Cultural York - Museums & Eating Out

Visitor attractions, galleries and dining out

York’s restaurant and café scene is thriving. For the first time ever, six of the city’s restaurants were featured in the Which? Good Food Guide 07.

o For laid-back atmosphere and delicious regional produce, try Melton’s Too or The Tasting Room.

o For fine dining, visit Melton’s serving anglo-french food, or J Baker’s Bistro Moderne. And for an intimate atmosphere, eat in the former medieval brothel of the Blue Bicycle, where the fish dishes are renowned. For sheer luxury indulge your senses at Middlethorpe Hall, a William III country house with three AA Rosettes for its cuisine.

o Others to try are El Piano for Spanish tapas, Plunkets Restaurant for Mexican and South West American, Vanilla Black for vegetarian, or The Lime House for a quirky take on traditional English food.

Best of all, visit the city in September and enjoy the annual York Festival of Food and Drink.

Museums to inspire…

York is home to over thirty museums, galleries and visitor attractions. Below is just a small sample of some of those on offer:

York Castle Museum

Go back in time to enjoy Britain’s most famous Victorian street experience.

National Railway Museum

Learn how the railways have helped shape British culture (and for a bird’s eye view of the city, ride the nearby Yorkshire Wheel).

York Minster

The largest medieval gothic cathedral in northern Europe; over 500 feet in length, 100 feet wide and a central tower 200 feet high.

York City Art Gallery

The city’s premier gallery houses more than 600 paintings and runs exciting temporary programmes.

Yorkshire Museum and Gardens

Set in beautiful gardens this museum is home to some of the most fascinating archaeology in the country.

York Minster Art Gallery

This virtual art gallery showcases established mature artists and Royal Academy names. The 2007 programme will include exhibitions at The University of York, The Treasurer’s House and St. Peters School.

St Mary’s Church

This fine medieval church is now a contemporary art venue and hosts an innovative programme of exhibitions.

Fairfax House

Described as ‘the most perfect 18th century townhouse in England’ and home to the Noel Terry collection of furniture.

Merchant Adventurers’ Hall

The finest surviving medieval guildhall in Britain, built 1357, celebrates its 650th anniversary in 2007.

Castle Howard

Yorkshire’s finest historic house, this 18th century palace offers behind-the-scenes tours.

JORVIK Viking Centre

Travel back a thousand years and visit the Vikings on the very site where archaeologists discovered the remains of the place they once called home.

DIG

Turn archaeologist for the day. Grab your trowel and dig through the secrets of York’s past.

Treasurer’s House

Home to the most famous ghost story in England, this fine 17th century house offers four centuries of furnishings in its elegant interior.