My Guidebook to York's restaurants, attractions and the surrounding towns

Gemma
My Guidebook to York's restaurants, attractions and the surrounding towns

Food scene

Lucia's is one of my absolute favourite restaurants in York. With a mediterranean vibe and menu, delicious food, great cocktails and friendly staff. Seating outside is my preference as there are heaters and blankets. Located in the Swinegate area, in the central and historical part of York. Great for a lazy afternoon lunch or evening meal - booking recommended.
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Lucia Restaurant
13 Swinegate
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Lucia's is one of my absolute favourite restaurants in York. With a mediterranean vibe and menu, delicious food, great cocktails and friendly staff. Seating outside is my preference as there are heaters and blankets. Located in the Swinegate area, in the central and historical part of York. Great for a lazy afternoon lunch or evening meal - booking recommended.
Oscars wine bar serves great food - varied menu, from traditional bar snacks to regional cuisines. Reliable, quality food and drink.
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The Biltmore Bar & Grill
29 Swinegate
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Oscars wine bar serves great food - varied menu, from traditional bar snacks to regional cuisines. Reliable, quality food and drink.
Gorgeous bar on little Stonegate in York City centre. Varied menu, mainly British bar food. The outdoor heated courtyard is what makes this a personal favourite for me.
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Stonegate Teddy Bears
13 Stonegate
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Gorgeous bar on little Stonegate in York City centre. Varied menu, mainly British bar food. The outdoor heated courtyard is what makes this a personal favourite for me.
This is a craft beer mansion, so if you are a fan of craft beer then it's a must visit. They have a shop as well so you can buy some take aways to have back at the house or take home. They also serve bar food, although I have never eaten here. The building is also a fantastically restored historical mansion house so worth the visit to soak up the history.
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House Of Trembling Madness, Lendal
14 Lendal
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This is a craft beer mansion, so if you are a fan of craft beer then it's a must visit. They have a shop as well so you can buy some take aways to have back at the house or take home. They also serve bar food, although I have never eaten here. The building is also a fantastically restored historical mansion house so worth the visit to soak up the history.
Famous for herbaceous cocktails, gin and real ale, if you are lover of complex drinks this is a must visit. Sitting on the corner of Stonegate, one of the historical and cobbled streets, it's a great place to pop into in the middle of your site-seeing or shopping trip.
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The Botanist
15 Stonegate
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Famous for herbaceous cocktails, gin and real ale, if you are lover of complex drinks this is a must visit. Sitting on the corner of Stonegate, one of the historical and cobbled streets, it's a great place to pop into in the middle of your site-seeing or shopping trip.
Fancy an afternoon tea with champagne? The Ivy is St Helen's Square is a beautiful addition to the restaurants and bars of York. They are also brilliant at cocktails - my personal favourite...the salted caramel espresso martini.
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The Ivy St Helen's Square York
2 St. Helen’s Square
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Fancy an afternoon tea with champagne? The Ivy is St Helen's Square is a beautiful addition to the restaurants and bars of York. They are also brilliant at cocktails - my personal favourite...the salted caramel espresso martini.
Our famous Bettys tea room is an icon. You can regularly see people queuing to get in for their famous afternoon teas. If you don't manage to get a table, visit their takeaway shop for some fondant fancies to enjoy back at the house. They are essential!
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Bettys Café Tea Rooms
6-8 St. Helen’s Square
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Our famous Bettys tea room is an icon. You can regularly see people queuing to get in for their famous afternoon teas. If you don't manage to get a table, visit their takeaway shop for some fondant fancies to enjoy back at the house. They are essential!

Sightseeing

You may or may not know that York is famous for making chocolate. The Chocolate Story shows the history of chocolate making in York, including the Rowntree's factory which opened in 1890, owned since 1988 by Nestlé.
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La historia del chocolate de York
3-4 Kings Square
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You may or may not know that York is famous for making chocolate. The Chocolate Story shows the history of chocolate making in York, including the Rowntree's factory which opened in 1890, owned since 1988 by Nestlé.
York Minster was built was built over 250 years, between 1220 and 1472. Whether you view from outside or go inside for a look around you will be impressed by this iconic building. It's a great place to be dropped off by taxi, as you can head down Petergate and into the centre, visiting some of the bars and restaurants I have recommended.
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York Minster
Deangate
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York Minster was built was built over 250 years, between 1220 and 1472. Whether you view from outside or go inside for a look around you will be impressed by this iconic building. It's a great place to be dropped off by taxi, as you can head down Petergate and into the centre, visiting some of the bars and restaurants I have recommended.
In 1972, an archeological dig in Coppergate York unearthed 5 tons of animal bones – mostly the remains of food eaten here over the centuries; vast quantities of oyster shells – until recently a cheap and common food; 1000’s of Roman and medieval roof tiles; the Roman tiles were sometimes re-used for other purposes in the Viking Age; woven wattles, used as building materials to make walls, pathways, and screens and timber used for building materials in both the Viking Age and Medieval periods. The Jorvik viking centre opened in 1984, and remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in York.
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Centro Vikingo Jorvik
19 Coppergate
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In 1972, an archeological dig in Coppergate York unearthed 5 tons of animal bones – mostly the remains of food eaten here over the centuries; vast quantities of oyster shells – until recently a cheap and common food; 1000’s of Roman and medieval roof tiles; the Roman tiles were sometimes re-used for other purposes in the Viking Age; woven wattles, used as building materials to make walls, pathways, and screens and timber used for building materials in both the Viking Age and Medieval periods. The Jorvik viking centre opened in 1984, and remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in York.
A 45 minute drive from York but worth it for those who want to experience the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. You can explore in 500 acres of beautiful landscape with contemporary sculpture throughout.
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Yorkshire Sculpture Park
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A 45 minute drive from York but worth it for those who want to experience the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. You can explore in 500 acres of beautiful landscape with contemporary sculpture throughout.

City/town information

A 45 minute drive from York, Harrogate is a victorian spa town and rural district that contains the medieval city of Ripon, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and four charming but very different market towns; Boroughbridge, Knaresborough, Masham and Pateley Bridge. Harrogate itself is known for it's fantastic gardens and floral displays as well as the Turkish Baths. Also a great place for food and drink! Home to another Lucia's - the restaurant I recommend in York, as well as a Betty's tea room.
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Harrogate
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A 45 minute drive from York, Harrogate is a victorian spa town and rural district that contains the medieval city of Ripon, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and four charming but very different market towns; Boroughbridge, Knaresborough, Masham and Pateley Bridge. Harrogate itself is known for it's fantastic gardens and floral displays as well as the Turkish Baths. Also a great place for food and drink! Home to another Lucia's - the restaurant I recommend in York, as well as a Betty's tea room.
If you were asked to imagine the perfect English market town, then it'd probably look a lot like Helmsley! There's the bustling market square, the dramatic castle ruins, the charming tea rooms, the inviting inns; all surrounded by mile after mile of the beautiful North York Moors. Indeed, the Cleveland Way and Ebor Way both begin from here. This is actually my home town, where I grew up as a child, and it remains as quaint and beautiful as ever. If you are a fan of walking this is a great town to start your walks from. As well as it's own fabulous castle it is close to Rievaulx Abbey one of England's most powerful Cistercian monasteries. About 45 minutes from York by car.
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Helmsley
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If you were asked to imagine the perfect English market town, then it'd probably look a lot like Helmsley! There's the bustling market square, the dramatic castle ruins, the charming tea rooms, the inviting inns; all surrounded by mile after mile of the beautiful North York Moors. Indeed, the Cleveland Way and Ebor Way both begin from here. This is actually my home town, where I grew up as a child, and it remains as quaint and beautiful as ever. If you are a fan of walking this is a great town to start your walks from. As well as it's own fabulous castle it is close to Rievaulx Abbey one of England's most powerful Cistercian monasteries. About 45 minutes from York by car.