There’s a pizza bar in the heart of Ilkley and we recently visited to check them out. Welcome to The Courtyard. Where there’s not only an extensive pizza menu, (with some very interesting toppings!), they are also offering small plates and their famous wings, all made with the best local ingredients.
Previously named The Yard, we have known about this establishment for a few years and have been watching its transition with interest. Now named The Courtyard, they offer a more casual and lively nightspot with a strong focus on good food – especially pizza, booze, gaming, live sports events and music.
It seems to be working a treat in this upmarket spa town in the heart of Yorkshire.
For us, all you need to do is mention ‘pizza oven’ and hand crafted pizzas and we are there!
There’s always been a good atmosphere here, friendly and welcoming with great service, and now they have a menu to match. Small Plates for those who prefer a tapas style of meal where you can share numerous dishes between you, a plethora of pizzas with fantastic names like Return of The Mack, Love It or Hate It, Mother Clucker and the full breakfast pizza that is the Courtyard Brunch.
With a cold beer and glass of Sauvignon in hand, we scoured the menu, choosing a couple of Small Plates; Halloumi Fries with sweet chilli and pomegranate seeds – always a winner and these were very large and very moreish! We also ordered Truffled Yorkshire Rarebit with Best Bitter, Yorkshire cheese and truffle oil. Now this was a meal in itself and one of ingenious combinations of flavours and texture we would have been happy to eat all night!
We did of course each choose a pizza; Mother Clucker (apparently the most popular pizza) and the Courtyard Brunch. We had a side order of Rosemary Salted Skin On Fries for good measure.
Mother Clucker was right up my street with salt and pepper chicken, roasted peppers, chilli and mozzarella. The Courtyard Bruch was fully loaded with crispy bacon, Lishmans breakfast sausage, mushrooms, mozzarella on a Bloody Mary base and topped with an egg! Crisp bases, exploding flavours and looking at what other diners were ordering, these two were very popular choices.
There’s a selection of good old favourites with tried and tested Margherita and Classic Pepperoni Pizzas to some outrageous sounding combinations that just have to be tried. Believe me you will not be disappointed.
To finish, we shared a melting Brownie with creamy Vanilla Ice Cream – and we were done.
With premium draught beers and lagers, games room with interactive darts, shuffleboard and pool table. South facing beer garden and sun terrace, a resident DJ, DJ Tav, with us every Friday and Saturday plus FREE function room hire.
This is the place to be…oh and they do a roaring trade in takeaways too.
Rear of 30A Brook street, Ilkley, LS29 8DE
