Located on the highest point of the North York Moors National Park, this greatly extended 16th-century freehouse is famed for its fabulous views over Rosedale and Farndale, especially in the summer months when the view is clear as day. Inside The Lion Inn, original beamed ceilings, old prints, high-backed settles and open fires blazing in ancient fireplaces add to the touristy appeal of the place, while the crowd-pleasing all-day menu (served throughout the pub) is tailor-made for holidaymakers, families with kids, sightseers and even coach parties.
On the extensive menu, you can expect to find an assortment of pub classics alongside a few more contemporary options. To begin, tuck into the likes of the soup of the day or opt for breadcrumb coated mozzarella cheese dippers, while your main course might see homemade steak and ale pie or pan-fried sea bass in a spicy tomato and seafood sauce. To finish up, choose from tempting retro desserts including a banana split, a basket of brandy snaps or jam roly poly topped with warm custard.
Vegetarians are not an afterthought at The Lion Inn thanks to a short but carefully considered meat-free menu which features dishes such as vegetable lasagne and vegan Penang curry with rice, while little ones can be satiated by the child-friendly likes of sausage, chips and beans or pepperoni pizza. Head here on a Sunday afternoon to enjoy a traditional roast of beef, pork, turkey or lamb alongside all of the trimmings.
Beers from big-name Yorkshire breweries including Theakston’s, Thwaites and Copper Dragon are supplemented by regularly changing guest ales from further afield. The Lion also has around a dozen assorted bedrooms – a welcome stopover if you are tromping the nearby Coast to Coast Footpath. Be warned though: the pub is regularly cut off in hard winter weather.