Restaurant Details

Under the care of tenants, Clive and Joanne Dunnington who have been at the pub for four years, the Harwood has been immaculately refurbished by owners, New Century Inns, who own 55 pubs across the UK. The Harwood won Tenant of theYear in 2005 and was highly commended in 2004.

Step inside The Harwood and you’ll enjoy a warm and friendly greeting from bar staff and impeccable service in the Olde Worlde oak-panelled dining room where the setting looks out onto Pannal’s neat and tidy railway platform. Old paintings, brasses round the fireplace, and a cosy ambience make for a very relaxing occasion.

Chef Darren Senior, who joined The Harwood team recently, has already made his mark in the kitchen with previous experience gained at Woodhall Hotel, Linton Springs, Rudding Park and the Clocktower. A spell living in Thailand also accounts for the skill and lightness of touch in his exquisite food presentation.

If you’re expecting the usual ‘pub grub’ then you’ll be disappointed because this is high-quality, homecooked cuisine featuring a mix of classic and contemporary dishes with a well thought-out menu that uses good, locally-sourced food.

Thai fishcakes with a definite spicy kick to them, served on a mango salad with sweet chilli syrup and a summer salad of buffalo mozzarella, fresh figs, basil and parma ham were our two choices of starters – both of which were delicious .

Unintentionally, I chose what happens to be the chef’s favourite dish on the menu as a main course – marinated pork fillet with roast garlic, crispy sage, prosciuttio and baby rhubarb. Accompanied by a selection of seasonal vegetables including the sweetest of carrots and new potatoes, the blend of tastes and textures was perfect.

A pot roasted chicken with Mediterranean vegetables and pesto sauce offered succulent meat and the tastiest of home-cooked chips for my companion.

There was just enough space to squeeze a home-made dessert in and it proved impossible to resist a sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce and ice cream and a creme brulee made with grand marnier and chocolate. A crisp topping for the brulee was just as it should be while the toffee pudding melted in the mouth.

A glass of house wine to accompany our meal suited perfectly but there’s a very good choice of fine wines from across the world if preferred or choose a drink from the bar where there’s an excellent selection of hand-pulled ales and premium lagers.

Restaurant starters begin from £3.50 and main courses from £8.95. Choose from shredded duck spring roll, tuna carpaccio, pork rillettes or chicken liver parfait starters or main course options such as pan fried seabass, braised lamb Henri, Gressingham duck breast or crisp-sided salmon. The house speciality at £18.50 is a traditional beef Wellington served with caramelised shallot jus.

Vegetarian options are available and the Harwood offers old favourites such as speciality sausage and mash at £7.95 or Posh pie and minted pea puree or bistro style fish and chips with haddock chunks cooked in beer batter for £8.95.

Homemade desserts at £3.95 include summer fruit crumble, bounty rice pudding, iced baileys parfait and hot chocolate fudge cake.

Hot and cold bar snacks including sandwiches and salads are available from £4.15.

A Sunday lunch carvery is available from noon till 5pm, priced £7.95.

Jazz night with the Water Melon Men is on Tuesdays and on Sunday evenings you can take to the microphone for ‘mike night.’

Early Bird menus between 5.30pm and 7pm daily offer a starter and main course priced £14.95.

The Harwood, which is located on the Harrogate to Leeds line at Pannal station, is open Monday to Thursday noon till 3pm and 5pm till 11pm. On Friday and Saturday it opens from noon till midnight and on Sunday from noon till 11.30pm.