VISIT YORK
Beyond the chains and tired tourist traps, this city is buzzing with energetic independents – from street food to razor-sharp restaurant cooking
An insider look at the city’s best eateries
Shambles Market has helped foster a growing York street-food scene
Roots
This was meant to be a casual spin-off from Great British Menu winner Tommy Banks’ Black Swan in Oldstead – Banks is closely involved in creating Roots’ novel dishes, and the two restaurants share staff and produce grown on the Banks’ family farm. But its warm service and menus geared towards sharing feasts have made it a must-eat destination in its own right. Sat in this historic building’s airy, comfortable dining room, you can taste why. From a perfect thornback ray wing to the funky complexities of garlic toast topped with crackling, charcoal emulsion, pickled wild garlic capers and melting lardo, this is food where nature meets innovation. Mains from £17.50; set menus from £35 per person. rootsyork.com SO, CD
Born to Lose
A restless obsessive fascinated by global flavours, chef Mark Hill is one of northern street-food’s brightest stars. His burger kitchen at Brew York’s hip warehouse beer hall is typically fastidious. Cloud-light yet durable brioche buns (baked daily) encase expertly charred beef burgers ground in-house, and are topped with slow-cook spiced beef nuggets or gochujang mayo. Partner those with pork larb or kimchi fries. The midweek £5 lunch burger is a steal. From £8. brewyork.co.uk CD, CE
Cave du Cochon
Since Good Food last visited York, Cave (little sister to Josh Overington and Victoria Roberts’ Le Cochon Aveugle) has evolved from a simple wine bar into something closer to a bistro. A cosy, intimate space – all exposed brick and walls papered with old wine books – you can still sit at the bar and work your way through Jura’s sherry-like vin jaune wines or skin-contact orange creations, via Greek and Austrian vineyards, to a classic chablis. But the food menu has moved beyond meats and cheese to include, for instance, Overington’s blood sausage macarons, slip sole with vadouvan spices and a stellar salt beef tartare with pickled wild garlic capers and anchovy emulsion. Dishes from £4.50. caveducochon.uk CD
The Block
Finding good, affordable grab ‘n’ go food in touristy central York was difficult, but that’s changing. Close to York Minster, The Block (Brooklyn lager on tap; NY dive bar aesthetics; enormous photo of The Clash on one wall) dispenses Roman-style rectangular pizza slices. The crisp, springy focaccia-like bases are topped with some interesting combinations, such as roasted squash, chilli, thyme, goat’s cheese and spinach, or smoked pancetta, ricotta, orange zest and rocket. Slices from £3.75. @york_block CE, KF
Partisan
Cake shop, café, gallery and restaurant, Partisan is a quirky spot; one where, within its neo-victorian rooms, you will find various pieces of art and antiques for sale. Chef-owner Florencia Clifford lives on a farm on the edge of the Yorkshire Wolds, from where Partisan sources many herbs and vegetables. Partisan serves a globe-trotting lunch menu all week, and dinner Thursday to Saturday, but don’t miss its brunch dishes, ranging from French toast to shakshuka. The Persian eggs, in which scrambled eggs on Haxby Bakehouse sourdough are lifted by medjool dates, caramelised onions, spinach, natural yogurt and dukkah, is a delicious break from the norm. Breakfast £3-10. partisanuk.com CD
Fish & Forest
Formerly at Spark York, the shipping container market on Piccadilly, Fish & Forest has now landed at comfy town boozer The Gillygate, where chef-owner Stephen Andrews is doing sterling work in the field of venison burgers, game hot pots and fresh fish. His oysters with seasonal toppings are a local favourite, while his next-level Thai fish balls and mackerel kiev are evidence of his skill and creative wit. Mains from £8.95. thegillygate.com CD
Love Cheese
Also on Gillygate just outside the city walls, you’ll find Love Cheese, a cheesemonger, deli and café. In a small café at the back of the shop (which, in summer, leads out into a ‘secret’ garden) you can linger over an afternoon cheeseboard or upmarket grilled cheese sandwiches. The latter are half-price to takeaway. We can think of no better way to spend £3.50. Lunch from around £5.50. lovecheese.co.uk CE, CD
Shambles Market
Shambles Market Food Court has helped foster a growing York street-food scene. Its vans and huts serve everything from Indian snacks, Thai dishes, gourmet hotdogs and crêpes at Krep to, at Dark Horse Coffee, a superlative flat white. We’ve fallen hard for the burritos at Smokehouse, an offshoot from the nearby Shambles Kitchen. Its beef brisket barbacoa – smoked for six hours, braised in homemade adobo broth, and rolled-up with paprika rice and roasted red peppers – has bags of flavour. Burritos from £6.50. shamblesmarket.com CE, KF
Los Moros
Tarik Abdeladim made his name on Shambles Market, wowing with his North African and Levantine cooking, and has now opened a restaurant on Grape Lane, too. The menu mixes small plates of homemade merguez sausages, harissa chicken wings and punchy dips, such as whipped feta with urfa pepper oil, and larger plates of shakshuka or grilled sea bass and batata harra potatoes with homemade chermoula, burnt baby courgettes and saffron aïoli. Large plates from £10. losmorosyork.co.uk CD
The Press Kitchen
For a casual all-day coffee shop, bar and dining room, The Press Kitchen is surprisingly glitzy, with swanky wallpapers and bold furnishings. The keenly-priced daytime menu takes in everything from a ‘morningafter hash’ with ’nduja and fried eggs and a creditable dhal, to huevos rancheros or onglet with Scotch bonnet pesto, hazelnuts, caramelised onion and potato rösti. Brunch dishes from £4. thepresskitchen.co.uk CD