More than just a Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms
IMPORTANT UPDATE
We have now decided to close both The Black Swan at Oldstead and Roots York due to the Coronavirus pandemic. We make this decision with a heavy heart. We are thankful for all the wonderful support we have received from our guests and our amazing team. Though we cannot know the future, we promise to be open again as soon as possible and continue to push the restaurants forward.
We now have a huge task dealing with the bookings that we have over the next few weeks. If you have a reservation with us, we will be contacting you as soon as possible. We are going to get in touch with our guests in date order with the most imminent first. Of course, we can provide you with a refund but we would be very grateful if you choose to rearrange your booking for later in the year and look forward to welcoming you to our restaurants again.
It looks like we will be spending the next few weeks somewhat isolated in Oldstead. We are determined to continue with all our spring plans for the farm and garden and to safeguard the future stream of produce for the kitchen.
At times like this, we all need something to look forward to, so we will be dreaming of celebrating the re-opening of our restaurants and hope that you will be there with us in better times.
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Homegrown Creativity
Chef, Tommy Banks’ talent is in itself truly remarkable. He was Britain’s youngest Michelin-starred chef in 2013 and won Great British Menu in 2016 and 2017. The Michelin-starred Black Swan was awarded The Best Restaurant in the UK 2018 by The Food and Travel Magazine and the ‘Best Fine Dining Restaurant in the World’ by TripAdvisor, in 2017.
“I see the Black Swan as a co-operative of minds. We have great people working here; some real characters with tremendous talent and it’s their coming together that creates something special. We want our guests to feel part of it and experience it with us. It’s not just a job for us, it’s a lifestyle”
– Tommy Banks
Informal Hospitality
During your stay you will meet many of our staff. Both the kitchen and front-of-house teams spend many hours working outside; they really understand what the food is and why it’s on the plate; they can tell you the whole story from start to finish.
“I like to think that we have brushed aside much of the formality normally associated with fine dining; for us it’s about our guests having fun; so it’s good food, good service and a good time” – Anne Banks
Something unique
“We’re lucky to have such a creative team. Growing and foraging so much ourselves really gives us an edge and a chance to do things differently. Guests get something unique to us; our personality, our place and our ideas.”
– James Banks
Yorkshire farmers
“As Yorkshire farmers, it’s great that our food is eaten right here where it’s been grown (with so few food miles) but before we take ourselves too seriously, let’s not forget the distance that you, our guests, might have travelled in order to eat it”
– Tom Banks
Designed and Made in Oldstead
Owned and run by The Banks Family, who have lived and farmed around Oldstead for many generations; The Black Swan is very much their creation, with Tommy Banks heading the kitchen and his brother James running the front-of-house. There’s an “Oldstead” style; plenty of tradition and culture, cut through with a modern earthy, exuberance.
Tommy, James and their parents Anne and Tom Banks were joined in 2018 by Matt Lockwood to establish their new restaurant, Roots York on Marygate in York. Roots opened in September 2018 carrying the field to fork ethos into its small sharing plates restaurant. Bringing a little bit of Oldstead into the city.
Made In Oldstead Cocktails
We’re excited to announce the launch of our new Black Swan Oldstead Bottled Cocktail range which is now available to buy via the Tommy Banks website.
Our Black Swan Oldstead Bottled Cocktails are a selection of delicious drinks crafted from produce grown in the Black Swan Garden and foraged from the Oldstead area. You can now experience restaurant specification cocktails at home – No equipment or bartending experience required, just chill the bottle and pour!
There are 3 different Oldstead cocktails to try with only a limited number of each available. There’s a Rhubarb ‘Negroni’, a Marigold Martini and a Damson Sazerac or if you can’t decide there’s the Black Swan Bottled Cocktail Set.
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