Rose & Crown, York

Facebook page of Rose & Crown - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of Rose & Crown - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of Rose & Crown - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of Rose & Crown - www.facebook.com

A whitewashed brick pub in the centre of an attractive village on the road from Helmsley to York. Tardis like, the two little bars at the front, vestiges of the days when this was a village pub, expand into realms of dining. We popped into the right hand bar on a Wednesday lunchtime; a handful of diners about. This room, and I should think the whole pub is a temple to kitsch, from the vase of twigs in the corner, via the ornately carved bar that dominates things, to the glitzy chandeliers above. Our snacks, sandwiches and sausage’n’mash were tasty, but on the pricey side. The boards outside the front advise that a Bib Michelin is held-I’m not quite sure what this is, but one felt that one was entering hallowed ground when stepping over the threshold. I was reassured by the fact that there were two beers on handpump, the ubiquitous Black Sheep, and Stallion from Hambleton Ales. This latter seems to be something of a throwback to a calmer, more confident era, a malty churchwarden of a best bitter. I quite liked it, but it lacks the cut and thrust of the newer Yorkshire pale and hoppy school. Given adequate time and funds, we’d quite like to eat here-the menu looked interesting, but I’m afraid the Rose and Crown is no longer really a pub, despite the warm welcome from the ladies at the helm.