The Pipe and Glass Inn Review

It had been getting on for five years since my last visit to The Pipe and Glass Inn but it was a meal I'd not forgotten. Having continued to maintain its long established Michelin star, I was confident of another strong showing as I rocked up for lunch with my wife and two young children on a sunny April Thursday, to celebrate my birthday.

Booking had been straightforward online; there is now a £20 per person deposit requirement which is completely understandable and not something I have any issue with at all. The pub/restaurant sits in the lovely village of South Dalton and there's a large car park on site, albeit it was virtually full when we arrived which was great to see for a Thursday lunch. Both outside and in the venue is still very smart as you'd expect (whilst still maintaining a decent pub feel); we were greeted warmly on arrival and shown to our large round wooden table in one of the dining areas near the entrance.

On offer at lunch is a comprehensive three course carte menu and a strong three course children's menu too which is always appreciated. There are lighter sandwich options, various specials and also vegan/vegetarian menus too. In truth, the carte menu hadn't changed a great deal since my last visit with many of the same dishes, but unless you're eating here every week, I don't really see that as an issue.

Drinks wise there's a comprehensive selection of spirts and a well thought out wine list, although there's still not a particularly imaginative non-alcoholic selection. I enjoyed my usual Hendrick's and tonics during the meal, whilst my wife and children were perfectly happy with lemonade and apple juice.

Lunch began with a portion of spelt bread and Yorkshire butter; this wasn't included for free (not a surprise nowadays) but was some of the best bread I've had in a while. For starters I opted for the cider braised rabbit and wild garlic crumble; it wasn't a particularly elegant dish to look at, but it was delicious, the rabbit cooking in particular (I've eaten a lot of overcooked rabbit in my time) was absolutely faultless. My wife was equally impressed with her beetroot tartare, whilst my young daughter was perfectly happy with her salad from the children's menu. For my young son, a side of chips was the order of the day which he very much enjoyed.

For mains, I had the barbecued lamb rump, served with crispy lamb belly and a spring vegetable tartlet. It was a top class main course, all the elements were cooked perfectly and the beer and barley jus packed some punching flavour. My wife wasn't quite as blown away this time with her guinea fowl (although it was still a very accomplished dish), but my daughter's fish and chips were top notch.

Naturally, there was little chance of us leaving without dessert; as I'd previously had the signature 'five reasons to love chocolate' dessert on both my previous visits, I thought I'd better try something different this time. My Yorkshire rhubarb trifle didn't disappoint however; it was a delicious bowl of fruity goodness for a sunny day. My wife very much enjoyed her lemon curd parfait with meringue ice cream, and my daughter and son were perfectly happy with their fruit salad and ice cream respectively.

Lunch finished with a happy birthday brownie (always a very nice touch I feel) and some tasty petit fours with coffee. Collecting the bill was no fuss and our deposit had been deducted already as promised. Overall, this was a very impressive meal. I was concerned in all honesty that standards might have fallen since my last visit (not for any reason other than I've experienced that happen in other starred venues post pandemic) but the cooking was if anything better than my last visit, the menu pacing spot on, and the service pretty much without fault (and perfectly child friendly also). Of course, like all venues the prices have increased somewhat since last time but it certainly didn't feel like an expensive meal given the quality of the food. I for one will certainly be back in future and have no doubt I'll enjoy another excellent meal when I do return.