Pignut, Helmsley: The 'out of this world' Yorkshire restaurant which is caring for the planet

I think to date, since moving nearby, I have visited a different cafe on my occasional Friday market visits. So does the town need yet another eatery, you may ask. It does.

Earlier this year, a young couple spotted an empty former restaurant for lease on a day out to the town. At the time, Tom was head chef and his partner Laurissa, manager and drinks expert at the highly acclaimed Rattle Owl (which has recently been sold and, sadly, will be no more).

They had felt one day they would open their own place; seemingly, that day had arrived. Discussions with Duncombe Park Estates ensued; the estate felt there were enough cafés, but the pair offered something different to the town and had a solid business plan. Pignut opened in June.

The restaurant’s unusual name is after the wild nut (Conopodium majus), found only in the Spring – and around Helmsley. The nut also signifies the pair’s ethos for sourcing local, seasonal, sustainable ingredients, including foraging for wild berries, nuts and herbs where and when they can. And added to this, there is no shortage of outstanding suppliers for the restaurant around the area.

Understandably, Tom and Laurissa have opted for a Tasting Menu approach; this makes managing costs and time much more straightforward. I will not deny I was a little dismayed at this, but cleverly, they have two levels of the menu; either 8 or 4 courses, with the 4 courses interspersed with a few extra plates if you want to stretch it a bit further without going the whole hog.

There is also a lounge menu served upstairs (in the lounge) where you can have just a few small cold plates from the menu with a drink.

Speaking of drinks, having developed a nasty allergy to most forms of alcohol, I am now severely restricted in what I can drink. When I asked Laurissa if they had any organic wines, I was delighted when she said they all were either organic and, better still for me, biodynamic or natural.

I have only once met this approach in recent years, and I am thrilled. I am not alone with this type of allergy, and I am regularly disappointed that more are not available even in top-end restaurants; just a few choices by the glass would delight me.

There are lovely wines here, not extensive, but very carefully curated with rosé, whites, sparkling, orange etc., and beers from Helmsley Brewery just down the street.

We chose the four-course menu, and in a call from Laurissa before our visit, we discussed dietary choices, so it is a pescatarian for me, and for him, the regular meat and fish.

We start with a rather curious 'extra course' called Wastage which stems from Tom and Laurissa’s passion for avoiding waste in the kitchen; it is not leftover cooked food as one customer thought, but a couple of small dishes made from bits and bobs leftover during the prep of veg, meat and fish. What a genius idea.

I then have a small bowl of Joe’s beetroot, I am not sure who Joe is, but the beetroot in Tom’s hands is rather good. Across the table is a small bowl of delicious Castle Howard Aberdeen Angus Tartare.

We then tuck into a small loaf of warm soda bread with Yorkshire butter and a pile of creamy trout parfait. We could have eaten more but stopped, as that is the danger/delight of a tasting menu; you never know what is coming next.

We share an added course of Wild Brill and pickled mussels with grilled Romaine freckled lettuce sitting in a pool of creamy, buttery sauce. Brill is one of my favourite fish, so easily spoiled with overcooking or seasoning. It was a delight here and possibly my favourite of the evening.

Next is more expertly cooked fish with Hodgson’s monkfish, and for the meat eater, chicken from my favourite farm Herb Fed near Easingwold. This excellent chicken comes Dopiaza style and is spiced just right not to lose the subtle texture and taste of the meat. We are both delighted with our food.

Finishing the meal is an exquisite Pavlova, a fragile, tiny shelled meringue with a soft crème pat and ice cream and Annabelle’s strawberries on top. We could easily have eaten a dozen of these.

Pignut is small and beautifully refurbished, with the pair doing much of the work. I now know that the great swathes of artworks depict paintings of pignut plants, which are rather pretty with their fine leaves and delicate stems.

Gorgeous wooden tables are set simply, and it is clear every dish, plate, glass, and napkin has been carefully considered, and the effect is just lovely. The kitchen is open to the room, and Tom works quietly, head down with just one assistant, while Laurissa handles the rest. Here is a small tight team, but manageable with only 14 - 16 covers.

Given the seasonality and ever-changing menu here, you most likely not have the dishes we had if you decide to visit, and I recommend that you do. I am immensely impressed by this young couple not just because of their ethos, which alone is commendable, but their daring and willingness to open their own place in these uncertain times.

Their passion for what they do is infectious. I came away from our evening feeling that with this kind of approach to caring about the planet, meticulous attention to detail, and their talents, I am reassured that the future of hospitality in their hands will be safe. I rarely give a score of all 5’s, but these two deserve no less.

Pignut, 12 Bridge St, Helmsley, York YO62 5DX Tel: 01439 770955. Open: Wed & Thu 6-10pm, Fri & Sat 12.30-3.3 pm & 6-10pm.