A MICHELIN-starred chef with restaurants in York and North Yorkshire has opened the doors on a new pub with rooms in a stunning venue.

As The Press reported earlier this year, Tommy Banks, whose restaurants are The Black Swan at Oldstead and Roots in Marygate in York, along with his family, Matthew Lockwood and the Tommy Banks Group are launching their latest venture not far from the Michelin-starred Black Swan.

The Abbey Inn, a 70-cover pub with three, luxury roomshas now opened its doors overlooking the stunning ruins of Byland Abbey.

Read next: 

Tommy said: "Washing pots in this building was one of my very first jobs when I was a kid, so to now open my own pub in it is a dream. It’s a beautiful venue, with so much history in its four walls.

"One of my main goals in opening a third place is to continue my mission for championing hyper-local, sustainable produce. We’ve been rearing our own cattle, sheep and pigs for a while now, and The Abbey Inn allows us to get one stop further in our journey to complete carcass balance and true nose-to-tail dining."

York Press: The Abbey Inn at Byland, with the abbey ruins behind The Abbey Inn at Byland, with the abbey ruins behind (Image: Newsquest)

The Abbey Inn was built by monks in 1845 as a farmhouse, but by 1853 had been converted into a pub.

The Grade II listed, 19th century inn has been sensitively refurbished by the Banks family, taking care to preserve and highlight the old building’s original features. Dining tables have been crafted in the workshops on the farm at Oldstead and the pub’s
sign has been hand carved by Tommy’s father, Tom Banks.

Spearheading the food, alongside Tommy, is head chef Charlie Smith, who has worked for the Group for over five years across The Black Swan, Roots, York and Made In Oldstead.

The pub serves reimagined classics with their signature Oldstead style, using outstanding
ingredients from the nearby farm and garden, including their own meat, reared a mere
mile away from The Abbey Inn.

The pub’s Sunday roast include options of pork with pig cheek toad in the hole and
salt-aged Dexter beef with braised oxtail toad in the hole - both served with seasonal
vegetables, duck fat roast potatoes, brassica cheese and, of course, gravy.

The dessert menu features the likes of carrot and chicory tiramisu and a
seasonal tart, with The Abbey Inn soft serves taking centre stage. Using homemade soft
serve ice cream from Jersey cow’s milk and locally foraged ingredients, the ever changing flavours include; Douglas fir with lemon verbena and white chocolate; strawberry and sweet cicely and York cocoa house chocolate and rye cookie.

As well as the family’s premium canned wines, Banks Brothers, The Abbey Inn offers a 30-bin wine list showcasing producers from lesser known regions.

The pub’s cocktails, led by James Banks, highlight produce grown or foraged in and around Oldstead like the Byland Spritz featuring Oldstead ‘Campari’, Rhubarb Schnapps and Marigold Distillate and the Abbey Inn Summer Cup which features a
homemade bramble liqueur.

The pub’s three bedrooms will open on July 31.