Everyone should have a local. One that’s comfortable, welcoming, has good beer and food, and is open most of the times you want it to be. Ok it can be closed on Monday lunchtimes – unless you’re out walking and need a restorative bowl of soup [like say, in Nidderdale and looking for the C***n Hotel for essential sustenance]. You should be able to recite the menu without notes.

If you’re fortunate to live near the Golden Lion [and we might be] then look no further. It’s a unique mix of traditional pub – dark wooden tables and chairs, simple candles, nowt flash as one might say if one came from Yorkshire, the windows still cleaned with newspaper. And the food…well it’s not “fine dining” in the sense that it’s all show and little substance. It’s a great blend of good cooking, dishes which are original [even if one or two have a passing nod to the Ivy] and the menu rarely changes. Bit like the Ivy really, excellent comfort food if that’s not underselling it. Someone described it as a “tad retro” – hurrah!

There was a bit of a revolution a year or two ago, when the Salmon Fishcakes suddenly came with peas but without chips, or weren’t even salmon but some other imposter fish, but all is safely restored. Of course, there are blackboard specials – all good – but nothing disturbs the equilibrium that is the Golden Lion.

Guest beers make regular appearances, even local ones from Wall’s Brewery in Northallerton – at the latest visit it was “Peloton”. Merveilleux.  Five delightful bedrooms.

If you don’t live locally, move closer.

Pub The Golden Lion.

Walls Brewery, Northallerton doesn’t have a website, but have a look here and you’ll find some good beer.

Featured image by J P Nicoll