Words by Harris Clark
An inn in the sleepy town of Hetton, on the southern edge of the Yorkshire Dales, doesn’t automatically sound like a destination for foodies, but The Angel at Hetton – one of the UK’s original gastropubs – oozes Michelin-star coolness. Owners Michael Wignall and his wife Johanna’s love of all things Japanese shines through – they even named their child Nori after the edible seaweed.
The historic tavern has been given a zen makeover, with ornate wood panelling, tables made from honey-coloured oak and spherical space age ceiling ornaments that match the experimental Asian-inspired food. I’m not kidding when I say the food lives up to the futuristic vibe of the place, how does smoked eel with white chocolate and Oscietra caviar sound?
Hotel
The ancient inn has its roots as far back as the 15th century, but sleek Michelin-star modernity stops the hotel from feeling twee, while still holding onto its soul. Despite being maybe the bougiest inn of all time, the Angel is still ‘just’ an inn, meaning rooms and a restaurant are the order of the day. Those looking for plunge pools and a rooftop bar should look elsewhere; the headline of the hotel is the food.
It’s not surprising that the Angel has become a foodie mecca. As far back as the 80s, legendary chef Dennis Watkins helped pioneer the gastropub scene at the Angel. The bar and restaurant, which also serves as a reception, is a temple to taste with old pub-style wooden beams blending with copper colour resins on the furniture. However, despite the genuinely chic and relaxed interior, there is an air of old English formality about the place.
Room
There are five original rooms above the restaurant. However, I was staying in one of the new additional five bedrooms that opened in the autumn of 2023 – one being a French-style wine cave – which were added in a stone farmhouse-style building, external to the main restaurant.
Due to its location in the heart of the rural English countryside, I was half expecting floral fabrics and grand four-poster beds, where you might as well be in a different postcode to your significant other. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find an open-plan design and a fresh, avant-garde feel with pendant globe light, a snow-white bed and a beautiful bathroom complete with a gargantuan free-standing bath, creating a feel of minimalist suave.
Food
The food is the main event for any stay at the Angel and while £150 certainly isn’t cheap for a tasting menu, the nine-courses are a gastronomic roller-coaster of complex and innovative Japanese-inspired dishes, presented like art and offering good value compared to the rest of the field. First off on the menu, the ‘snacks’ set the tone with the standout being the Chawanmushi, a Japanese steamed celeriac custard with a richly intense savouriness, known as umami. This, the fifth of the core tastes, translates as ‘essence of deliciousness’.
It’s not just the amuse-bouches that were delicious, chef and owner Wignall describes his food as ‘modern, technical and meaningful’. Alongside his Wonka-like creations, such as the aforementioned smoked eel with white chocolate, there is an unpretentious and relaxed approach to cooking, exemplified by the fact that one of the courses is humble bread. Well, to be specific, Hokkaido milk bread – a bit like brioche – complete with velvety smooth taramasalata.
Another highlight was fresh Scottish scallops in a vadouvan sauce, a French take on the classic masala sauce, which blended seafood fine dining with the essence of a favourite curry house. Finishing off this food epic was the aptly named opera, a gateau with layers of pistachio, cherry, Mayan red chocolate and yogurt. But the fun didn’t stop there, breakfast at the Angel is also a five-course bonanza, including chocolate pastries to die for and soft-boiled eggs delivered in a hay basket.
To do
The inn’s modest size and facilities are elevated by the uber-friendly staff, whose Yorkshire spirit helps create a personalised and intimate experience. Sometimes what makes a hotel special are the little things and this is certainly true at the Angel. At breakfast, I was given a booklet with suggested landmarks and towns to visit, as well as hikes varying from a ramble-with-hot-chocolate to serious walks.
This also included a weather forecast and, just as thoughtful as the little handout is the first-class hospitality, with staff more than happy to share their local knowledge. In fact, the wonderful restaurant manager even sent me on a cheese quest to the fantastic Courtyard Dairy, while also recommending the Old Castle in Skipton, a brilliant olde-worlde pub where I washed down the Sparkenhoe Blue with a pint of traditional ale.
In a nutshell
A stay at the Angel at Hetton provides both a gastronomical adventure and a stylish base to explore the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales.
Factbox
A one-night stay at The Angel at Hetton costs from £520 for two sharing, including an eight-course tasting menu in the Michelin-starred restaurant.
Address: Back Ln, Hetton, Skipton BD23 6LT
Phone: 01756 730263
Website: angelhetton.co.uk
Hotel photography courtesy of The Angel at Hetton.
