Your guide to York / Best places to eat in York
Best places to eat in York
There's something special about eating great food when you're traveling on holiday. If you look beyond the usual fast food places and common eateries and do a little more searching, you will find authentic and genuine places to have a delicious and memorable meal. Here are some of the best places to eat in York, including both fine dining and casual eats.
City Centre
Cafe No. 8 Bistro: 8 Gillygate
Set right in the City Centre of York, near York Minster and Dean's Park, Café No.8 Bistro offers expansive views of the city's medieval gates from its rear garden. It boasts a locally sourced menu of creative dishes at affordable prices. The cafe has four menus for different times and days and a descriptive wine list. Try the full English breakfast or, for lunch, the lamb and mint burger.
D.C.H the Restaurant: Duncombe Pl, York
D.C.H is an AA Rosette award-winning restaurant located inside the Dean Court Hotel, right by the lovely Museum Gardens. This vibrant restaurant also offers an a la carte menu with classic British cuisine in an elegant setting using local produce. There are vegan, gluten-free and children's menus to choose from, and you can also enjoy the lounge bar.
31 Castlegate Restaurant: 31 Castlegate
This restaurant boasts modern European cuisine in a Grade II listed building built in 1825 as the home of Georgian architect George Townsend Andrews. Located close to Clifford's Tower and York Dungeon, 31 Castlegate Restaurant is a great place to have some lunch or dinner after visiting some medieval sites. Talented head chef Nick Julius trained at Marco Pierre White's L'Escargot. The menu reflects seasonal and fresh ingredients served in an intimate setting.
Pairings Wine Bar: 28 Castlegate
In this casual and intimate wine bar run by sisters Kelly and Kate Latham, you can enjoy a glass of wine with snacks like tapas. The concept at Pairings is to connect the perfect drink to the perfect food, with staff walking you through the best matches. There are small plates with smoked salmon and pork pie, along with charcuterie of Italian and Spanish meats.
Sotano: 1 Little Stonegate
Sotano is a late-night basement eatery. It's a casual tapas bar and restaurant offering cocktails, 60 types of beer and 27 varieties of gin. Chef Marta has 40 years of cooking experience, and her menu combines Spanish cuisine and authentic Spanish ingredients mixed with inspiration from around the world. Try the large array of croquettes — a potato meal that has its roots in French and English dishes.
City Centre West
The Pig: 35 Bishopthorpe Road
The Pig & Pastry, also known as The Pig, is set outside of York's city centre in an area of small and quaint businesses. If you like shopping for unique gems, you can fuel up here with one of their hearty breakfasts. Try the homemade sourdough breads, eggs Benedict in six varieties and buttermilk waffles with maple syrup. There's a reason why it's a favourite for the locals.
Skosh: 98 Micklegate
Skosh provides casual dining and specialises in dishes from around the world. You'll find plates from India, France, Britain and East Asia and an array of dishes where the details of small plates work wonders. Plus, Skosh is located in a Grade II listed building. Chef Neil Bentinck has crafted a menu with courses, contemporary snacks and small plates. The restaurant also has an extensive wine list.
No. 88 Walmgate: 88 Walmgate
Located within the Hotel Indigo York, the casual-dining No. 88 Walmgate is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. It also has an open lounge bar that serves craft beer, ales, spirits and wines. The varied, fresh seasonal dishes are made with traditional ingredients that bring out the Yorkshire flavor. Try the traditional Yorkshire handmade pie or the Yorkshire Wagyu Steak burger, both of which pair well with a good pint.
Melton's Restaurant: 9 Scarcroft Road
This fine dining restaurant is run by Chef Michael, who trained with Roux Restaurants in the 1980s. Melton's is one of the best restaurants in York and provides a thoroughly modern British dining experience and is one of York's most well-known restaurants with consistently high ratings from guests. The menu boasts a variety of seafood dishes, guinea fowl and beef and more than 120 wines. Try the lamb rump and belly with croquettes, artichoke and anchovies, or the East Coast cod with mussels, apples and smoked cream.
There are plenty of places to eat in York, but you have to do a little research to find the gems. The variety of settings available from formal to casual, and the variety of menus, from traditional to international, will have something for everyone's taste. This list of York restaurants should give you a great starting point.