Good Food Guide Awards: Yorkshire market town named the most exciting food destination in the UK

As the winners were unveiled, a Yorkshire market town was named the most exciting food destination in the UK – Helmsley and the Howardian Hills.

Between the North York Moors National Park, the Yorkshire Wolds and the Vale of York, Helmsley and the Howardian Hills are surrounded by rolling hills, farmland, and many villages.

In 1987 the area was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and in now it has been crowned Most Exciting Food Destination in The Good Food Guide Awards 2024.

One thing Helmsley and the Howardian Hills have become particularly well-known for is the high calibre of restaurants opened in the area.

Andrew Pern’s The Star at Harome was already a notable destination, but in the past 12 months, it’s been joined by new venues.

The Star was opened in 1996 and was rebuilt after a devastating fire in 2021 and has since won numerous awards – most recently it ranked in 8th place on the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs list for 2024.