25 September 2020

Three of the best restaurants near Huddersfield

I went to university in Huddersfield so on my travels I discovered lots of great places to eat and thought i'd share them today. With the hospitality industry under lots of pressure thanks to new lockdown rules, it's got me thinking about what I can do to support and share the love for some of my favourite restaurants. Here are my picks for three restaurants near Huddersfield to try...

315 Bar & Restaurant 
This restaurant is one you wouldn't find easily so I had to add it to my list of recommendations! 315 was my choice for my graduation meal and since then i've visited for lots of special occasions as the food is such a high standard for the money. My absolute favourite fish and chips are always on the menu - the addition of a drizzle of homemade curry sauce is the best! I recently tried their Hunter's Chicken which was incredible and their desserts are also highly recommended - there's always something a bit different to try and i've never been disappointed. I'm also hoping to try their Afternoon Tea, which would be perfect after a day relaxing in their health spa! 

My recommendations: Ale Battered Haddock, Hunter's Chicken, Tiramisu, Warm Chocolate Fondant 

315 Bar and Restaurant fish and chips near Huddersfield
315 Bar and Restaurant desserts near Huddersfield

Devour
Devour can be found in a little village near Holmfirth just outside Huddersfield. I wanted to share the love for this restaurant which serves some of the best Italian food i've tried including homemade pasta and fresh pizzas, as well as a huge selection of desserts and homemade gelato. This is all in a refurbished barn which creates such a nice atmosphere - i'm sure it will look amazing when it's decorated for Christmas and offers a great place to celebrate a special occasion as well as lunch or dinner. As well as their Deli which is packed with delicious locally sourced and Italian food and sweet treats, this summer they opened an outdoor garden area which looked perfect for enjoying the warm weather. I've also been wanting to try one of their pasta making classes so i'm really hoping it won't be long until they can re-start!

My recommendations: Lobster Ravioli, Calamari, 'Nduja Pizza, Tiramisu, Blueberry Gelato

Devour Italian Restaurant near Huddersfield
Devour Italian Restaurant gelato near Huddersfield
Devour Italian Deli near Huddersfield

Hide and Hoof 
Hide and Hoof is a great option either for a meal or just for a hot drink, cake or ice cream. I've visited lots of times and can highly recommend the brunch menu, hot chocolate and fantastic selection of ice creams on offer. The interior is unique - modern but with a rustic feel as the restaurant is located near Huddersfield on a working dairy farm. Lots of the ingredients are locally sourced, with the Yummy Yorkshire ice cream made just metres from the restaurant! There are some great walks nearby so it's the perfect place for a bite to eat to refuel in a really cosy atmosphere - there's even a special heated seating area outside so you can bring your dog too! 

My recommendations: Fish Butty, BETA, Gingerbread Pancakes (Christmas menu), Lemon & Ginger Crunch Ice Cream

Hide and Hoof Restaurant near Huddersfield

2 February 2020

A day trip to Tavira, Portugal

Last year we went to Portugal for our last sunny holiday for a while (hello home renovation life!), and took a spontaneous day trip to Tavira. It's a beautiful historic little city, and offers just enough places to explore in a day.

After a long steep walk up one of the many cobbled paths, we climbed the steps up to the castle and walked along the walls. Tavira Castle offers beautiful views right across the city, and is located next to one of the 37 churches, the Church of Santa Maria do Castelo. When we reached the top the sun was really beating down, so definitely take a hat and suncream if you're planning a visit as there isn't much shade!

Tavira castle, Portugal

As you walk through Tavira, you'll be met with beautiful views of the sun glistening on the Gilão River which runs through. My favourite thing was the man playing a guitar on the roman bridge which made it feel so atmospheric as we got even more steps in walking along the seven arches.

Gilão River Tavira, Portugal
Roman bridge, Tavira, Portugal

There are lots of places to eat, and with so many cobbled 18th century streets we were spoilt for choice. We stumbled across Pizzeria Luzzo which was hidden away and as we visited at a quiet time, we were able to enjoy pizzas sat outside the restaurant enjoying the sun. You're offered an iPad to place your order which means you can spend time building your perfect pizza, as well as order more drinks throughout your meal.

Pizza restaurants in Tavira, Portugal

If you like the idea of slow living, Tavira is the place to go. It's somewhere I could definitely retire to (in about 50 years!) - there are no big fancy shops and everything feels very traditional.  I loved the historic cobbled streets and the peaceful atmosphere - if i'm ever in Portugal again I would go back as it felt like a real escape from the stresses of work back in the UK!
8 January 2020

The best books I read in 2019

In 2019 I read 15 books which i'm really proud of as it's definitely been a journey to get back into the habit of reading after a few years off! I picked up the pace towards the end of the year to meet my target and this has really helped me to make reading something I do every night rather than a couple of times a week.

I'm much more of a non-fiction lover, opting for medical themed books and ones I can learn from rather than a novel. I've got a couple of fiction books on my to-read pile so 2020 could be the year I finally go back to getting lost in a story! Here are my top six reads of 2019...


This Is Going To Hurt is a book that almost everyone has read and describes life as a junior doctor in the NHS. My final book of 2019 was Adam Kay's follow up 'Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas', which was a festive take on the original and the perfect book to read in December.

Flight Risk is Dr Stephanie Green's experience as a doctor at Heathrow Airport. A really interesting book that captures everything from the challenges of immigration and mental health, through to the responsibility of stopping outbreaks of disease. This book is really well written and without doubt the fastest one I read as I enjoyed it so much.

The Gynae Geek is a book every female needs to own. It's a great way to learn more about how your body works and goes a long way in tackling what can be the taboo subject that is gynaecology. Written by a doctor, this book will put your mind at ease and make you realise that everyone is worrying about the same things and we just need to talk about them more often!

Just Eat It has really made a difference to my relationship with food and explores the concept of intuitive eating. If you feel any kind of guilt when it comes to eating certain foods and spend your life labelling them bad and good or wishing you looked like everyone on Instagram then this is a book you need to read.

Unnatural Causes has made me consider a complete career change. Find out what it's like to work in a mortuary helping to answer questions about how people died, as well as the challenges faced by one of Britain's top forensic pathologists, Dr Richard Shepherd. Many people don't realise that the respect and kindness shown to the dead is exactly the same as those alive and this book does a great job of highlighting this.

Mad About The House is an interior design bible, offering some simple but effective ways to improve your home. It covers everything from how to light a room to the psychology of colour and is a must read if you're planning to renovate your home. I would also really recommend Kate's podcast with Sophie Robinson, The Great Indoors!

My favourite book of 2019 was Unnatural Causes - a book that i've thought about a lot since I read it and one that I would absolutely read again.