The food was stunning and the service was beyond amazing. We didn't have a reservation and we're lucky to get the last available table. Right from the start Gemma was incredibly friendly and helpful when discussing dietary needs (my partner is Coeliac and needs gluten free). We got complementary tapenade, neither of us are big fans of olives but this dish changed both of our opinions! The crab Tian was incredibly tasty, the smoked duck breast was the best duck I have ever eaten, the black cherry sauce balanced it perfectly. Both the chocolate torte and the gluten free cheesecake finished the meal perfectly. The precise are very reasonable too. We will definitely be returning and make sure we book next time!

Absolutely amazing team, just made our day! We had a very stressful afternoon - and these guys completely shifted it over the course of a dinner with their smiles, banter and delicious food. Great menu, including an entire page with gluten free and vegetarian options. The seabass fillet was our winner, followed by the cheese platter for desserts. Thank you again!

Wow what a fantastic hidden gem! We were passing through on our way from Scotland down to South England and were in the area for the evening. Google suggested this bistro as highly rated so called ahead to see if they had a table, we were in luck. Arrived to a lovely building on a cobbled street to a warm welcome from the waiter and waitress. The ambience was lovely and the menu had great choices for all courses. Everything we were served looked amazing and tasted delicious. We cannot wait to return on our next trip up north!

We had a wonderful time visiting Willowgate Bistro for my girlfriend’s birthday. We were slightly late arriving however after a quick telephone call the team were more than happy to accommodate us a little later than booked. I was delighted on arrival to see they’d purchased a lovely birthday balloon and positioned it next to our quiet table in the corner of the restaurant. What a nice touch! The food was fabulous - we had duck and steak followed by lemon cheesecake and chocolate tart, all cooked and presented beautifully. The wine and cocktails were superb and the staff couldn’t have done more for us. We had a fabulous meal at Willowgate Bistro and have already booked to return this weekend as the final meal of our holiday. Highly recommended, many thanks!

Best restaurant in the area. Everything perfectly cooked and beautifully presented. Friendly service.

Amazing local bistro! Went there on my first visit to Pickering and had a great experience. Recommend booking ahead, as it can get very busy in the evening and it’s very easy and quick to do so. They change the menu every few months and have a good variety to choose from. For mains we picked the steak with peppercorn sauce and the smoked haddock, which were both amazing. For starters we had the smoked duck and the king prawns and squid, both delicious. For dessert we shared the molten chocolate pudding that comes with vanilla ice cream and fruit. Red Wine was also good and staff were super nice and polite. Highly recommend going there for dinner. Price was fair. £31 for three courses (£5 extra if you choose the steak).

AMAZING FOOD!! Everything was delicious. The complimentary tapenade was surprisingly moorish, especially when neither of us like olives and it was a nice touch. We had the crab arrancini and pork to start, both were very fresh and piping hot, incredibly enjoyable. We had the monk fish and venison for mains and neither could be faulted. The monkfish was cooked perfectly, it was soft and fell apart. The venison was also perfectly cooked. We managed to squeeze in dessert which was well worth it. It was one of the fluffiest sticky toffee puddings I've ever had and the chocolate torte was huge and absolutely incredible. It was easy to tell the staff were passionate about their business and took the time to talk to us about the food and the local area. Definitely worth a visit. The higher price tag is reflected in the quality and quantity of the dishes.

Enjoyed a romantic meal on a Friday night. Food, service, drinks, portion size, etc, could not fault this place. If we lived closer we'd be there very often. We tried 5 different dishes between us and they were all outstanding. Defo recommend

Both the food and the service were absolutely amazing. We were lucky enough to get the last table as walk ins. We'd scouted the menu online as I'm coeliac and need the gluten free menu. The complimentary tapanade was lovely and I don't usually like olives! I had the crab to start which was sweet and fresh with its accompaniments. The duck breast for a main was cooked to perfection and the hint of black cherry in the gravy/sauce was amazing. I was pleasantly surprised to see a cheesecake on the gluten free menu and being as cheesecake is my favourite dessert (that I can't normally have when I'm out!) I jumped at the chance. It was served in a cocktail glass with salted caramel sauce and fresh fruit (just no biscuit! What an simple change to cater to the GF community!) We will be singing the praises of this place to everyone and will definitely be back, (and will book next time!) :)

Quiet evening meal for two. Good choice of food on the menu. Good selection of wine. Booking in advance is recommended, as was fully booked on our visit.

As a meat eater with a partner who is vegetarian we always look for interesting restaurants. We eat out a lot. Staying in Pickering we read reviews for this restaurant and it had a vegetarian menu as well as a meat one. We could not get a table first night so took the only slot available at 5.3o today. My food was lovely, but my partner's was bland and although the food looked the part, it did not deliver on taste. The mushroom dish had grit and one of the stalks was inedible,It is a pity I think the chef must not understand the vegetarian palate, not the best dining experience.

Went with friends very last minute . This place gets five stars on every level for me. Food delicious excellent choice and friendly staff. A special place and the best place we visited on our mini break. Would like to return.

Beautiful good and excellent service. This is a repeat visit and will go again. £38 for 2 courses, but we'll worth it. Reserve a table.

The only restaurant in Pickering to serve genuinely top quality food. Well presented, with friendly staff too.

Have to say this place shines. Booked on the off chance as we'd had an Indian and Chinese the nights before which had been poor. This place did not disappoint. You have to book a table, it's popular and id say unlikely to get a walk in table. I had shoulder of pork for starters, and venison for my main, was just excellent. Good size and went home very happy and enjoyed every moment. Would highly recommend and will be going back the next time I visit Pickering.

Wonderful welcome on arrival in a lovely setting. We were brilliantly looked after from start to finish. Our food was amazing and served at a perfect pace. We’ll visit again when next staying in Pickering, thank you.

What a fantastic place! The food was amazing, the service was excellent! Well worth a visit!

A small but interesting menu. Everything was beautifully cooked. My husband thought his duck was the best he had ever tasted! Super desserts. Lovely servers. A thoroughly enjoyable evening. Thank you to all the staff.

First class food and arguably the best fish pie we have ever had.

Booked this restaurant for Saturday evening 17th September 2022; fantastic food, wonderful staff and so glad they could fit us in. Would definitely recommend and would book again in we were staying in the area.

A real gem, wonderful menu, great choices. We discovered it while on holiday from Essex, and are planning a return to Pickering so we can visit again. We would recomend to all.

Just awesome. From our warm welcome, the appetisers, the attention to taste, detail and quality.... it would be churlish to fault anything, even the ambiant background music. This was not just dinner, it was a dining experience that was wonderful. The chefs and owners clearly know what they want to achieve, and how. The wine was superb and complemented our main courses perfectly. As for the dessert, oh my. I cannot speak highly enough of this jewel in Pickering. Thank you for a most enjoyable evening. We will most certainly be back.