The Delicious Dozen: Our guide to great city restaurants
Picture by Jay Wennington
A taste of Hull’s finest eateries
By Phil Ascough
When you hear people grumbling about the so-called dearth of decent dining options in Hull don’t listen to them.
Just show them this alphabetical list of a dozen of our favourites.
Plenty more where these came from. We haven’t even mentioned Princes Avenue, Newland Avenue or Humber Street. Bon appetit!
Asi Barbecue Restaurant and Bar, Walton Street
Tens of thousands of people pass this place on their way in and out of the MKM Stadium yet so few seem to know about the delights which await in the former Brickies pub.
The layout is still that of a neighbourhood boozer, with the usual lagers and ciders on the bar. But in the fridges behind you’ll find bottles of Efes, and the menu is magical with lamb, chicken beef and veggie options cooked on a big indoor barbecue, reminiscent of the magnificent Mimosa on Beverley Road.
Arguably even better is the cold meze – salads and dips bursting with freshness and flavour. If one of our city council readers can sort out the parking restrictions outside, this place could really take off.
Bengal Pride, Chanterlands Avenue
Our very first supper club was in a curry house – the original Tapasya – and we made many repeat visits there and to the new one at the Marina. Both very good, but there’s something special about the more mainstream menus.
Raj Pavilion was brilliant if slightly chaotic when we went there, but for me Bengal Pride just shades it and we’ll be aiming to pay a visit in the coming months.
You’ll find the usual array of starters, sides and mains but it’s worth exploring some of the specials – devdas, rezella and my favourite motor sag balti.
Furley & Co, Princes Dock Street
On the night that Boris Johnson advised people to stay away from pubs and restaurants we had a booking for 36 upstairs at Furleys.
Half of them ducked out, understandably worried by the comments of a Prime Minister who at the time seemed to be serious about protecting the population. Their absence just about meant the rest of us could observe social distancing!
Furleys is a favourite venue. They always create something special for supper club, and the regular menu is a mouth-watering mix of light bites and main meals. One of the few places that opens seven days a week.
Hearth, Trinity Square
Chef Ryan Telford and baker and pastry chef Caitlin Ogden have both worked in Michelin Star environments. Ian Pexton, who runs front-of-house, has worked locally in some top places.
Hearth is the realisation of a long-term dream – Ryan and Ian promised themselves years ago that they would run their own restaurant. They arguably have the best location in the city – who remembers Studio 10 ½ ? – facing Hull Minster and overlooking Prince Street at the back.
The food is finding favour far and wide with people travelling from all over the country, and with Hearth already earning listings in the Michelin Guide and the Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Local Restaurants of 2023.
Home, Beverley Road
As you might expect, Home is like sitting in someone’s front room while they serve you the contents of a spectacularly creative kitchen.
You’ll find a long list of starters and sides featuring seafood and various veggie and vegan options, plus the blackboard specials offering two meat options, two fish and two vegan.
The Sunday lunches are the stuff of legend and the ambience is unlike anywhere else in the region. It’s the worst kept secret in the city that Home is looking for a new home. I might try to persuade my neighbours to move out so they can go there!
Lena’s Ukrainian Kitchen, Bond Street
Lena Sutherland built her reputation by running a deli opposite the BBC building in Hull. She came out of retirement after her country was invaded and set to work serving authentic Ukrainian food to raise money for the relief effort and to provide work for refugees.
Meat, fish, veggie and vegan options are all homemade and highly recommended. The cakes alone make the place worth a visit. And I don’t know of anywhere else round here where you can sit and enjoy a glass or Ukrainian beer or vodka.
The Lodge, Saltshouse Road
Easily mistaken for a private bar at Sutton Park golf club, The Lodge is plush, privately operated and serves up some real treats.
In the main local demand is for family functions but the place is capable of so much more. I was so impressed when I lunched there with England football star Carol Thomas for our Chewing the Fat column for The Hull Story website that I booked a supper club.
We challenged Deborah Spicer, former director of 1884 Wine & Tapas Bar, to recreate one of her old menus and the chefs did a great job transitioning from mainstream to Mediterranean!
Nostalgia Bistro, Chanterlands Avenue
Mata and Yiannis Makris arrived in Hull to acclaim at The Greek in Princes Avenue. Then they opened Artemis Greek Taverna in the city centre and a year ago, after the interruption of the pandemic, they unveiled Nostalgia Bistro.
Plenty of Greek influences as you’d expect but also some twists and turns as Mata serves up a few surprises.
The same goes for Yiannis, who has presented events ranging from a choir and record fair to art exhibition and meat-to-vegan menu challenges.
Oriental Palace, Beverley Road
David Whincup, a retired police superintendent, successful businessmen and good friend, recommended this place in 2019.
I didn’t manage to fit in a visit before the pandemic, and tragically, David and his daughter Jo both died of Covid in April 2020. I think of them every time I eat here.
Like so many good Chinese restaurants it doesn’t look like much from the outside, and it’s fair to say the interior won’t be winning any style awards.
But the welcome from Helen the boss is always warm and the food is terrific, with a menu embracing most of the usual suspects and an intriguing selection of more exotic options. I prefer it to the legendary Yinjibar, but only by the thickness of a spring roll wrapper.
Paragon Arcade, Paragon Street/Carr Lane
Okay, I’m cheating with this one. Paragon Arcade houses six different venues at the last count.
They range from The Hispanist – the city centre’s other Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Local Restaurants of 2023 listing – to five-star street food from Oishii Ne, Salt and Pepper Club, and Stretch Pizza.
Plus the sensational sweet and savoury snacks at Milchig and the smoothies, juices and healthy food options at Dewy. Paragon Arcade is the food hall that Hammonds dreamed of becoming.
Piccolo, Chanterlands Avenue
Not to be confused with the celeb joint at Kingswood, this Piccolo is a wonderful neighbourhood restaurant which has become a great dining destination.
It’s the life’s work of Taha Rehman, who came to Hull as a refugee from Sulaymaniyah, next to the Iraq–Iran war zone.
The menu is heavily Italian but you’ll also find a wide variety of bistro dishes. And Taha is expanding, with the recent addition next door of a bakery and coffee shop which is already buzzing.
Tanyalak, George Street
When we take the supper club to Tanyalak we generally double-up.
The capacity is no more than 25 so we follow our usual Monday night booking with a second sitting on a Tuesday. It’s the only way we can accommodate everybody who wants to go, and indeed there are some people who are tempted to attend both nights!
The attraction is an exciting menu which is extensive but not expensive, and a Thai team who have transformed an unremarkable retail unit into a fun, lively food venue.