Places to eat
Tea Time Café
Rosa’s café at 87 Market Place sits right on Thirsk’s market square. Call in for breakfast, lunch, homemade cakes and cream teas, or book afternoon tea ahead of your visit. Market days are Monday and Saturday, when the square is at its busiest. Dogs are welcome inside. Check current opening hours and menus before you set out.
Bianco Ristorante
Bianco Ristorante is a family-run Italian restaurant at 17 Market Place, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with pasta, stone-baked pizza and steaks. It is open from 11am daily, with food served until 9pm Monday to Saturday and until 8pm on Sunday. Check current opening hours and menus on their website before you visit.
Istanbul Bar & Grill
Istanbul Bar & Grill at 8 Market Place serves charcoal-grilled Turkish food and sharing plates, just across the market square. It is open every day from 12 noon, until 10pm Monday to Thursday and Sunday, and until 11pm on Friday and Saturday. Check current opening hours and menus on their website before you visit.
Places to visit
The World of James Herriot
At 23 Kirkgate, this award-winning museum occupies the original home and veterinary surgery of Alf Wight, who wrote the All Creatures Great and Small stories as James Herriot. The rooms have been restored as they would have appeared in his working life. It is open daily, with shorter hours in winter, so check times and tickets before you go. Allow around 90 minutes.
Thirsk Market Place
The cobbled Market Place is the heart of town, with independent shops around the clock tower. An outdoor market is held on Mondays and Saturdays. Parking is busier on those mornings, so allow a little extra time. Check North Yorkshire Council’s markets pages for current trading information, as arrangements can change.
Thirsk Racecourse
Thirsk is a well-known flat-racing town, and the course on Station Road is an easy walk or short drive from the square. Fixtures run through the spring and summer. Check the official fixture list, ticket information and what is on for each raceday before you set out, as dates and arrangements change from year to year.
The Ritz Cinema
This volunteer-run cinema on Westgate is a much-loved local landmark, just off the market square. It shows a mix of evening films and occasional matinees. Check the current programme and start times on the cinema’s own website, as the schedule changes from week to week.
Sutton Bank and the White Horse
A 15-minute drive east on the A170 brings you to Sutton Bank, where the North York Moors drop away over the Vale of Mowbray. The National Park Centre is a good starting point, with walks along the escarpment to the Kilburn White Horse. Paths can be steep and slippery after rain, so wear suitable footwear and check the weather. Nearby, Byland Abbey and Rievaulx Abbey are also well worth a visit; both are cared for by English Heritage, and opening times vary with the season.
Something for the kids
Thirsk Birds of Prey Centre
Based at Sion Hill Hall, Kirby Wiske, a short drive from Thirsk, the centre is home to a large collection of birds and runs daily flying displays in season. It closed for its winter break from 1 November 2026 and is due to reopen for the 2027 season, so check dates, prices and the display timetable before travelling.
Monk Park Farm
This open farm at Bagby, a few miles from Thirsk, is a popular family day out, with animals to meet and outdoor activities. Opening dates change through the year, including seasonal events, so check the farm’s own calendar and prices before you go. The village is also home to The Greyhound at Bagby, a family-run pub serving British and Turkish dishes — useful to know if you are planning lunch nearby.
Places to stay in Thirsk
Morndyke Shepherds’ Huts
Luxury Shepherds’ Huts in North Yorkshire set within a peaceful corner of our working farm beside our private fishing lake….
Morndyke Cottage
Tucked beside our farmhouse, this beautifully finished two-bedroom cottage offers a peaceful country escape with a touch of luxury. French…
Looking for things to do in Thirsk and a comfortable place to come back to? Stay at Morndyke Cottage or the Morndyke Shepherds’ Huts, or see all of our holiday cottages and shepherds’ huts near Thirsk.
Photo credits and guide sources
Visitor information checked against destination websites in November 2026. Photographs show the actual named places. The Tea Time Café, Bianco Ristorante, Istanbul Bar & Grill, Thirsk Racecourse and Monk Park Farm photographs were supplied for this guide. Historic views may differ from current appearance. Images displayed with responsive cropping. Tea Time Café, Bianco Ristorante, Istanbul Bar & Grill, Thirsk Racecourse and Monk Park Farm: photographs supplied for this guide; Statue of James Herriot (The World of James Herriot): Gerald England, CC BY-SA 2.0; Thirsk Market Place: Tim Green, CC BY 2.0; The Ritz Cinema: David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0; Kilburn White Horse: Dunpharlain, CC BY-SA 4.0; Sion Hill Hall (Thirsk Birds of Prey Centre): Matthew Hatton, CC BY-SA 2.0.
