North Yorkshire glasshouse cafe in walled garden is a gem

The Vinehouse Cafe at Helmsley Walled Garden is owned and run by siblings Mollie and Sam Chapman.

Some customers have said they had “the best food in a while” when stopping by, while others suggested it is “well worth a visit”.

Mollie and Sam aim to serve fresh food using quality ingredients from the walled garden where possible, according to the Helmsley Walled Garden website.

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It explains: “This has proved a winning formula with the cafe being voted Visit England’s’ Visitor Experience Award winners in Yorkshire within the food and drink category.

“The seasonal menu includes dishes such as feta and green bean frittata; Yorkshire ham and mature cheddar melt with lashings of onion marmalade or lamb rump served on flatbread with salsa and a mint raita, accompanied by home-made salads.

“In the winter you will find hearty and warming food such as a tasty home-made soup or a pie on the menu.”

When it comes to the cafe’s sweet treats, it shares: “Our scones are freshly baked each morning and we always have a good selection of homemade cakes and slices which can be enjoyed with a cup of tea from our selection of speciality teas, or a mug of freshly ground coffee.

“With plenty of seating inside and out and fabulous views of the castle you can relax and enjoy your meal.”

‘Unique glasshouse cafe hidden by the North York Moors’

Over on TikTok, local content creator The Yorkshire Rose who “finds places in Yorkshire worth a detour” describes the foodie spot as a “unique glasshouse cafe hidden by the North York Moors”.

In a video exploring The Vinehouse Cafe, @theyorkshirerose_ adds: “A peaceful spot tucked away behind the beautiful Helmsley Walled Garden just a short stroll away from the town centre.

“Whether you’re stopping by for a coffee and cake, breakfast, lunch or an afternoon stroll in the gardens, this is the perfect setting for it.

“There’s outdoor and indoor seating, the latter of which is inside four Victorian glasshouses with grapevines trailing above the tables.

“Surrounded by flowers, fruit trees and the historic garden walls and outdoor seating, it is the perfect place on a sunny day.

'A peaceful spot tucked away behind the beautiful Helmsley Walled Garden' (Image: Tripadvisor)

“On the menu, there’s a range of great homemade cakes, pastries, hot and cold sandwiches, buddha bowls, seasonal specials and more.

“There’s plenty of delicious drinks to choose from too including fresh juices, coffees, teas and even gin cocktails."

The Yorkshire Rose continued: “We tried the iced elderflower, cappuccino and an oat milk latte.

“For our food we went for the broccoli and cheddar soup which was on special, and two of the hot sandwich plates, the cheddar and onion, and the Yorkshire butchers ham and cheddar.”

Meanwhile, The Vinehouse Cafe’s Tripadvisor profile details: “Our lovely cafe is based at Helmsley Walled Garden has over 170 outdoor seats and 100 inside.

“Set within four Victorian glasshouses it’s a chilled out quirky space.

“We pride ourselves on our freshly baked scones, fabulous fresh lunches and our gin cocktails! We are dog friendly inside and out.”

On the popular review and travel advice platform, it has a “very good” 4.4/5 rating at the time of writing, with 181 “excellent” reviews out of a possible 266.

A recent guest highlighted the gluten-free menu choices specifically, and commented: “Such a lovely place, lots of gluten free options in such a lovely environment.

“I had Brie and Bacon toastie that came with a great range of salads.

“3 GF cake options, we bought the brownie and pecan slice….both were delicious.”

Another happy customer complimented: “The best food i’ve had in a while!!!

'Eat inside under a canopy of grapevines in a renovated beautiful glasshouse' (Image: Tripadvisor)

“The sandwiches are amazing, same with the frittata and even the sides were stunning with each little salad bit seasoned and sauced.

“Lovely staff and such a stunning venue!”

This visitor wrote: “Fantastic experience, great place. Food great, experience great, lovely people, a hidden gem, well worth a visit.

“Quick service, great place. We will certainly be back.”

Someone who had a “memorable visit” at The Vinehouse Cafe put: “Great food - Buddha Bowl - a new discovery for me - eat inside under a canopy of grapevines in a renovated beautiful glasshouse or should I say vinery.

“Querky, and characterful. Or sit outside surrounded by beautiful walled garden. A very memorable visit for all our family. Thank you.”

The cafe's opening hours for the 2026 season are currently Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 3pm.

Have you discovered The Vinehouse Cafe at Helmsley Walled Garden? Let us know in the comments below.