Cosy cafes in Yorkshire: The prettiest autumnal restaurants and cafes in the region according to Instagram explorer
An Instagram influencer and explorer has shared her top three prettiest autumnal restaurants and cafes in Yorkshire.
Instagram influencer, Victoria James, who lives in Leeds, was brought up in a food-orientated household.
Her father is a self-taught cook while her mother has always cooked at home from fresh and baked cakes on the side as well.
Ms James studied media production and TV at university and always thrived doing creative things and over the years she supported many local independents in the area.
She was inspired to set up her Instagram account (@exploredineyorkshire) in 2022 after meeting a few people who were food bloggers. She now has nearly 17,000 followers.
Ms James’s account has expanded over the years to more than just food, exploring various Yorkshire landscapes, villages, businesses and areas.
“I don’t just specifically work on food, I love exploring and I cover food, hotels, staycations, glamping, activities to do in the area, places to explore, it’s really covering that whole stay, dine, explore across Yorkshire,” she said.
“The contrast therapy is really big at the moment, so I’ve been out in Hebden Bridge and other places in Yorkshire that are really small but they’ve got their own saunas and cold water spaces.
“I definitely branched away from just being a food blogger because when I started it, it was more about exploring.
“I’m doing what I love; I love being outdoors, I love outdoor activities like being on the water, kayaking, wild swimming and it’s just about celebrating Yorkshire and local small businesses.
“Those are the businesses I want to give exposure to, they’re the people I care about. It’s tough at the moment and I want the spotlight to be on them rather than big businesses.”
One of her video posts on her page listed the prettiest autumnal spots in Yorkshire.
The first on the list is Thirty Nine Bakehouse in Ilkley.
“I’m quite lucky being based in Leeds because you can get out so easily to the countryside and the greenery,” Ms James said.
“I love Ilkley; there are amazing walks, you’ve got the Ilkley Rocks, the moors. I got contacted by 39 Bakehouse in Ilkley to visit them last autumn and I’d seen them everywhere.
“They’re really good with the seasons; their decor is just beautiful, they’ve got all of the maple leaves everywhere, they really go all out.
“They’re a family-run business; it’s mum, dad and Sophie who you will generally see serving and making the coffee.
“It’s such a lovely place to visit in terms of how autumnal it looks with all of the decor but also the family feel.
“You see the whole family working together and I think that’s something we should support. It’s a really cosy atmosphere in that cafe.”
The next on the list is the restaurant Samuels at the Swinton Estate.
“It’s a really well known hotel in Ripon which is such a beautiful area of North Yorkshire, there are a lot of stately homes and stately hotels there,” Ms James said.
“Their tower is covered in autumnal greenery all the way up and it’s one of the most stunning sites in Yorkshire I think when the leaves start turning.
“They will be turning red now and then it’s all across the side of the hotel and the restaurant. Samuels restaurant has gold ceilings, big fireplaces, it genuinely feels like you’re in a fairytale.
“With the autumnal season and the red leaves coming down, it really is like something out of Beauty and the Beast.”
The third and last on the list is the Old Post Office in Haworth.
"What they offer is the epitome of cosy season for me,” she said.
“Haworth is made for autumn, there are pumpkins everywhere, all the shops are Halloween [themed], quirky, cute and there is a lot of history there which lends itself to the autumn and winter months.
“They offer lattes with pumpkins on them, they will do bonfire martinis and smores hot chocolates. They’ve got a log burner as you walk in.
“That’s the best thing about autumn; when the leaves start changing you can go on a cold walk and you’ve got somewhere like this to go back to.
“You’ve got the main cobbled street of Haworth, you’ve got the Bronte Waterfall walk which is a little drive away, probably about five or 10 minutes out of the centre of Haworth.
“The walk through [the place] where the Bronte sisters used to write some of their novels out by the waterfall.”
We need to support local businesses, Ms James said.
“They bring us joy, they give us places to spend time with friends and family, and they provide a range of amazing food,” she said.
“We’ve got so many different cuisines and incredible bakehouses, cafes, restaurants in Yorkshire.
“One of the main things to take away is if you see a blogger or influencer out at a cafe or a restaurant, we get quite a lot of looks.
“People don’t understand exactly what we do but there are so many of us that are here to support and highlight small businesses that really need our help.
“We are here to showcase what they do. Just treat everyone with kindness because we’re not there for an invite or a free meal, I really care about that business.”
To explore her page, visit her Instagram page: @exploredineyorkshire.