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The Plough

North Yorkshire, Wombleton - Modern British - Pub - ££

Top-drawer pub food with big, bold flavours and bags of generosity

Overall Rating: Good

Uniqueness:Does the establishment stand out in the context of the local area? Good

Deliciousness:How delicious is the food? Good

Warmth:How warm is the service and the hospitality in general? Good

Strength of recommendation:How enthusiastically and widely would you recommend the establishment? Good

The village of Wombleton, four miles east of Helmsley, is where Richard and Lindsey Johns have settled for their latest venture – a village local complete with a substantial public bar and a separate beamed dining room. Seasoned restaurateurs, they have retained a strong following from loyal diners – some of whom are happy to travel across Yorkshire to enjoy what one supporter called ‘top-notch food’. They come for dishes such as silky leek and potato soup, garnished with a vivid-green tarragon oil and snipped chives or treacle-cured organic salmon with prawns, given a dribble of marie rose sauce and an astringent hit of pomegranate seeds – a beautifully fresh and balanced composition. By contrast, rich and tender slow-braised venison is big, bold and generous, accompanied by sweet red cabbage and creamy mash (to mop up the gravy) – a sustaining plateful that is the hallmark of Johns' cooking. We were equally satisfied with a classic rendition ...

The village of Wombleton, four miles east of Helmsley, is where Richard and Lindsey Johns have settled for their latest venture – a village local complete with a substantial public bar and a separate beamed dining room. Seasoned restaurateurs, they have retained a strong following from loyal diners – some of whom are happy to travel across Yorkshire to enjoy what one supporter called ‘top-notch food’.

They come for dishes such as silky leek and potato soup, garnished with a vivid-green tarragon oil and snipped chives or treacle-cured organic salmon with prawns, given a dribble of marie rose sauce and an astringent hit of pomegranate seeds – a beautifully fresh and balanced composition. By contrast, rich and tender slow-braised venison is big, bold and generous, accompanied by sweet red cabbage and creamy mash (to mop up the gravy) – a sustaining plateful that is the hallmark of Johns' cooking. We were equally satisfied with a classic rendition of honey-roast duck breast and hasselback potatoes. Dessert might be a beautifully burnished crème brûlée or perhaps a lime and passion fruit sundae, in reality an inverted cheesecake with the crunchy crumb on top – the highlight of our visit.

Richard works single-handedly in the kitchen, always marching to his own drum, which invariably means a short, three-course carte stuffed with crowd-pleasers, plus a roast with all the trimmings on Sunday. Meanwhile, Lindsey runs things front-of-house, dispensing wines from an accessible list that starts with glasses of Chenin Blanc at a modest £4.75 rising to bottles of Pomerol at £65.

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J Jackson

17 February 2025

We visited yesterday for Sunday lunch for the second time in a week. We visited 9th February and were blown away by the unbelievable high standards of our Sunday lunch experience. It was absolutely epic. The meat cookery...
We visited yesterday for Sunday lunch for the second time in a week. We visited 9th February and were blown away by the unbelievable high standards of our Sunday lunch experience. It was absolutely epic. The meat cookery is on another level. The chef carves the meat into almost steak like offerings, which we have never encountered before. Everything about the meal was superb. The absolute detail in even the roast carrot was sublime. The gravy, amazing. They should sell it commercially! Service w...
We visited yesterday for Sunday lunch for the second time in a week. We visited 9th February and were blown away by the unbelievable high standards of our Sunday lunch experience. It was absolutely epic. The meat cookery is on another level. The chef carves the meat into almost steak like offerings, which we have never encountered before. Everything about the meal was superb. The absolute detail in even the roast carrot was sublime. The gravy, amazing. They should sell it commercially! Service was extremely friendly and professional on both occasions. We left very happy customers. Must add our experience at the Plough tops our recent visit to the Abbey Inn, given the award of best Sunday lunch in the UK. In our opinion this would go to the Plough all day long. Massively recommended.
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VENUE DETAILS

Main Street
Wombleton
North Yorkshire
YO62 7RWGB

01751 431356

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OTHER INFORMATION

Private dining room, Separate bar, Outdoor dining, Wheelchair access, Parking, Dog friendly, Credit card required

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