Yorkshire fine dining restaurant Forge on the Middleton Lodge Estate to re-open for the first time since 2020

Forge on the Middleton Lodge estate opened in 2018 and closed when Covid-19 lockdowns began, and since restrictions were lifted the owners’ focus has been on their second restaurant, Coach House.

Coach House’s former head chef Jake Jones, who previously worked at three Michelin-starred L’Enclume in Cumbria, will lead the tasting evenings on Friday and Saturdays in December and has created a sustainable menu which tells the estate’s stories, paired with fine wines. There are meat-based and vegetarian choices.

The restaurant has had a refurbishment since the pandemic and will re-open fully four evenings a week from February.

The Middleton Lodge estate, at Middleton Tyas near Richmond, is owned by the Allison family and also has a hotel, two-acre walled garden and events spaces. James and Rebecca Allison converted old farm buildings to create Forge. The Georgian hall was originally purchased by James’ father, adventurer and explorer Jeffrey Allison, when James was a small child.

Mr Jones said: “I am delighted to be able to share the Forge concept with diners this December. For the past six months, I have been working with the estate, local suppliers and farmers to source the very best ingredients, keeping food miles low and introducing sustainable cooking methods within the team. Opening in December means we will have the wonderful ingredients that the autumn brings.”

Tasting menu prices start from £95 per person.