Devonshire Arms Brasserie Review: Nine Years After Our First Visit
There is something incredibly charming about The Devonshire Arms Brasserie. Sitting at the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, surrounded by some of the most iconic countryside Yorkshire has to offer, it manages to feel like a indulgent escape while still being close enough to the major Yorkshire towns and cities to make it completely doable for a family meal out.
This is not our first visit. We first reviewed The Devonshire Arms around nine years ago, and that meal left a lasting memory. In fact, one of the greatest steaks I have ever eaten was here. That sort of experiance does two things. It makes you excited to return, but it also sets the bar dangerously high.
Luxury Without the Stuffy Nonsense
The Devonshire Arms is in an elite league of country venues. From the outdoor terrace to the helicopter landing pad, from the sheep grazing in the field next to the car park to the car park itself, which is essentially a showroom of very serious vehicles, everything about it tells you this is a venue operating at a different level.
And yet, what I love about The Brasserie is that it does not feel stuffy. It’s not the kind of place where you are nervous about walking in, or where you need to whisper your way through dinner. It is bright, modern, quirky and relaxed. There are more formal dining settings at The Devonshire Arms, of course, but we were there for a Saturday evening family meal, and for that, The Brasserie feels spot on.
The Brasserie: Relaxed, Bright and Properly Welcoming
The weather, in true Yorkshire fashion, was doing its best to spoil the evening. It was a very rainy Saturday night, so this was not quite the dreamy summer terrace visit you might hope for. But even in the rain, the place has atmosphere. There is something about seeing residents wandering through with dogs, hand-pulled beers being poured, wine glasses catching the light, and staff moving around with that calm, polished confidence that reminds you exactly why people keep coming back here.
If you are making a day of it with your dog, our guide to dog-friendly Yorkshire walks includes more ideas for exploring the county together.
Service throughout the evening was outstanding. Friendly, efficient, professional and relaxed. No awkward fuss, no forced performance, just good hospitality done properly, that’s vital especially somewhere like this, because luxury without warmth can feel cold very quickly. The Devonshire Arms manages to hold onto that Yorkshire sense of ease, even when everything around you suggests you are somewhere rather special.
Starters That Set the Bar High
We started strongly, my wife went for the crab crumpet with pickled cucumber and crab bisque (£16), and I tried enough of it to know she had absolutely made the right call. It was an outstanding dish. I do not think I have ever had a crumpet served quite like that before, but the second you taste it, it makes complete sense. All those little air bubbles are basically built to soak up the richness of the bisque, and it turned what could have been a simple starter into something properly elegant.
My daughter and I went in a different direction with the pulled pork tacos, served with pink pickled onions, cherry tomatoes and guacamole (£14). They were less refined than the crab crumpet, but still very good, and in many ways they showed exactly what The Brasserie does well. On one side of the menu you have dishes that would not look out of place in some of the finest dining rooms in Yorkshire, and on the other you have relaxed, generous, gastro-style plates that feel right for a Saturday evening family meal.
That diversity is one of the strengths, the Brasserie is not trying to be one thing too rigidly. It is not all white tablecloth seriousness, but it is not casual to the point of being forgettable either. It sits in that very useful space where you could go for an incredible meal with your partner, take the family, meet friends, or treat visitors to somewhere that feels distinctly Yorkshire without being predictable.
When One Main Course Misses the Mark
For mains, this is where the evening split a little, I went for the roast monkfish tail with Mediterranean vegetables, shoestring fries and mojo rojo sauce (£22), and I’ll be honest, it just did not land. Monkfish is a brilliant fish when it is treated well. It has that firm, almost meaty texture and enough character to stand up to bold flavours. But this was under seasoned and lacked the flavour I expected. The shoestring fries were less shoestring and more hair-strand thin, and the mojo rojo was the biggest disappointment. A good mojo rojo should bring warmth, depth, garlic, pepper and a little smoky richness. This felt bitter, sharp and much closer to a smear of tomato purée than the sauce it was meant to be.
The Devonshire Pie Was Faultless
Across the table, however, things were very different, my wife had ordered the Devonshire Pie of the Week, served with triple cooked chips and buttered fine beans (£25), and it was faultless. This was a beef and mushroom pie, and honestly, it was one of the best pies I have tasted in a long time. Rich, deep, properly seasoned and comforting in all the right ways. Every part of the dish worked, including the chips, which in a dish like this are not a side note. They matter. These were outstanding.
A Caesar Salad Done Properly
My daughter went for the chargrilled chicken Caesar salad with pancetta, croutons, baby gem, anchovies and Parmesan (£23), and I had similar praise for that. It was generous, balanced, full of flavour and exactly the sort of dish that shows a Brasserie kitchen at its best. A Caesar salad can be a lazy menu filler in the wrong hands, but this felt considered, well put together and properly satisfying.
So yes, my main was a let-down. There is no point pretending otherwise. But this was not a poor meal overall. In fact, the frustrating thing was that the other dishes were so good. The crab crumpet was excellent, the tacos were very good, the Caesar salad was strong, and the pie was genuinely outstanding. It was a meal of mixed emotions rather than a bad experience.
No dessert on this occasions, partly because by that point the pie had become the star of the evening and partly because the meal already felt complete enough for us. Sometimes you know when to stop.
The 30% Midweek Brasserie Offer
One thing worth mentioning is the current midweek offer at The Brasserie. Diners can get 30% off food from the main Brasserie menu when ordering between 12pm and 12.30pm or between 5pm and 6pm, Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays. It is important to say this applies to the main Brasserie menu only, not The Terrace menu.
The Devonshire Arms is the sort of place people might assume is out of reach for a more casual midweek meal, when actually this gives you a good reason to go and experience it without needing to make it a major occasion. The Terrace is also worth keeping in mind during better weather, with its own outdoor menu and a more relaxed summer feel, but if you are going for the 30% offer, make sure you are booking and ordering from the main Brasserie menu.
Devonshire Arms Brasserie Review: Would We Go Back?
Overall rating: 7/10
And that brings me to the honest verdict, The Devonshire Arms remains a beautiful place to visit. It has the setting, the service, the atmosphere and enough quality on the menu to remind you why it has the reputation it does. It feels special without feeling stiff, polished without being cold, and luxurious without losing that unfussy Yorkshire charm.
Was everything perfect? No. My monkfish was not good enough, and I would not order it again unless the dish had been reworked. But would I go back? Absolutely. In fact, I would go back for that pie without hesitation, and based on past experience, I would probably find myself drifting back towards the steak too.
The truth is, one disappointing dish does not undo years of good memories or the clear quality that was on show across the rest of the table. It does, however, need saying. That is the whole point of a proper review.
This Devonshire Arms Brasserie review confirms it is still a serious Yorkshire dining spot. Just choose well, go hungry, and if the pie is on, you know what to do.
Ad – gifted visit: The Devonshire Arms provided our meal free of charge. The restaurant had no editorial control over this review, and all opinions are our own.
Prices quoted were correct at the time of our visit and may change.