York Restaurants

Nearly 200 restaurants, 150 cafs, coffee shops, tearooms and over 300 public houses offer a range of dining choices, from simple eateries and fast-food outlets, bistros and pizzerias to gourmet temples. Sample the citys independent York Brewery, or splash out on award-winning restaurants such as the Blue Bicycle, Rish and Meltons. Italian and Indian restaurants are also popular and their dishes provide a good alternative to fish-and-chips or other fast-food.

Local cuisine

The valleys and grasslands of Yorkshire are home to cows, sheep and pigs. Cows milk is used to make the original Wensleydale cheese, and pork has always played an important role in the regions diet. Some famous local dishes include Yorkshire pudding, a savoury dish made from batter. Cooked in a large tin underneath a roasting joint of meat in order to catch the juices that drip down, it is usually served with roast beef. Yorkshire curd tart is a kind of cheesecake using rosewater. Kipper chowder is a smoky, creamy, fishy soup. A kipper is a whole fish (herring) that has been split from tail to head, eviscerated, salted and smoked.

Where to eat

Most of Yorks pubs and restaurants can be found in the winding alleyways and lanes of the medieval city centre. York is home to an ever growing coffee shop culture. In the city centre, eateries such as the lively Cappuccinos are popular with students and young people. Other places that will yield good results for food hunting visitors are North Street, Petergate, Hudson Street, The Shambles, Heworth, Goodramgate and College Street.