A NIGHT IN YORK

WorthWhile eMagazine’s A Night

in York

Our expert guide to York's best pubs and bars, from traditional, beamed pubs with fireplaces, like

the Blue Bell, to art deco night spots, like the Biltmore Bar & Grill.

York famously has 365 pubs, one for every day of the year, but as you might expect from such

quantity, not all are worth writing home about. Avoid chain bars, which are filled with stag and hen

parties at weekends, and instead root out the locals’ favourite spots - you’ll still have a bigger list

than the government’s recommended alcohol levels will permit you to visit in a month.

Whatever you do, drink good ale from the local area. Yorkshire has some of the finest breweries in

the world and the natives rightly frown on my requests for anodyne Australian lagers.

A NIGHT IN YORK

The Blue Bell

The best secret in York is this tiny pub on Fossgate. Ignore the orange ‘Private Party’ signs (there to ‘keep

the wrong crowds out’) and push through the doors into a small but excellently preserved Edwardian pub

with real fires in winter, candlelight at night and a well-deserved listing in CAMRA’s National Inventory for

real ales. The Smoke Room in the back is the sort of place you could lose an afternoon reading the papers

in blissful tranquillity among friendly locals. There’s no cooked food, but superb beers are matched by a

quality local cheeseboard, or traditional sandwich choices such as corned beef and pickle.

A NIGHT IN YORK

The York Tap

Most station bars are grim places to visit, but this recently refurbished platform pub is a real treat and

well worth a trip to the station alone. Vast windows (ideal for trainspotters), a big glass Victorian ceiling

dome, wood panelling and sanded floors create an airy but warm feel, but the real focus here is the real

ale, 32 beers to be precise - all are top quality and expertly served. Small wonder The York Tap has just

been named ‘Best Cask Beer Pub’ in the Great British Pub Awards 2012. There is a small selection wines

and spirits, but bar snacks are the only nod to food so don’t arrive with an empty stomach.

A NIGHT IN YORK

Yorkshire Terrier Inn

Enjoying a great location on Stonegate, the front room of this pub is actually the beer shop for The York

Brewery. But go through the narrow corridor to the rear and you’ll find a cosy if somewhat basic watering

hole. A small TV screen may show sports ‘when they are important’ and an eclectic music system switches

between Radiohead and Tom Jones, but neither intrudes on the convivial atmosphere. Great for tasting

the local tipples from the city - such as ‘Guzzler’, ‘Centurion’ and ‘Terrier’. The food philosophy is more

quantity than quality, but its fish pie and Sunday roasts will fuel the hungriest tourist for a day’s

sightseeing.

A NIGHT IN YORK

Lamb and Lion Inn

An old inn, delightfully squashed up against the city walls at Bootham Bar, this petite but pleasant drinker’s

den has Farrow & Ball painted walls, dark corners, chunky wooden furniture and a good range of visiting

entertainment. Its dinner menu consists of staples like lamb shank and hot pot, which can be enjoyed in

its lovely maze of wood panelled nooks and crannies. A wonderful beer garden butts the city walls at the

back.

A NIGHT IN YORK

The Golden Fleece

Wonky floors and doors, dark bars and beams, open fires and ghost stories told in hushed tones over

candlelit tables make this narrow pub an atmospheric stop on any York drinking trail. Reputed to be the

city’s most haunted watering hole, it dates back 500 years — and if the many reports of paranormal

activity are to be believed, there’s little chance of a quiet pint. It serves afternoon teas with cakes,

sandwiches and a decent all day menu featuring everything from moules mariniere to ‘Golden Fleece’

burgers. Beers like Theakston’s ‘Old Peculier’ and Skipton’s own hoppy classic ‘Golden Pippin’ are winners,

served by friendly staff who are up to speed on spooky sightings.

A NIGHT IN YORK

Brigantes Bar & Brasserie

This spacious ground floor bar conveniently fills the bottom of a Georgian building close to Micklegate Bar

and provides simple, no-nonsense drinking space where quality real ales from the area are the focus. Part

of the north’s successful ‘Market Taverns’ chain, it has big blackboards displaying both resident and guest

beers, ciders, lagers and great house wines. The lunch and evening menus feature pies, chargrilled steaks,

sandwiches, fish and chips and roast belly pork - all are a cut above the average pub food.

A NIGHT IN YORK

The Biltmore Bar & Grill

A favourite hotspot for the suited and booted on works’ drinks outings, this beautifully decorated modern

bar with a hint of art deco is nonetheless one of York’s best, combining a classy interior with efficient

service and delicious cocktails and a good wine list. Food includes tasty pasta, pizzas, ribs and risotto

dishes or choose from the more sophisticated (and expensive) ‘Vintage’ menu. The centrepiece is

undoubtedly the downstairs black onyx bar where regular Champagne tastings are designed to demystify

the good stuff.

A NIGHT IN YORK

The Maltings

An old building dwarfed by its massive modern neighbours, you would be forgiven for overlooking this

little slice of peace and quiet just over Lendal Bridge from the city centre. Decorated with faded brewery

signs and with a bar and ceiling made from old doors, there is a distinct whiff of age about it and all must

abide by the sign banning ‘kids’ and ‘rowdiness’. Enjoy a quiet pint from a great range of regularly changing

and decently priced beers, including their own locally brewed one and eat generous portions of lasagne,

toasties and jacket potatoes for really reasonable prices.

A NIGHT IN YORK

The King’s Arms

A great budget option, the King’s Arms overlooks the Ouse and is flooded every time the river gets a bit

lively, but this has little lasting impact on the a cosy, relaxed timber-beamed bar where the extraordinarily

cheap but cheerful range of Sam Smith’s Yorkshire bitters and lagers come with a smile and good banter.

I wouldn’t bother eating here – Sam Smith’s pubs offer a fairly forgettable line in microwaved fayre – but

a nice outdoor area beside the river makes it a great place for an early evening drink on a sunny day.

A NIGHT IN YORK

Pivni

At the heart of this new (ish) bar-watering hole are ales as good as you’d expect from the team that

brought you the best train station bar in Britain, The York Tap. Congregating from every corner of the

globe in a busy ground floor bar you have all manner of drafts and bottled ales, including outstanding

American IPAs, continental craft beers and more close-to-home choices. Add to this some taste sensations

like Magic Rock’s chocolate porter ‘Chipotle Punchline’ and left-field discoveries like a very drinkable IPA

from Toccalmatto Brewery in Italy, and you begin to understand why it's a place that is always filled with

devotees. The décor here, if it is intentionally designed, is a mix of original 16 century features – beams,

bricks, a whitewashed and wood exterior – and what looks like a quick once-over after flicking through

some bold colour charts. If you’re peckish, there’s some interesting salamis and popcorn (bacon flavour

anyone?) that’ll stave off the hunger.