This year marks the 60th anniversary of the iconic Box Tree restaurant in Ilkley and to celebrate, diners are invited to step back in time and enjoy dishes from over the decades.

It has welcomed everybody from Hollywood stars to prime ministers; rock stars to royalty, and 60 years after having first opened its doors, The Box Tree restaurant is still proudly flying the flag for fine cuisine.

To celebrate, owners Simon and Rena Gueller are now taking guests on a gastronomic journey back in time, with a menu that includes classics such as coq au vin, duck a l’orange and fruit souffle.

Talking about the celebration menu Simon said: “We could think of no better way to mark 60 years of this incredible restaurant than by showcasing some of its most iconic dishes from over the years.

“It has been a privilege recreating the dishes that have made this restaurant so famous over the years and a fitting tribute to all the great chefs who have worked here and especially to Malcolm Reid, the co-founder of The Box Tree, who sadly died earlier this year.”

With original menus from their archives dating from 1962 through to the present day, Simon and head chef Kieran Smith have carefully selected and adapted the classic dishes to their modern style while head sommelier Didier Da Costa has expertly paired wines with each dish. 

Having won the first of its many Michelin stars in 1974, the restaurant has been home to renowned chefs such as Michael Truelove, Edward Denny, Marco Pierre White and more recently Simon who each made their mark on the menus and the history of the restaurant.

Over the past 60 years, thousands of people have chosen to celebrate some of the most important occasions of their lives within the walls of the 17th century stone cottage and it is a romance not lost on Rena Gueller, who took over the restaurant with Simon in 2004.

She said: “We have customers who have been coming here for 40 and 50 years and to many it is more than just a restaurant. It has a magical feel and is like nowhere else, so to be able to take a step back in time and recreate these dishes from yesteryear brings back so many happy memories for people.”

The new menu, showcasing the restaurant’s most nostalgic dishes over the years, will change every six weeks over the course of the year.

To book a table please call 01943 608484 or make your reservation at theboxtree.co.uk or via email on info@theboxtree.co.uk