Melton's

A stalwart fixture of York's dining scene since the beginning of the 1990s, Melton's is a tribute to Michael and Lucy Hjort's commitment to the city's lively gastronomic culture. Against the famous backdrop of a delightful French-style mural that must by now have earned heritage status, Lucy still runs the front of house with admirable warmth and lightly worn wine knowledge – as was appreciated by the diner who learned a lot from her disquisition on an Australian Saperavi. The stoves have been at the command of Calvin Miller for the better part of a decade, and the cooking has ploughed inventive furrows all across the modern British field. Stimulating combinations distinguish first courses such as smoked eel and Umai caviar with nashi pear and lovage, or a meatily satisfying muster of stuffed morel, confit chicken wing, white asparagus and wild garlic. Textural contrasts are the watchword of main dishes that might see halibut crusted in hazelnuts and truffle, served with salsify, leeks and chanterelles, while salt-aged pork acquires sharp edges from caramelised apple and soured cabbage. The vegetarian alternative could be something like confit carrot with cashews and sea buckthorn in vadouvan sauce. Desserts such as Yorkshire rhubarb with spiced pain perdu, blood-orange and yoghurt offer an almost Matisse-like splash of colour, but if you're looking for a brown study, there's dark chocolate délice with salt caramel and hogweed ice cream. A tasting-menu tour of the horizon is a useful resource. The enterprising wine list has helpful notes throughout and offers fine drinking at surprisingly generous prices.

3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence