York (Part 1?)

York is absolutely jam packed full of brilliant places to eat, fun things to do and see. In this post I have picked three of my favourite places to eat, get a drink, and go see. Now there are hundreds, if not thousands, of places to eat and see in York so I know this list is very short. But who knows, maybe there will be a Part 2 with more recommendations coming soon….

• 

• 

3 Places to Drink:

One of my favourite ‘facts’ about York (which I absolutely cannot verify but have no reason to doubt from walking round the place) is that there are 365 pubs – one for every day of the year. I have barely scratched the surface when it comes to where to get a drink in York, however, these are three places where you can’t go wrong:

The Market Cat

First of all this place has a prime location near the Shambles (see more about that below) and market. It is excellent for looking out through the big windows to watch all the hustle and bustle. It’s a lovely place inside and they have plenty on offer in terms of beer and gin as well as a pizza menu. The photo below also showcases the best place to get donuts from in York: Doe Bakehouse full of creative and often surprising creations. Get ready for a sugar coma.

• 

• 

SPARK:York

I first went here for a friend’s birthday and I’m so very sad I didn’t take any photos of it as it’s a unique looking place made out of shipping containers. It’s got a great atmosphere with plenty of places to sit and drink. There’s also a strong sense of community running through it as it creatively promotes local businesses. Well worth checking it out.

Kennedy’s Bar

Now this is an old favourite of mine mainly because they do two cocktails for £12 (good by York standard) and they are always delicious. At the moment you can get a table out on the cobbles which is great for people watching.

• 

• 

3 Places to Eat:

Again, York has a plethora of really tiptop restaurants and so it was hard to pick just three but here are some of my favourites:

Lucia’s

Just really good Italian food. It is in an excellent location, tucked neatly down a street not far from the Minster and Shambles, and you can sit outside (under the heaters) and almost believe you are on a piazza in Italy. I always get the fish just because they cook it so well.

The Star Inn the City

If you’ve heard of Andrew Pern, the Michelin-starred chef, you probably know this place. It serves excellent food in a beautiful, very classy restaurant. It is just down from Minster Gardens and overlooking the river: you can even sit out on the decking and watch the boats go by. The menu changes according to the seasons but the Sunday roast is always good (huge Yorkshire puddings), as are the desserts.

• 

• 

The Rattle Owl

Located on Micklegate, not far from the train station. It takes up the entire three floors of its building, with the top floor feeling very snug and intimate. Again, it’s great for a Sunday roast (even if I do wish you got a couple more roast potatoes with it!) and local beers.

• 

• 

3 Place to See:

Bettys Tea Room

Bettys is a Northern institution and does the most exquisite Afternoon Teas: gorgeous and delicious cakes galore. I did think about putting this down as a place to eat, but really you just need to and pop into the takeaway shop and see all the cakes and chocolates for sale. I recommend you buy a ‘fat rascal’ (kind of like a scone, but better) and take it to the next place for your own little picnic.

• 

• 

Museum Gardens

This little patch of greenery is heaven and a lovely place to sit in the sun, read a book and have a slice of cake. It is a registered botanical garden that looks so well taken care of – there are winding paths through it and even an edible garden. It is also the home of the Yorkshire Museum with some interesting Roman exhibits (well, you are in York!). Often there are things going on at the Gardens during holidays and weekends, for example, birds of prey shows where you can learn about and hold the birds.

You can walk through the gardens to the back of the York Art Gallery (last time I was here it was a heat wave and all the children were playing in the fountain out front), and from here you are not far from the Minster which is, of course, well worth a look for its size and all that stained glass.

• 

• 

Shambles

This is one of the best preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe and it is very striking to look at. It gets busy! Arrive early if you want a picture without anyone else there. On there you will find the Earl Grey Tea Rooms (one of my favourite places for a scone), and the Shambles Kitchen which does really good sandwiches. The Shambles is also a good place to find a York souvenir as there are lots of independent shops.

• 

• 

Still lots to see and write about, as I say: keep your eyes peeled for Part 2!