York has some fantastic places to eat regardless of if you are looking for a snack as you explore the city or are looking for lunch or dinner. Â So with so much to choose from, we thought we would make it easier with our Top 10 Best Places to Eat in York Guide.
We think that each of these restaurants, cafe’s and tea rooms are superb and you will not go wrong with any of them, so do not worry if you cannot get in to one or you are in the wrong part of town as all of these are simply the best places to eat in York, so enjoy!
Best Places to Eat in York
Without further ado, below are the Top 10 Best Places to Eat in York. Â We will be providing in depth reviews of each in the very near future, so be sure to check back when you get a chance. Â Or be just like us at What To Do In? and try them all, then you can tell us what your favourite is.
- Skosh
- Bettys
- Little Italy
- The Refectory
- Ate O’Clock
- Goji Cafe
- Puddin’ & Pie
- Shambles Kitchen
- Coconut Lagoon
- Melton’s Restaurant
Food and drink have become a major part of most people’s lives, in particular their social lives. In fact the phrase food and drink produces over 89 million hits on the Google website. Excessiveness in either is of course unhealthy, but perhaps this is one of the reasons why people see good food or good wine as something special, something to treat themselves with.
Guides to good food, wine and restaurants have become big business. Egon Ronay’s ëGuide to the Best Restaurants and Gastropubs in the UK which provides detailed reviews of over 500 restaurants and gastropubs has sold over 2 million copies. Its simple to compare style of awarding up to three stars to each restaurant is clearly a hit with readers.
Best Restaurants in York
The Good Food Guide edited by Elizabeth Carter sells itself as Britain’s leading restaurant guide and is currently in it 56th edition, detailing over 1,500 eateries from gastropubs to high end dining.  Covering many of the best restaurants in York, you know you are in safe hands and will always find a great place to eat in York.
Fine wine guides are also a big seller, with books such as Clarke’s ‘Fine Wine Guide: A Connoisseur’s Bible’ and Johnson-Bell’s ‘Good Food, Fine Wine: A Practical Guide to Finding the Perfect Match’ both readily available on the internet it is clear that there is a high demand for such guides.
This is not surprising as the United Kingdom is the second largest importer of wine in the world. Wine sales in the UK increased 25% between 2001 and 2005. In 2004 the estimated wine consumption was 1.2 billion litres. In particular there has been an increase in the consumption of so-called New World wines in the best restaurants in York, for example those from Australia or the USA instead of traditional producers such as France. California now produces 2 billion litres of wine every year, making it the fourth biggest producer behind Italy, France and Spain. In 2004, New World wines accounted for over 55% of total consumption in the UK.
Italian Restaurants in York
York has a great selection of Italian restaurants for you to choose from and like any good Italian, we love a glass of wine with our dinner. Â Exports of Australian wines have more than quadrupled in the last decade to reach nearly 800 million litres in 2006, 22% of which went onto the UK market, approximately 176 million litres.
Exports of New Zealand wines to the UK alone have increased from 8.1 million litres in 1997 to 21.9 million litres in 2006.
One factor in the explanation of this is an increase in the availability of fine wine in many supermarkets. Some figures place two-thirds of UK wines sales in supermarkets. Increased demand and competition between large chain supermarkets have increased the variety of wines and producers and made them more accessible to the general public and Italian restaurants in York and other nearby cities like Leeds, Harrogate and Ripon.
A recent report by Vinexpo has predicted that the UK will become Europe’s biggest market for wine by 2010. The report which examined the worlds wine producers and consumers also predicted that by 2010 the UK wine sales would be worth £5.5 billion, despite the fact that the UK paid the highest average price per bottle (£3.11), which is equivalent to 28.5 litres per capita compared to an average of 27 litres between 2001 and 2005.
The report also showed that between 2001 and 2005 Australia had overtaken France as the UK’s biggest supplier with imports rising 51%. Imports from countries such as the USA and South Africa have also risen during this period which highlights the trend toward New World wines.
Where to Eat in York
If you are looking where to eat in York tonight, then look no further than our top 10 list above. Â You will find some great food at every single one of these fine eateries and there is plenty of choice for snacks, lunch and dinner so you will never be short of where to eat in York any day of the week.
You may find that what one person thinks of as Italian food just wont work for someone else. There are many chain restaurants that say they serve Italian, but there are many who say some of them are just too Americanised. Whatever the case, this style of cooking is one of the most popular in the States, and you can usually find what you want in any town or city. Because there are so many options, there are probably more of these restaurants than any other type.
If you aren’t very choosy about what you consider to be Italian food, you can find some great choices with many of the chains. Though some might argue that this is not real Italian, you can’t deny that they have some really great food. If you are looking for something that might be considered more authentic in Italian food, you can find many home grown restaurants in your town that are independently owned. Those are usually the best places for foods as close to Italy as you can get in the States.
If you just can’t seem to find what you are looking for when it comes to Italian food, you can always tackle this one your own in your own home. You can find hundreds if not thousands of great recipes online that you can try on your own. Remember that the basis for really great Italian food is always the sauce. You may have to spend an entire day just working on the sauce, but if you have the right recipe, you will find that this will be time well spent. Sauce from a jar is just fine, but homemade always has the best taste. There is something about making it on your own, and adding things as you go throughout the day that makes a very special sauce.
When you find a good recipe for Italian food, don’t forget to share it with family and friends. While there are many styles of cooking out there, Italian is something that most think of as comfort food. We may need comfort now and again, and having that one great recipe for special occasions is a gift that keeps on giving. Even better, if you have been making some and have a great collection of recipes that you love, make those in your family a cute little cookbook of Italian food recipes that everyone will love.
If you are going further afield, perhaps up North, take a look at our things to do in Durham guide, or a little further South in our Chesterfield and Leicester guides where you will find new and exciting kids activities.
Places to Eat in York Conclusion
We hope that you have enjoyed our places to eat in York guide and that you have found some new restaurants and cafes which will serve you something delicious this week. Â Remember, please let us know what you liked, as your opinion influences these guides, as it is your opinion that matters.
More Information
If you are looking for more to do in York than just eat, and who can blame you, why not take a look at more of Yorks attractions and events in our other York tourism and travel information guides.
