You can eat very well in York at the top end: Roots now open for lunch as well as dinner; Skosh who continue with their exceptional small plate menu; the Rattle Owl, which offers both a four and an eight-course menu at lunch and dinner; and the long-standing and ever excellent Meltons continues with its impressive wine list. Adam Jackson cooks high-end dishes for the Bow Room of Grays Court. Many don’t know it, but you can drop in for drinks in the long gallery or the lovely garden in what is arguably the most beautiful house in York.
But there is a lot more to York than high dining. Mannion & Co on Blake Street is open daytime only and arguably serves the best coffee in York. In addition, there are loaded deli boards and a changing blackboard menu that tempts with the likes of eggs benedict or spiced lamb belly and flatbread, sumac and yoghurt. Cochon Aveugle closed its doors at the start of the year, but good news, their wine bar has been taken over by ex-employees Steph and Lui Wright and the Wright Place is serving coffee and pastries by day and pizza, snacks in the evening along with their outstanding wine selection.
When you have queued too long for Jorvik Viking Musuem, head across the square for Terry Laybourne’s Café 21 inside Fenwicks. The queues for the famous Bettys tearoom are legendary, take an insider’s tip and go early at 9am for breakfast or 5pm for tea and walk straight in.
Partisan on Micklegate is a special brunch and lunch option. Their Persian eggs and bibimbap are a treat, so is the counter loaded with cakes and sourdough loaves. On Museum Street Brew and Brownie is famous for breakfast pancake stacks and, of course, brownies. For the best river views head for the terrace of the Star Inn the City. At 15 Grape Lane Los Moros, serves casual North African food and at 21 Izakaya is York’s newest Japanese restaurant.
Street food is always available from stalls in Shambles Market while Spark, the social enterprise operation run from a collection of old shipping containers has a whole host of foodie outlets.
No need to fuss with your own sourdough starter, York is well supplied with bakeries. Haxby Bakehouse supplies sourdough to shops and restaurants throughout the city including Love Cheese. They have now added seating to their shop in Haxby so you can eat in. Bluebird Bakery in the Shambles (and with a spacious café and shop in Acomb) is a match for Haxby. Try their dark, damp, Russian Borodinsky loaf studded with coriander seeds. Little Arras on Goodramgate make fabulous croissants only rivalled by the all-woman Flori Bakery on Nunnery Lane. The newest baker is Paul Cosgriff, who has opened C & S Sourdough on Fishergate.
There are hidden gems too. Sora bar on the roof of Malmaison Hotel serve cocktails and sushi with unravelled views of the city. For authentic Italian gelato Roberto’s at Monkgate Bar has an ever-changing roster of flavours - hazelnut, pistachio, Stracciatella anyone? Cakes, cannoli and really good coffee too, served with a miniature cone of ice cream.
Aly’s at the top end of Gillygate is a Turkish baker specialising in Basque cheesecakes. Also, on Gillygate at the former Salvation Army Citadel, Yahala Mataam is a monthly pop-up restaurant run by refugees in York. Pay as you feel.
People queuing down the Shambles for the famous York Ghost Merchants can refuel with the best pork pie in town at the Shambles Sausage and Pie Company.
Finally, Bishopthorpe Road on the edge of the city has been voted the best high street in Britain. Scarcroft Road close by is the location for the estimable Melton’s. On Bishy Road itself there are plenty of places for coffee and a snack: Angel on the Green, Pig and Pastry, Robinsons, The Good Food Shop and the Sicialian Trinicaria.
