Why Lewis & Cooper of Northallerton is a ‘crown jewel’

Lewis & Cooper, on High Street, has been serving customers for more than a century and remains one of North Yorkshire’s best-known independent food retailers.

The business, based at 92 High Street, was founded by Mr Lewis and Mr Cooper, who built a renowned food emporium from their bustling store in the market town.

Today, the tradition continues from the same site, with a façade little changed but an interior now home to a food hall, deli, wine store, tearooms and hamper department.

Lewis & Cooper, on High Street, Northallerton (Image: TRIPADVISOR)

The business says: “After more than a century of service, Lewis & Cooper has grown into a multi-award-winning independent gourmet food store that offers both local delicacies and global gastronomic delights of uncompromising quality.”

Customers have praised the shop for its range of unusual and high-quality products, with one online reviewer saying it sells “so many great foods that are hard to find in supermarkets, if at all”.

Another described it as “a true deli experience” and “a treasure trove of food”, while one visitor called it “a jewel in Northallerton’s crown”.

Its founding partners were known for their attention to detail, with the managers’ quarters once fitted with a discreet window so Mr Lewis could keep a constant watch over the shop floor.

Lewis & Cooper is also known for its hampers, which are packed with local delicacies and treats and shipped far beyond North Yorkshire.

The tearooms were opened in 1999 to mark the company’s centenary, taking over the former manager’s apartment above the shop.

The business says the tearooms celebrate “the best of fresh local produce with stunning views over Northallerton’s traditional High Street”.

Reviewers have also praised the café side of the business, with one customer saying: “Excellent food, service is great and all the staff are very friendly.”

Another visitor said people should “forget going to Betty’s”, adding that the upstairs tearooms offered tasty sandwiches and one of the best coffees they had during a four-week trip in the UK.

Others have praised the “great tea and scones” served in the tearooms.

Lewis & Cooper continues to attract customers looking for traditional service, unusual products and high-quality food.

One reviewer summed up its appeal by saying: “It really is an excellent shop, with a wide range of goods.”

They added that it “reminds me of how shops used to be”.