Rustique Restaurant

WOW! so glad we tried this place, its almost hidden away, located at the rear of Chantry Wynd, and it almost looked closed when we first visited, but trust me - its open! It’s all indoor seating, however, it’s been very tastefully decorated to look like you are sitting outdoors in the streets of Paris! which makes the atmosphere lovely, and its also very Dog Friendly! The Set Menu is extremely good value for money & the food quality is outstanding, the portions are also huge! The Beef Bourguignon, Pan Fried Mushrooms & the Mussels in White Wine Cream were personal favourites of ours, although we enjoyed everything we tried & everything was cooked to perfection! I cannot rate this place highly enough! we liked it so much, we went back twice in the same week! 😅 merci beaucoup!

I am writing this review with mixed feelings because I can see how everyone locally seems to love it, including some acquaintances familiar with the area. However, having been to France, as well as to French bistros outside of France, I am afraid Rustique simply doesn’t make the cut for anyone with an international palate. We both had mussels as starters, then went on to duck confit (confit de canard) and lamb shank for mains. The mussels were fresh, but the rest of the dish just wasn’t quite right. The onions (or shallots) were not cooked enough, therefore not softened. The broth was unnecessarily thickened and the flavor way too sharp, hence not able to taste the natural flavors of the mussels. With regard to the duck confit, the meat was actually very well cooked, but they ruined it by soaking the entire dish in an excessively artificially thickened sauce (supposedly red wine jus, but presented and tasted more like a flavorless cheap gravy). This is simply not done when it comes to duck confit. One is typically served with no or minimum sauce lying beneath or around the confit so that you can show off the beautifully crisped skin. The large bed of red cabbage underneath the duck was sweetened and the fact that it was also soaked in the gravy didn’t help. Sadly we couldn’t eat any despite being red cabbage lovers. The dauphinoise potatoes that came with the dish were decent except for the thick impenetrable cheesy burned top. The lamb shank was reasonable well cooked, so was the spring onion mash that came along. Although neither of the flavors were particularly french nor inspiring. However, the balance of the dish was thrown by the amount of mash and sauce on the plate. But we understand that it is perhaps a style of serving preferred in North Yorkshire. Service was great, the waitress was professional and lovely, the atmosphere was also quite charming.

Unique,interesting venue. Really nice food. Good service on the evening we visited. I'd happily re visit. Good menu choice available.

Every time we visit Richmond we come here. We eat the same thing because we love it to much. The staff are amazing, the food is tasty and clearly high quality. Keep smashing it La Rustique, don’t ever change

The garlic hits you first when you walk in and the food which follows is truly delicious, wish more places offered French Onion Soup followed with a Croque Monsieur accompanied by great service and wonderful atmosphere. What’s not to like!

Food was so delicious! Their set menu is very good value for money, totally recommend it. I had the confit duck with dauphinoise potatoes for main and creme brulee for dessert. Everything was full of flavour and well prepared. Good wine selection and great service.

We had a very enjoyable meal last night and it’s set in an atrium like place that has the real feel of a Parisian covered bistro which immediately added a great feel. The food was excellent (top notch beef bourguignon) and the service impeccable and all at a reasonable price (£22.50 for the two course menu). Highly recommended

First time at this restaurant, we have been wanting to try for a while now. Needless to say we were not disappointed. The restaurant itself is very atmospheric and welcoming. Excellent choices on set, a la carte and specials menus. Noah, our server was top drawer, very professional, friendly and knowledgeable. We will definitely be returning. Ease of parking in market square.

My first thought towards this dining experience over a week ago was I wouldn't even wade into the enthusiastic mostly 5-star rating of a French styled restaurant in a fairly small town in Northern rural England. Just let it go. So here's what is bothering me, and I have strong feelings about this: the beef bourguignon. It's not rocket science to make this dish, and its base is a rich, savory beef broth mingled with things like onions, carrots, shallots, herbs like thyme and rosemary and possibly other spices to the chef's liking. Happen to know a bit about the dish because I've been making it for years. It's all about the broth to this diner. And to be fair, I once had a sadder version of the dish in Paris long ago. So how hard is it to make? Well, apparently the chefs in pubs and similar dining spots along the way are able to craft outstanding versions of their steak and ale pie that are simply outstanding in their robust beef taste. If those chefs can make that dish so well, so savory, why can't something similar be applied to beef bourguignon? I maintain the broth in starting the cooking process was simply not up to par. Lacking in richness, the beef was over-dried, suggesting it had been sitting too long or just wasn't prepared correctly. Instead of baby potatoes, a side of mashed potatoes sat off to the side of the beef and broth. Sorely lacking in the amount of butter needed and low on salt, it was an unpleasant and uninspiring addition that added nothing to the dish. The salad that proceeded the meal was listed as shrimp and mango. Out came baby shrimp with the rubbery taste of just thawed, mixed with mango, then a massive amount of Thousand Island like dressing drenching it all with a few chives atop. Not a great effort. Kudos for offering a true French Malbec from the Southwest corner of the country, the black wine, but this one was pedestrian and was served in the kind of wine glass that screams cheapest serving ware possible with its thick rim around the top. I can commend the staff which was professional and on top of it on a busy Friday night. Beyond that, this is a pass for me. Should have stuck to a local pub serving traditional countryside pies as the ones I've had along the Coast to Coast walk, my reason for being here, have all been outstanding.

Thanks to Emily B's brilliant local knowledge we ended up here early-ish on a Saturday night to benefit from their pre-1830 set menu which at £15 for 2 courses and £18 for 3 is great value for the quality of the food. I had a nice crab cake to start and only had slight food envy of my bf's delicious deep fried brie (yeah would def get that next time). For mains I had a fantastic rich and beautiful cooked duck leg and then a classic creme brulee to finish. Bf had the beef bourguignon which he loved and was still commenting on days later. On the sides front I would recommend the creamed leeks and green beans (in garlic butter), only thing I wasn't so keen on was the ratatouille. Service was very good and I love the design of the restaurant which involves a fake outdoor pavement seating area!

We were recommended Rustique when staying locally. After a very disappointing meal in the Kings Head the previous evening this was a revelation. As a previous 'post' states, it would be easy to miss but don't do that. Book a table and enjoy the fabulous food, attentive, happy staff and wonderful atmosphere. We've already booked for July 2023 when we pass through again on a journey north.

Came here over the bank holiday weekend and went for the set menu deal. Some good insider, local knowledge by Emily B! With some places, the dishes on the set menu are fairly limited but we had lots of different options. I went for the pate for starter which was nice. It came with soft French bread - more used to pate coming with more crispy/crunchy bread, but thats just a personal preference. Was still good. For the main, I went for the steak frites. Whenever steak is on a menu, and its the first time visiting it, the steak has a decent chance of being picked. I had it with peppercorn sauce (and got some green beans on the side). As far as steaks go, it was a really tasty steak. I have had better if I am honest which was bit more tasty and more juicy but thats not to say this wasn't anything but a good steak. I was a little disappointed with the green beans which I think were a bit undercooked - I think they had some cheese "seasoning" on it which was a nice flavour. And although I wasn't too keen on the beans, Natalie W had some of them and really liked them. The service was very good, I like the interior of the site and the area of the restaurant which was like you were sat inside, (but you were inside).

I love this restaurant. There's no other word for it; it's definitely true love. Whenever I'm in the area and it's time to catch up with friends, go for a nice meal with my boyfriend, or even just grab some lunch during the day, Rustique is always my first choice. There's something on the menu for everyone, and everything I've tried has been delicious. The two stalwarts I keep coming back to are the steak baguette (rare steak in mustard mayo in a huge crusty baguette) and the Confit de Canard (succulent slow roast duck leg in a red wine sauce with Dauphinoise potatoes). They do a fantastic set menu which offers two courses for £13.95 or three for £15.95. Stingy as I am, I usually go for this, though on my last visit it wasn't available and I had to choose from the pricier a la carte menu. It did not disappoint. Myself and a friend shared the Assiette de Crustaces (oak smoked salmon, dressed crab, dill pickled herring, crayfish cocktail, beet slaw, celeriac remoulade, French bread) and for my main I opted for Selle d'Agneau (herb crusted lamb rump, red wine sauce, green beans, Dauphinoise potatoes). All so delicious it was worth paying a little extra. I never have anything less than a lovely time here and wouldn't dream of giving any less than 5 stars, though on my last visit I felt oddly let down by (of all things) the toilets. They've made very poor use of the space, so you have to navigate round bins and ornamental dressers to get to it. Then the lock is so stiff you worry you might never get out, and the flush doesn't work. I heard another customer bringing this to the attention of the staff so hopefully it will get sorted. If you're in the area, visitor or local, I urge you to go. There are two other restaurants in York which I can't personally vouch for, but if they're the same then get yourself there.

What a lucky surprise this was! We needed a place to eat before a concert in a tiny Yorkshire Dales town, and gave this a try based on Trip Advisor reviews. I'm SO glad we did! We booked earlier in the day, and got a table for 5:45 pm on a Friday. It did start to get quite busy when we left at 7 so definitely book! Service is leisurely, and very professional, so know that if you're in a hurry. And I'm pretty sure their owner is French, I spoke to him on the phone and his accent is delightful. The fun thing about Rustique is that they are in what I'd call a former alley, that has been enclosed and given essentially a skylight roof. So there's an "inner" restaurant that looks normal, and an "outer" restaurant where you're still technically inside, but it feels like you're outside. Like being on a patio with walls and a glass ceiling. All the fun of al fresco dining without being really cold - oh, English summers, how sad you make me. Anyway, Rustique has a set menu on Friday and Saturday until 7 pm (and until 9 pm the rest of the week) that is brilliant. 2 courses for £13.95 and 3 courses for £15.95. For the quality of the food that you get, it's an absolute steal!! I started with lovely, velvety carrot orange soup and some bread (soup of the day, it changes, but is always Vegetarian). I loved it, as did my mom. The men in our group both got the Basque egg (sausage, chorizo, new potatoes, egg and peas cooked with paprika). That was a fantastically creative and beautifully presented dish. If you want a heartier appetizer, we'd all recommend that. I then moved on to the Loup de Mer, sea bass over creamy sweet potatoes and lemon-dill sauce. Fantastic, flaky fish. Sweet potatoes plentiful and silky in your mouth. And we got a side of green beans at the server's suggestion - they were absolutely amazing. I feel silly raving about a side of green beans but they were superb - clearly cooked in loads of butter, but worth it!! The men got the beef stew (can't spell bourginion....borginiongnnnn....argh) and loved it as well. Dessert was a creme brûlée that was the first I've had to not be overly sweet and cloying - VERY hard shell on the top that was a delight to crack with spoons. Dad and Mom split a caramel banana crepe that looked divine and they loved it as well. We both couldn't believe our luck at finding this place. It's an absolute gem and a steal for the price. I'd come back here anytime, I'd even go out of my way for it! Certainly the next time we're in the area, we're coming back - my parents have already requested it on their next visit.

Very good value. Food excellently cooked and promptly served. Very attentive service. All in all a great meal. R and L manchester

Great place. Really liked the fried Brie and salad. Very tasty. Seafood crepe also exceptional, as were the sandwiches. Belgian beer also a winner. Very friendly and helpful wait staff.

I went to Rustique with a few friends recently and we enjoyed a brilliant evening. The food, of course, was delicious; some of the best French cuisine I've tasted in the UK! The value for money was excellent, the ambience good, the staff attentive and charming. Speaking of the latter, it was pleasant to be able to speak to a French gentleman who was on the staff- that definitely helped me to feel more as if I were actually dining in my hometown! Overall, a lovely experience and I hope to return to Rustique very soon. Also, a warning: you ought to book in advance as the place does seem to fill up pretty quickly!

Great food if a little pricey especially in Richmond, but you won't be disappointed with the quality.

Food is always great but after trying everything on the menu over the last couple of years could do with updating the menu. Used to have specials on the board but now they just advertise sunday lunches. Think we need to give this place a miss for a while.