York is well-known for its glorious history and grand architecture, attracting millions of visitors per year, but it’s now the perfect culinary destination for foodies and those seeking a unique culinary experience. There’s a wide selection of high-quality dishes to sample, all influenced by different countries around the globe. So, what do you have to lose? On this blog about the best stuff to do in York, I listed some of the restaurants where you must eat in York. However, here is a fantastic selection of best restaurants in York:
Restaurants where you must eat in York : The Block
It used to be difficult to find fine, cheap grab-and-go food in touristy central York, but that is changing. The Block serves Roman-style rectangular pizza slices close to York Minster. Roasted squash, chilli, thyme, goat’s cheese, and spinach, for example, or smoked pancetta, ricotta, orange zest, and rocket, are among the toppings for the crisp, springy focaccia-like bases.
Restaurants where you must eat in York : Le Cochon Aveugle
Chef Josh Overington and his wife Vicky Roberts have developed a gastronomic cocoon that reflects their food-obsessed personalities. Indulge in a continuously shifting eight-course sampling menu served blind, so each course is a splendid culinary delight at this softly vintage-styled restaurant. Don’t worry: Josh’s inventive, produce-driven recipes, such as the 60-day-aged beef tartare with cauliflower and tomato sauce or the elderflower panna cotta with wild strawberry sorbet and elderflower vinegar granita, are stunning, well-thought-out creations that pack a punch of flavour. Biodynamic and natural wines are also excellent options.
On the same street is its sister wine shop, Cave du Cochon. With your beers, sample a variety of cheeses, charcuterie, and tiny plates.
Restaurants where you must eat in York : Skosh
Skosh’s world-trotting small plates confidently jump between East Asian, Indian, classical French, and contemporary British influences. Each dish is a work of art in and of itself. The hen’s egg, a stylish union of Dale End cheddar velouté, mushrooms, and Pedro Ximénez sherry, is a must-try, as is the brown butter hollandaise fried chicken. Skosh’s super-friendly team is indeed brilliant.
Restaurants where you must eat in York : Los Moros
Tarik Abdeladim built a reputation for himself on Shambles Market with his North African and Levantine cuisine, and now he’s opened a restaurant on Grape Lane as well. Tiny plates of homemade merguez sausages, harissa chicken wings, and punchy dips like whipped feta with urfa pepper oil are served alongside larger plates of shakshuka or grilled sea bass with batata harra potatoes, homemade chermoula, charred baby courgettes, and saffron aioli.
Restaurants where you must eat in York : Melton’s
Since 1990, chef and owner Michael Hjort has used sharp classical technique to find seasonal Yorkshire produce at this sleek, softly idiosyncratic restaurant. East coast cod with smoked milk, mussels, and apple, or lamb rump and belly with Jersey Royal croquettes, tomato, artichoke, and smoked anchovy, show why he’s a real food hero.
Restaurants where you must eat in York : Coconut Lagoon
This South Indian restaurant, just outside the city walls and off the beaten tourist path, uses exhilarating flavours in its freshly spiced dishes. Tamarind, dried chilies, curry leaves, and mustard seeds are used in a variety of ways, from masala dosa to Keralan specialties like beef curry with shallots and coriander and lamb stew with coconut, chilli, and cinnamon.
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Restaurants where you must eat in York : Café No. 8
This neat Gillygate bistro is celebrating its sixteenth birthday this year, and it continues to impress with modern British dishes like slow cooker beef feather blade with potato rosti or Yorkshire lamb shoulder with fried aubergine and baby swede. The garden is especially lovely in the summer.
Restaurants where you must eat in York : The Perky Peacock
This cosy, atmospheric mediaeval turret, tucked under Lendal Bridge, provides shelter from the tourist crowds as well as a fine line in breakfasts, gussied-up sandwiches, and home-baked goodies. Start the day with avocado on toast with chilli, lemon, garlic, and tomato chutney and a silky flat white, or stop by for lunch for an interesting salad with spring onion, kale, pomegranate, and pumpkin seeds, plus a slice of rose sponge cake.
Restaurants where you must eat in York : The Rattle Owl
This restaurant, an art deco-styled room in a 17th-century building with prominent Roman remains in its cellars, has layers upon layers of heritage. The Owl, on the other hand, is bang on trend, thanks to dishes like beetroot cured salmon and salt aged beef tartare with Cashel Blue, hazelnuts, and English mustard, as well as its Living Wage certification and sustainable wine list.
Restaurants where you must eat in York : Pairings
This smoky, seductive wine bar, run by sisters Kate and Kelly Latham (the latter, a former sommelier at Hotel Du Vin), offers gourmet bites including gordal olives, specialty cheeses, Yorkshire and continental charcuterie – including the coveted Ibérico de Bellota. All of this is in addition to a large selection of by-the-glass wines, the majority of which are included in exploratory flights or as recommended food pairings. It also has a good craft beer selection.
Restaurants where you must eat in York : The Star Inn the City
This polished bar/restaurant sits on the River Ouse, with views best experienced from the terrace in summer, and is a spin-off from chef Andrew Pern’s renowned Harome gastropub The Star Inn. Breakfast is served every day (including a top fry-up and eggs Benedict), and the restaurant is available until dinner. Key courses include black treacle-cured pork belly with salt-baked turnip and rump of lamb with lamb fat carrots and minted peas, among others. Pern also owns Mr P’s Curious Tavern in York, which serves international small plates.
