The Angel at Hetton

An exquisite evening a la carte meal. The food was plentiful, full of taste and so well presented. Served by knowledgeable and very friendly staff we thoroughly enjoyed our evening and enjoyed the added treats too. Backed up by a very nice drinks list with a pint of the local Hetton Pale Ale at its best, what's not to like? We celebrated a big birthday last year at Raffles (Singapore) and this overall experience was much better, and considerably cheaper! Well done all...look forward to our return in September.

Possibly one of the best restaurants in the UK. It's not just the food which is exceptional, but the service is amazing. This was our third visit as a special occasion visit. We'd loved their carrot dish on a previous visit, and even though it wasn't on this years menu, they made it for us specially. We didn't stay over this time, but we have previously and the rooms are fabulous It's a beautiful location, oozes quality and employs the very best trained staff I've been lucky enough to encounter in hospitality. It's not cheap of course, but when you factor in the experience and the skill that goes into the food its worth every penny.

We have been going to The Angel regularly for the last 4 years. This was the first time we had been disappointed. The room and service were both fine. The Tasting Menu, which we always have, was poor. The flavours were great but there was nothing substantial to any of the courses. Even the guinea fowl was very small. Neither my wife nor I are particularly big eaters and we have struggled to finish everything at places like Ynyshir or Moor Hall. But here we were by no means full by the end of the meal. At £160 per head this is relatively expensive for a 1 star restaurant outside London. They recommended the wagyu as an additional course for another £35 which is taking it near 2 star prices and this isn’t a 2 star restaurant. They need to go back to making it a bit simpler and put more on the plates. The hot parts of the breakfast were lukewarm, tea and coffee both cold.

This was by far the best meal we have experienced in a long time. the food was exquisite, the service was exceptional and for the quality and quantity of food was good value. We went for the Sunday lunch set meal. Although the cote de boeuf was incredibly tasty the star dish was the fish course with a delicious piece of perfectly cooked arctic char. The buttermilk dressing was so good it was very tempting to pick up the bowl and lick it. Despite being so full by the time we reached dessert, one small mouthful opened up our taste buds again and clean plates soon appeared. This place is worth a special trip for such a culinary experience and with the added bonus of a location with stunning scenery.

First of all I need to mention the staff who make this place so amazing. Their combination of friendliness and professionalism is what every hotel should aspire to. We were greeted with warmth and taken to our spotlessly clean and immaculately prepared room. Restaurant staff gave us just the right degree of attention and let the food and wine speak for themselves.|Our rooms were of good size, very comfortable and with good facilities. Personally I would have liked the decor softened perhaps with some art of a coloured rug. My only niggle of our entire stay would be the lighting system which is over engineered and the switches difficult to see if you are short sighted. We slept well.|Our a la carte meal was simply outstanding, one of the best I have ever eaten in the UK and surely a second star can not be far away. The amount of work that must have gone into producing the food must be huge. Beautiful to look at on the plate and even better to taste. |Overall the Angel ar Hetton is simply wonderful and we hope to be back soon.|Hint: When driving to Hetton avoid Colne if at all possible!

First came here in about 2010 as a very good but very different incarnation, but it was excellent and we stayed in one of the cottages. Two return visits (after keeping an eye on what was happening with various changes) in 2023 and 2024 and wow is it ever really now a genuinely truly special place to go to. Surprised they didn’t get to two stars already but presume it’s a matter of time given the pedigree of MW and the quality of what we’ve had there. Lovely lightness of touch and real elegance in the presentation, lovely staff, welcoming and helpful, though some of the wine pairing patter was rushed and felt inauthentic. Wines could be slightly more accessible overall, we saw markups of 4-5+ times retail on the lower end of the list, but then again that’s not especially unusual, but a bit of a shame as the former incarnation of the angel had old and deep cellars with great value to be found - if you want that great wine dimension to your meal the Inn at Whitewell is still doing slightly better on that front. Will return again I am sure and would encourage anyone to before that second star and it becomes much harder and costlier to. Have already introduced a few friends and everyone suitably impressed.

Everything about the Michael Wignall’s cooking is extraordinary. The technical skills involved to create these perfectly formed plates is simply astounding. He must work like a surgeon with his tweezers and tools in a space that looks more like a futuristic laboratory than a kitchen! ||Will your taste buds be challenged? For sure|Will you feel out of your comfort zone? Yes|Will you wonder WTH is this? Absolutely ||But go with the flow and let a vast array of complex flavours hit your tongue and tingle the senses. I’m a massive fan of Japanese cooking and culture and I have the feeling Wignall is too as there is often that wonderfully elusive Umami. Flavour running through dishes known for their umami qualities such as mushrooms, dashi stock and cheeses. ||Tried of the formality of a tasting menu that goes on forever? So are we, so we A La Carte which turned out to be a perfect decision as there are so many additional dishes thrown in on top. They just can’t resist sharing their innovative creations with you. Add a cheese course for sure and you will be comfortably full.||Too many highlights to run through so you’ll just need to try it yourself. If Wignall doesn’t bag another star (as he has done previously) I’ll eat my shorts (but only if they’re cooked by Michael: )||Truly extra-ordinary…||Thanks to Michael, Johanna, Rebecca & the team

Just returned from an amazing overnight stay at the Angel. The accommodation with Nordic style decor was superb and the food out of this world. Every course provided surprising twists. The staff were pleasant, helpful and welcoming. We will be back.