I’ll be heading up to York for a weekend with the girlfriend, Ive got things planned for the day but I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions for decent/quirky restaurants, bars and pubs, perhaps somewhere that has live music?

Thanks

Was there with the wife ( and no kids. Yay!) Last weekend.
Had dinner at Michaels Brasserie on Low Petergate.

Grub was excellent and not too expensive.

http://www.yorkshirebrasserie.uk/

I have only been a couple of times, but I rather like this little place: Pivni

It’s not cheap, but the beer is good.

Go to the “house of trembling madness” for a good selection of beer – there’s a bar upstairs. Toby’s Pivni recommendation is also decent. I also like the Snickleway Inn on Goodramgate for a proper pub with a fire.

You could also buy an excellent pork pie from the York Sausage Company on the Shambles, and sit in the bar/beer shop next door to enjoy a pint with it.

A number of pubs in town have live music on pretty regularly, so probably not hard to find if you check out a few during the day.

For dinner, The Star Inn the City is really good. There’s also a polish place on Walmgate that comes recommended for something a bit different. And bistro 5 (or something like that) at the bottom of Gillygate.

Visit The House of Trembling Madness. The bar is above the shop on Stonegate.

You have a really good choice of placed to eat, but I’d recommend that you have a look at the places on Fossgate/Walmgate. Barbikan (Polish), Walmgate Ale House (English), The Hop (Wood fired Pizza), Khao San Road (Thai), Loch Fyne (Fish) and Mumbai Lounge (Indian) to name just a few. The Fossgate social is also very nice for a coffee.

Must also recommend Rustique (French), but usually have to book ahead.

So many pubs.

Just have a wander and see what you find. York is relatively compact, so quick to return to somewhere later on if you wish.

Enjoy

Bennetts opposite the Minster. Cake and tea during the tea until my mate comes in on an evening and it turns out to be a top notch bistro type place. Excellent food…

Pivni and the Trembling Madness seconded – both are excellent if you like your beer. We ate at a vegan place not far up Swinegate from Pivni which Google maps tells me was “El Piano” – it was definitely a bit different and very boho if you fancy that kind of thing. Also, have you scheduled a visit to Betty’s tea room into your daytime plans? If not, you really should!

Rustique, either the bigger one on Lendal or the little one near the Castle.

Great food at frankly silly prices.

Good service, deserves it’s reputation.

There was a thread on this a little while ago.

Beers – HOTM – be prepared for silly strength beer!

We had a great curry here.
http://www.bombayspiceyork.co.uk/gallery.php

Beautiful food at the Guy Fawkes Inn by the Minster.
Lame with pesto and pine nuts was amazing (2 years ago).

Eggs Benedict at Betty’s is fantastic – for the morning after.

Silly cheap Samuel Smiths beer at the Kings Arms pub on the river – ‘the pub that floods’.
A ghost walk goes from here at 8 every night too – a must do if you haven’t done it before – ends near the curry house too which is a bonus!

We ate “smothered chicken” in The Slug & Lettuce the other week.

Smothered shoe leather more like. Talk about overdone

Must also mention La Cremeria on High Petergate. Was in there last night with our daughter. She has the brownie with icecream, and hogged the lot. No sharing there. The bit I nicked was really good, as was the ice cream. Our hot chocolates were excellent too.
All homemade on the premises. Will be going back, several times.
Much cheaper than the other chocolate based eateries and the staff were lovely.

+1 for HOTM + Rustique.

Decent curry house down Goodramgate, think its called Bengal Brasserie or there is Red Chilli on Rougier Street for a Chinese.

We had some decent burgers at the Rose and Crown just outside the walls, 5 mins walk from town center.

El Gaucho – Argentinian steak house if you like that sort of thing. Pretty good.

There are two Rustiques now I think – the old one near Clifford’s tower is the only one I’ve been to though – again pretty good.

Krakatoa great Indonesian food. Chef is Indonesian. Best food outside of Jakarta.

Oh, someone mentioned chocolate based eating…

York Coco House