The Weekender: Malton, Yorkshire

There’s so much to see and do in Yorkshire, one of the UK’s biggest regions. A new addition to the list is Malton, a picturesque market town that’s become a buzzing foodie hub in recent years. Here’s how you can spend 48 hours in the market town.

The Weekender: Malton, Yorkshire

STAY

The Talbot Hotel

Top of the list of where to stay in Malton is The Talbot Hotel, an elegant and comfortable 17th century coaching inn. You’ll be welcomed by roaring fires in the sitting rooms, as well as sumptuous four-poster beds and free-standing baths in the 26 rooms. Dinner is served in the wood-panelled restaurant, offering up seasonal menus cooked from locally sourced ingredients. Try the sirloin steak from Yorkshire’s Wateredge Farm, washed down with a hearty pinot noir from the wine list and followed by a slice of sticky toffee pudding – you’ll certainly sleep well after that. talbotmalton.co.uk

EAT

Florian Poirot in the Talbot Yard Food Court

If you’re looking to sample the best of the region, then Malton – dubbed ‘Yorkshire’s Food Capital’ – is the place to start. It’s bursting with artisan producers, from bread to gin to patisserie, as well as independent shops and restaurants.

Make your first stop of the day the Talbot Yard Food Court, just over the road from The Talbot Hotel. Here you’ll find the Bluebird Bakery, famous for its sourdough loaves and fresh pastries, as well as master pastissier Florian Poirot, who serves up delectable handmade macaroons, chocolates and tarts. There’s also fresh local meat from butcher Paul Potts at Food 2 Remember, Roost Coffee for a morning pick-me-up (enjoy with a pastry from Bluebird), Groovy Moo Gelato, and Rare Bird Distillery, which makes its signature London dry gin and rhubarb and ginger gin on site.

Around town, there’s plenty of foodie spots to hit, too. If you want to sample some local fish, head to Malton Fisheries on Finkle Street, a fishmonger that sells seafood, shellfish and smoked fish from the Yorkshire coast. Elsewhere, Derek Fox Butcher & Game Dealer sells premium local cuts as well as bacon sandwiches and pies, and Costello’s Bakery and The Patisserie Malton offer freshly baked treats for hungry explorers.

As for restaurants and bars, there’s plenty of places to try in Malton. A local favourite is gastropub The New Malton on the town’s market square, which serves up crowd-pleasing dishes like chicken and ham hock pie with baked Parmesan leeks, and pan fried guinea fowl. For pizza, head to La Trattoria on Wheelgate, and for hearty dishes like braised pork belly and the aforementioned steak, book a table at The Talbot.

Further afield, there’s the celebrated Roots in York to visit, the sister restaurant to chef Tommy Banks’s Michelin-starred Black Swan in Oldstead. The cosy, charming Alice Hawthorn Inn, a 45 minute drive from Malton, is also worth a visit, with its menu of salt-aged Yorkshire duck, Iberico pork steak, and north Atlantic cod loin. Finally, if you’re really looking to be spoilt, book in a visit to the Michelin-starred Shaun Rankin restaurant at Grantley Hall for exquisite fine dining in a sumptuous setting.

DO

Meadowfest

Keeping it foodie, there’s the Malton Food Tour, which allows you to taste your way around the town, as well as meeting the makers and trying your hand at everything from pizza to beer. If you want to go deeper, then the Rare Bird Distillery school will teach you the art of mixing botanicals to make your perfect bespoke gin.

Otherwise, Malton Cookery School, run by chef Gilly Robertson, is fast making a name for itself in food circles; book yourself in for a course on learning to cook everything from shellfish to game.

And if that’s not enough food for you, Malton Food Lovers Festival, held annually on the August bank holiday weekend, is a celebration of Yorkshire’s finest produce and cooking, with artisan stalls, street food vans, talks, tastings, celebrity chefs, demos, a festival bar, live music and more.

Aside from eating, there’s plenty to keep you busy in and around Malton. Ryedale Festival features a stellar line up of internationally acclaimed classical musicians in over 30 different locations around the region, with many performances broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

Meadowfest, meanwhile, is Malton’s very own music festival set within the lovely riverside meadows and gardens of The Talbot Hotel. As well as live music from the likes of The Feeling, there’s also street food vendors and fun family entertainment.

Finally, Malton makes the ideal base for visiting the annual York Races meeting. The Ebor Festival 2022 will be held from 17–20 August, offering four days of thrilling racing action, as well as the chance to dress up and enjoy yourself – it’s not nicknamed ‘the Ascot of the north’ for nothing. So remember to pack your hat and your best dress.

BOOK IT

Head to visitmalton.com for more information

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