York in General > Reviews > Yorkshire lass' Guide to York

Author's product rating:   

Value for Money	Average
Sightseeing	Excellent
Shopping	Good
Nightlife	Excellent
Ease of getting around	Good

Advantages:	Beautiful architecture, lots of culture, good pubs, loads to do, nice bars
Disadvantages:	Very crowded in summer, can be v . rough at night, not great for clubbing

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

The beautiful medieval city of York lies right in the heart of the UK - smack bang in the middle between London and Edinburgh on the east-coast rail-line, making it an easy daytrip: so you've no excuse not to visit!
I am lucky enough to live in this beautiful city and know the place well. I have tried to make this review as broad as possible, so people get an idea of what it's like no matter what they come for. I have done my best to write as detailed a review as possible. I have reviewed the town itself, shopping, sightseeing tours and things to do, and made a list of Bar, Restaurant, Club and Pub recommendations. Enjoy :)

~ The City ~

Whilst being a very cosmopolitan, modern city, York retains it's links with it's past: the various people who have inhabited (and invaded!) York over the years have all left their mark on the City: from the Vikings and Romans to the Georgians, Victorians and Edwardians; examples of their culture and grand architecture can be found all over the city.
The City itself is large enough to hold all the attractions of a big City, but small enough to remain charming and "quaint" (ugh, hate that word!) The City centre is always busy, but has retained it's genteel atmosphere. In summer it throbs with tourists, and during term-time, is busy with students (annoyingly, a lot of whom are rahs who didn't get into Oxbridge so came here or Durham!) and of course, the friendly Yorkshire locals....!
There is good shopping - though perhaps not as good as nearby Leeds. The main shopping streets are the streets surrounding Coney Street and Parliament Street: drive out of town to the Designer Outlet for some bargains!
York is a beautiful city all year-round. I have lived in larger cities, where you don't notice the seasons: where the weather's ok from June - September, then grey and unchanging from October - March, then just downright cold in April and May. York is different. It's the best City to spend a long, hot summer day, sitting down by the river with a big, cold drink, or to walk around the shops during the cold, crisp Autumns and wander around the pretty, christmassy centre, all wrapped-up in Winter
The club scene in my opinion is small and not up to much. Unfortunately, and maybe surprisingly, some parts of York City Centre are not very nice places to be after dark, especially around Micklegate. I lived in Newcastle, a City with a reputation for being rough, and saw one or two fights a year: here, I see three or four a night. There is a police presence around that area, all you can do is avoid trouble. That's not to say a good night cannot be had in York: far from it: the Bar and Restaurant culture (please read on for reviews of the best ones)is thriving - bar-hopping is a must!

~ Getting here ~
By road
York is 20 mins away from the M1/M62 Motorways, and the A59 is ideal if you're coming from the West. If coming by coach, National Express are nice cheap and you can get to and from most UK to York with them.

By air
Closest to Leeds/ Bradford, you can also fly into Newcastle, Humberside or Manchester (where you can get frequent, round-the-clock Transpennine trains to York). If you're on a budget and coming from Europe, Ryanair fly to London Stansted: it's a bit more of a mission, but you can get the train through, changing at Peterborough.

By Sea
P&O Ferries from Holland and Belgium dock at Hull, which is the closest port. Ferries from Scandinavia dock at Newcastle North Shields, which is an hour away by train)

By Train
York is very well-served by rail. GNER and Virgin trains run a very frequent service (I think it's something like every 15 minutes). Journey time from London is around 2 hours, 2 and a half from Edinburgh. There are also direct services from Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester, Preston, Birmingham and the South West.

~ Things to do ~

Top of the list: York Minster!
Aaah, the Minster. Britain's most-visited cathedral is the largest medieval gothic cathedral in northern Europe and unmissable on a trip to York (located on Deangate. But it's quite big: you can't really miss it....!) Annoyingly, you now have to pay to get in (but not if you go in through the Gift-shop entry!! Ssshh... ;)
The vastness of the inside will take you're breathe away. You can also climb to the top (be warned the stairs are a killer!) but the view of York is the best you'll get.
The best time to visit is in Winter, when the church is beautifully dressed for the Festive Season, and you can feel super-christmassy at one of their Carol Services. On New Years Eve, everyone gathers in front of the Minster to hear it's bells chime in the New Year: it is magical.
Tel: 01904 557216
www.yorkminster.org

York City Walls
Open from 8am until dusk, the Walls are a great way to see the City, have a nice wander in the Summer or a romantic Evening stroll in Winter (just make sure you're down before they shut!)

The Shambles
A little huddle of narrow, winding streets with lots of cute little shops. Very touristy but definitely worth a look (try and find the bizarrely-named street "whipma-whopma-gate"!)

Jorvik Viking Centre
Probably the best-known site in the city (especially by anyone who went to school anywhere north of Birmingham - you'll probably have had a school trip here!) is this: a state-of-the-art, interactive attraction. The dig began here on Coppergate in 1976, and since then has recovered 15000 objects from the Viking village, complete with workshops, rubbish pits, latrines and wells. It is a great educational trip for kids: they'll love the trip on a little mechanical cart which takes you through the recreated passageways of old Jorvik (complete with smells!)
The centre underwent an extensive £5 million redevelopment programme in 2001 and is now very impressive.
Tel: 01904 643211
www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk

The National Railway Museum
York's own railway station was built in 1839, though the magnificent one that still stands has been there from 1877, and was, when it opened, the largest in Europe. The National Railway Museum is just a hop, skip and a jump away from the railway station, and has to be seen to be believed: it is vast, with an enormous collection of all things rail-related, over 100 engines (most impressive are "The Mallard, once the world's fastest-running steam train, and the only "Bullet-train" to be displayed outside of Japan), a large exhibition and numerous interactive displays. All good fun if you like trains!! It is free entry for all and is a very popular tourist attraction with almost half a million visitors a year and in 2001, was voted European Museum of the Year.
Tel: 01904 621261
www.nrm.org.uk
N.B: "The Yorkshire Wheel" is right next to The National Railway Museum, and is well worth going on - it is 54 metres high (almost as high as the Minster but without the stairs!) and on a sunny day, you get amazing views over York. Adults go for £6, children for £4. You can also book a private pod for £44, or a VIP pod with a glass of champagne for £65 (this would be great for a special occasion, I'm trying to think of excuse to do that!)

Castle Museum
Another fantastic, entertaining interactive museum, attractions include reconstructed Victorian and Edwardian street scenes, (with a super-cute, old-fashioned sweet shop and Post Office!) The displays include beautiful Victorian dolls houses, a chocolate exhibit, and a Saxon helmet uncovered in the Jorvik dig, (which was almost crushed by a digger!) A good all-round family attraction.
Tel: 01904 653611
www.york.castle.museum

York Dungeons
Please see my review list for a detailed review

Betty's Tea Rooms
Tell someone over the age of 60 that you've been to York and the response will be "Oooh, did you go to Betty's?!" These wickedly-overpriced tea-rooms in York city centre are a Mecca for people of the Blue-rinse Brigade! Step inside here, you're stepping right back to Victorian time: the atmosphere is unashamedly snooty, the tablecloths are starched to within an inch of their life, there's a bored-looking woman in a twin-set and pearls at every other table and the young team of busy waitresses are dressed in black dresses and stiff, white, frilly aprons. Often, you have to queue for the pleasure of being ripped off for a brew, it is not well-liked by locals (but then you'd be hard-pressed to hear a Yorkshire accent anyway over all the squawking American coach parties). One of those places to "go to because you have to". If you want to pay over the odds for a cup of tea and a gooey scone, or make your Gran's day, this is the place!

York Races
The Ebor Races last from May to October, and everyone heads for the Knavesmire to cheer on their hot tip! The York Races are a fabulous day out (Lady's Day is a favourite). Some people end up more interested in the fashion than the horses, as the races provide the perfect excuse to dress up and wear silly hats! Queenie was here last year, as York hosted Royal Ascot! :)

~ Tours ~

York Sightseeing Buses
These Sightseeing buses are a chain: those big red ones you see in most UK cities. I'm ashamed to say I've never been on the York one, but have been on the Glasgow one which is run by the same company. They are good for foreign visitors, as rather than being a live commentary, you get headphones and can set them to whichever language you like. They are also good if you don't have much time in the city. Personally, I am not really a fan of open-top bus tours, I think they're generally overpriced, and I prefer to buy a guidebook and see the city on foot.

York Boat
York boats are in my opinion a good way to see the city (although they won't take you right into the centre as the Ouse river flows around the edges!). Daytime sailings run from 10.30am and last 45 minutes with a good commentary, there are also evening cruises every night at 9.15pm (we haven't done this yet, but plan to soon) and Ghost cruises every night at 7pm and 8.30pm.
Tickets are cheaper if you book online on the website below :)
www.yorkboat.co.uk

Free Walking Tour
If you're on a budget, there are free walking tours available: a group of voluntary Guides offer free, 2-hour long walking tours every day. They meet at the Art Gallery on Exhibition Square at 10.15am, 2.15pm and 7pm every day. You don't even have to book. If you can stand all that walking, the tours are great and guides are brilliant: being volunteers, they clearly love the city and really want visitors to the city to feel the same.

Ghost Tours
York is apparently Europe's most haunted city, making it the ideal place for a Ghost Tour York is an ideal place for a ghost tour, and there are a number available. They are usually very cheap (around £2 - £3 per person), lasting between 1 1/2 - 2 Hours and you don't usually need to book. I'm ashamed to say I've never been on one, but here's a list of the best-known ones in York:

The Ghost Walk
Departs nightly from the Kings Arms at Ouse Bridge at 8pm
01759 373090

Mad Alice Ghost Tours
7.30pm, every night except Mondays. Departs from Stakis Hotel at Cliffords Tower. Adults £3, Children £2.

The Ghost Hunt of York
Departs 7.30pm every night. Adults £3, Children £2.

The Ghost Detective
Departs 7.30pm every night from St Mary's Square (where Jorvik is). Adults £3, Children £2.

~ Festivals ~
There are numerous Festivals in York, below are the main ones I know about, so you can pick one that takes your fancy!

February
The Jorvik Viking Festival

June
The Comedy Festival
The Roman Festival
The Early Music Festival in July (York is the location of the National Centre for Early Music, situated in St.Margarets Church on Walmgate. Tel 01904 658338. www.ncem.co.uk)
September
The Festival of Food and Drink (this is always excellent)

~ Bars ~
York is a fantastic place for bars, and is packed with perfect places for "drinks and a bight to eat". In summer, bars down by the river are inevitably popular, and in winter, there are plenty of cosy little places to sit and keep warm (we do get raaaght cooorld winters up 'ere!!) I've done my best to write-up as many different bars as I can, from studenty, to gothy, to family-friendly to trendy!

My new favourite bar is The Biltmore Bar and Grill on Swinegate. It was converted from an old church in 2006 and is now one of York's trendiest bars (not studenty atall!): lots of low lighting, cool music and cosy booths. There are two floors: on the ground floor it is quite informal dining, (although the standard of food is still very high) somewhere to go for lunch, a snack or a relaxing drink. Upstairs on a mezzanine floor is the Restaurant and Champagne Bar, which is for more formal evening dining. Although this is a little on the pricey side, The Biltmore is well worth a visit, I love this place! (P.S: we saw "Finchy" from The Office last time we were in here!)
Tel: 01904 610075

Oscar’s Wine Bar & Bistro on Little Stonegate is a local's favourite and is always very busy, especially in summer as there is an outdoor terrace (covered and heated in winter) so it's best to book in advance. A nice family-friendly Restaurant, inside has a modern, cosy atmosphere. There's a good selection of wine and beer and good-value, top-quality food.
Tel: 01904 652002

Bobo Lobo on Stonegate is the only Latin Bar in York (that I know of!) and provides a modern Latino experience. The spicy Spanish/ Portugese-inspired food is really tasty (the homemade chips are great!). There is a good drinks list (with I think over 30 different tequilas and rums available!) and the cocktails are always nice and strong! The music is mainly, predictably, Salsa and Latino, and the décor is vibrant, cool and retro. This is a really great place to while away an afternoon or spend your evening.
Tel: 01904 621900
www.bobolobo.co.uk

Evil Eye Lounge Stonegate
This is one of those cellar-bar type, bohemiany, studenty type-places where you'd expect to find gothy hoodies and miserable 16 year-old underage drinkers. This place is perfect if you're into all of the above, but it's not one of my favourites. It is quite cheap and has a good range of cocktails and smoothies. They sell absinthe but no draught beers: that probably gives you the best idea of what it's like! There's also an internet cafe on the first floor.
Tel: 01904 640002
www.evileyelounge.com

Ha! Ha! Bar & Canteen on New Street (Just off Coney Street the main high street)
This is a nice chilled-out, open bar which one of those places which is always busy but not too busy. The food is good, based on a mainly Mediterranean menu (but there are more pubby-style options on there aswell. On Friday and Saturday nights, local DJs play funk and disco.
Tel: 01904 655868
www.hahaonline.co.uk

Harkers on St Helen’s Square has itself down as a trendy bar, but isn't really that trendy! Not to say that it's not worth a quick visit whilst you're in York. Housed in a historic building, there's always a great atmosphere in here: lots of locals come in here to start their night out.
Tel: 01904 672795

Kennedy’s on Little Stonegate is another of my favourites. A stylish, relaxed wine bar on three floors: a basement dance bar, a conservatory and a lovely sun terrace (ideal place to come in summer) Good value food and specials, and an extensive wine list. There is live music on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights, and DJs on Friday and Saturday.
Tel: 01904 620222

The Living Room at the Merchant Exchange buildings on Bridge Street, is situated right on the river with great views. I like this chain a lot, there's always something I fancy on the menu, has a good bar and a cool atmosphere. (little on the pricey side though). There's usually live music on Wednesday and Saturday nights.
Tel: 0870 22 03 001

Orgasmic Café in St Martin’s Courtyard off Coney Street is an independent cafe bar. It is spacious, right on the riverside, with great views. The menu is simple (pizza, burgers etc) but the food is always of a high standard. Also just up from Orgasmic is Pitcher and Piano, another good chain with stylish decor, river view and a relaxed atmosphere. The menu is good, but can be quite pricey. A good range of drinks and cocktails: usually some good drinks offers available on a night.
Tel: 01904 658580

Slug and Lettuce on Back Swinegate is great bar to spend the afternoon in with a liquid lunch and the papers. There is a reasonably-priced menu, serving good pub-style food. The bar area is spacious with plenty of big comfy leather sofas. Gets busy on a night.
Tel: 01904679900

The Parish on Micklegate is another converted church, and is one of the nicer bars at this end of town! A nice quirky place, which is always a great place to go during the day or later on in the evening. We haven't eaten here, but have heard good reports!
Tel: 01904 643424

Vudu Lounge on Swinegate opened last year. Set on two floors there is a good range of cocktails, food and live entertainment. The decor is dark and moody, and the staff are always grumpy! A good place if you're into what I said about the Evil Eye! (see above!)
Tel: 01904 627627.

~ Clubs ~
Although the bars in York are fantastic, the clubs are, in my opinion, not that good. Our best nights out have always been when we're bar-hopping rather than clubbing. There isn't that much choice, so if you're really after a big clubby night, you're probably better off getting yourself over to Leeds (trains between York and Leeds run all night. They are rowdy!) If you do want to stay in York, these are the main ones that spring to mind:

First off has got to be The Gallery on Clifford Street. In comparison to other city's York is pretty small: there is actually a main place where most people end up and this is it! It's always busy and probably the first place most people think of if they're on a night out. It has two dancefloors, playing mostly mainstream music. The bouncers are known for being idiots.
Tel: 01904 647947

Nexus, also on George Hudson Street is a popular place at the weekend. Not much choice at the bar but there's a large dance area, the music is mainstream and cheesy and it's a good place for a fun night out!
www.nexusyork.co.uk

Reflex on George Hudson Street at the bottom of Micklegate is an 80s bar/ club chain. A cheesy place which nobody really likes but always ends up going to! The decor is 80s, the music is 80s and there's a revolving dancefloor. You'll probably stand a better chance of enjoying this place if you're already drunk when you get here! It's free entry but be warned: it's a favourite haunt of Hen-parties on a weekend!
Tel: 01904 645161

~ Restaurants ~
We eat out quite a lot in York, as the city has some very, very good restaurants. These are my favourites, I've put everything from the top-end restaurants to Pizza Express, so hopefully, there's something for everyone! (if you're desperate, York has the poshest McDonalds you'll ever see! ;-)

Melton’s on Scarcroft Road is a very distinguished Restaurant. Ok, I am a little bias as my boyfriend is a chef here, but this is honestly has a reputation in York as being the best fine dining Restaurant in the area. (It was recently given seven stars out of ten in the Telegraph) It is a little out of town, so is one that people tend to know before they come rather than just stumble across in the town centre. The atmosphere is sophisticated but unpretentious: a small dining area, classical music and 1930s artwork. The wine list is extensive and the food is excellent, with a strong commitment to using top-quality local produce. It is on the pricey side, but is justified, being an upmarket, stylish place.
Tel: 01904 63434
www.meltonsrestaurant.co.uk

J Bakers on Fossgate opened last year and is owned by Michelin-starred chef Jeff Baker. The menu is good, with a range of modern and international cuisine, and the food comes imaginatively presented. There is also a comprehensive wine list. The interior is simple and minimalist. We have been here a few times and always thoroughly enjoyed it. The service has always been very good, but we were a little disappointed by our experience last time: we were given a table next to the cash desk and had the waitresses earwigging our conversation, then my boyfriend was served very-underdone, near-raw fish (although they dealt with this very well, apologised, and brought over free after-dinner brandy and truffles!)
Tel: 01904 622688

Melton’s Too on Walmgate is the restaurant's second venture in the city centre, with a much more informal bistro feel. The food is still of a high standard, with a good-value menu, specials and a tapas menu.
01904 629222
www.meltonstoo.co.uk

Loch Fyne on Walmgate is another recently-opened restaurant, serving mainly fresh seafood from, er, Loch Fyne! The restaurant itself is nice and spacious, with a good bar. We have eaten here twice: once at lunch and once for dinner. The lunchtime menu was about £12 for two courses, and was, I have to say, not amazing. Dinner, on the other hand, was delicious. The service is nice and quick, but there are some surly waiters!

Pizza Express on Museum Street is old favourite. Situated on the river across from Museum Gardens, it has fantastic views over the river and city walls. It's a good branch, with a Grand Piano and large sofas in the waiting area, and live Jazz on a Thursday and Saturday. It has a large range of pizza and pasta dishes (my favourite starter is the garlic dough balls, they're amazing!) It serves food until 12am, if you're "quick drink before we eat" has lasted a little longer than expected!
Tel: 01904 672904

~ Traditional Pubs ~
There are hundreds of them, you're probably best off just wandering around and stumbling across one. Here are my favourites:

Ye Olde Starre Inne
This is my favourite place to come for an afternoon drink in Summer: sit in the sunny white-washed courtyard, sip you're Pimms and enjoy the view up at the Minster! (Can get very busy though)

The Golden Fleece
A lovely cosy pub with low beams, open fireplaces and serve very good-value standard pub grub. The pub has been here since 1503 and is also famous as the most haunted pub in York, has been featured on Most Haunted and regularly holds "Ghost Nights", which to be honest aren't my cup of tea (they conduct séances and table-tipping). An ideal place for a rest from all that shopping, as it's located just at the bottom of Parliament Street, opposite the Shambles (Pavement Street). You can also stay here for between £40-£49 pounds per person per night (very good value for a city centre hotel) in one of their four impressive (haunted!!) suites
01904 625171
http://www.goldenfleece.yorkwebsites.co.uk/index.htm

The Kings Arms
Another nice place to come to in Summer as it's right on the riverside. Arguably the best-known pub in York: it's close proximity to the river Ousse means that it floods every year, yet they stay open. The most impressive floods are marked on a waterline as you walk in. Bring your wellies if you're coming in Autumn!
Open 12pm - 11pm (10.30pm Sunday)
01904 659435