Well that’s an intriguing sign…
Could it be that the little-known town of Malton, some 20 miles northeast of York, is really the Food Capital of Yorkshire? What about Sheffield, the Yorkshire Dales and the Tusky Triangle? Or Leeds, Yorkshire’s largest city, with its plethora of restaurants and the Kirkgate indoor market?
So, how did Malton come to be awarded this rather impressive accolade?
For starters, the town is filled with great independent shops, run by locals who love selling food that’s been ‘Made in Malton’. You’ll find brewers, greengrocers, delis, fishmongers and wine shops – all striving to sell the best local products – along with other great quality items from further afield.
Tom Naylor-Leyland – heir to the Fitzwilliam Estate who own many properties in the town – has also played a big part. Having worked in London and seen Yorkshire’s finest produce being so successfully sold in Borough Market, he felt that there must be the potential to raise the profile of regional ingredients back home.
The Estate already owned The Talbot hotel and Tom saw its former stable yard as the perfect place to start the project – and the Talbot Yard Food Court was born! Its 6 artisan shops include a gin distillery, a bakery, a butcher’s, a coffee roaster’s, a gelateria and a patisserie.
Wander the town by yourself or sign up for the Malton Food Tour, where you can meet the producers, learn about their products and sample their wares. There’s even a cookery school – also run by Tom – where you can fine tune your kitchen skills using, of course, the best of Yorkshire’s larder.
The second Saturday of every month sees the Malton Monthly Food Market and on the 25th and 26th May, there’s the two-day Malton Food Lovers Festival, which takes over the central streets to celebrate Yorkshire’s chefs and ingredients. 2019 marks its 11th year and will include artisan stalls, street food, live music, and talks and demonstrations by top chefs.
So, is Malton indeed worthy of its title as ‘Yorkshire’s Food Capital’? It’s certainly worth a visit to decide for yourself.
