Wow! A butchers you can walk past without gagging on the smell of raw meat! They must be doing a…read morefew things right as Lishman's has won all sorts of awards from the Butchering community and declares it is famous for it York hams, sausages and bacon. I went in to have a look and was pleasantly surprised. Many of their meat products come from local farmers - there are little signs next to the sausages saying 'Farmer Joe's', for example. It is pretty large for a butchers, well presented and clean. There are no dead chickens or rabbits hanging in the window either! If you're not a big meat eater then there are plenty of other Yorkshire products to purchase, like jams and chutney presented in the traditional way with frilly hats on instead of a plain old lid.

Lishman's, definitely the poshest butcher's I've ever been into, has unsurprisingly won a whole…read morehost of industry awards. It's not really how you imagine your local butcher - it's a lot bigger, fancier and more modern inside. There's a lot more than just a single counter displaying meats, and it's worth going in just for a browse even if you're not buying, as the range is astonishing. The quantity of selection doesn't compromise quality, however, as the guys who run this place only source from the best farms in the region. Because of its reputation, its location, and the top of the range quality it provides, however, the prices are high, so it only gets four stars. For anyone really serious about their meat, or anyone with too much money on their hands, I'd point them in the direction of Lishman's.

If you like Waitrose then you'll love Booths! If you like…read moreWaitrose then you'll love Booths! If you like Waitrose then you'll love Booths! If you like Waitrose then you'll love Booths! If you like Waitrose then you'll love Booths! If you like Waitrose then you'll love Booths! Pretty much that's all you need to know - with amazing produce in all categories, fresh butchers, great bakery and don't get me started on the beer - quite possibly the best selection I've ever seen in a supermarket (if you're in this Ilkley branch then make sure you get a number of the Ilkley beer) This one is actually smaller than the others I've been to like Kendall and in Cheshire but still pretty awesome. Go here - blow a lot of cash, eat, repeat, get fat, love life!

Supermarket shopping can be so tedious that I want to stick pencils up my nostrils and call myself…read moreBob after an hour of it. Therefore, imagine my delight at finding a supermarket experience that is actually pleasant. More than pleasant in fact. Give yourselves a round of applause Booths. What a great place to shop. It's a Northern small chain and it's all about tradition and quality products. First up, it's in Ilkley which is always a nice drive to and a lush town to have a gentle stroll around. So the location is a winner even if it's not the most practical place to go on a daily basis for me. The real selling point is the products though. We're talking excellent quality and fresh as the day is young. The vegetables are always tasty and fresh and I'm always excited to see artichokes on sale. I know I need to get out more. The deli counter is simply divine and I'm always partial to some marinated garlic whilst trying to avoid the stand out cakes in the bakery section. They've also got a great mix of bottled lagers and ciders from around the world and the wines are top quality too. It retains that shop local feel tom it without cutting back on the actual quality. If you've got time, stop off at the café too for some beautiful deserts and a good old cuppa. This is how food shopping should be. Now we're talking.