldstead charcuterie and local cheese, the latter from the legendary Courtyard Dairy. Homemade pickles and ferments. Spruce-cured salmon. Toast and preserves. And, above them all, soft-boiled eggs collected from the farm around 5am that morning. It may well be the breakfast by which all others are now measured.

Neil Davey was a guest of The Abbey Inn. An overnight stay and breakfast starts from £375 for two people, which includes a £100 allowance towards dinner. The Abbey Inn, Byland, York YO61 4BD; abbeyinnbyland.co.uk.