Well known for its variety of brunch spots, and famously having 365 pubs, York has become somewhat of a viral food hotspot in recent years. Of course, as hungry, judgemental students, we had to see if these places are worth the hype. Spoiler alert: they are (even if the student budget protests).
Clucking Oinks
The first stop on our viral food tour of the city was Clucking Oinks – a restaurant known for it’s “award winning fried chicken & sides”. We visited their Castlegate location which was full of pink decorations and cartoon chickens, however, they are also currently one of the vendors at Spark. The food here was simply delicious. We ordered a range of dishes, from salt and pepper fried chicken, to halloumi fries, to a burger. The favourite was easily the giant mozzarella stick! The coating was so crispy, the cheese was extra gooey and the sauces on top were delectable! For a student budget, the price point definitely didn’t break the bank – we would highly recommend a visit. Maybe you could even try one of their innovative burger combinations (seriously, one of them has mash and gravy on it)!
Monk Bar Chocolatiers
These viral chocolate shots have taken TikTok by storm, and we can see why. Located on The Shambles and priced at £3.50, these are the perfect sweet treat for a day of acting like a tourist in your own city. The street was packed when we visited, and there was a queue, but everything was served super quickly. You get the choice of dark, milk or white chocolate for the cup, with melted milk chocolate filling the inside. From the first sip I felt like I’d arrived at the pearly gates of heaven – it was just that good. We would recommend the dark chocolate cup, giving it all a little bit of balance. A definite must visit for your time in York!
Crumbles
Similar to London’s Humble Crumble, Crumbles is York’s very own version of this popular British treat. Housed in the Shambles Market, it’s the perfect spot to stop for a warming snack. Crumbles is fully customisable, offering 6 different filling options (including classic apple, rhubarb, and apple & blackberry), as well as the choice between hot, frozen or vegan custard. Additionally, you can pay extra to add an assortment of other inventive toppings. We went for rhubarb with frozen custard as well as apple & blackberry with hot custard, and both were absolute delights. We especially loved the crumble topping: it was authentic and tasty- none of that shortbread crumble nonsense!
Lucia
Lucia is a well-known Italian restaurant located down Swinegate, however during this food tour we visited their stall at the Christmas Market to try the viral cheese wheel pasta. Getting to watch the chefs blowtorch a ginormous wheel of cheese before cooking your pasta in it was certainly a unique experience. There was a long queue to order and a little bit of a wait to pick it up, but when the time came it was definitely worth it. This was quite possibly the most flavourful, cheesy pasta ever feasted upon. At £12.50 for the standard pasta (without any additional toppings), the price is a little steep for a student budget, but the portion is generous, and it’s so good that we simply must recommend it.
Nola
This restaurant was highly anticipated. Seen all over social media for its speakeasy vibe, we had to pay it a visit. It’s definitely more on the expensive side (but so worth it!), so save it for a special occasion. Small plates are the best way to dine, if you ask us. You get to try so many things and don’t have to worry about committing to the wrong dish. Inspired by cuisine from New Orleans, Louisiana, everything was packed with mouthwatering flavours and cooked to perfection. A highlight for us was the BBQ ribs; the meat was so tender and just fell off the bone. I couldn’t write this review without also mentioning the French Martini I had- it was possibly the best cocktail I’ve ever tasted. The 1920s art decor also encapsulated the vibes perfectly, and since we didn’t have any room left for desert another visit is definitely in order, perhaps on a night that they have live jazz playing.
Partisan
We now enter the stretch of cafes and brunch… I’m not complaining. Partisan, located on Micklegate, comes highly recommended online, and for good reason. The menu has all your brunch classics, as well as some more unique items like Persian eggs and Turkish figs with goats cheese. All of the dishes we tried were customisable, and thoroughly enjoyable. We also loved the artsy energy inside, including the pieces from local artists that were on display. Just a warning that it is independent and quite small, so you may have to sit outside in the (heated) marquee. It’s probably safest to book a table if you have your heart set on brunching here.
Rise
Rise is well known on social media, primarily for the fact that it’s highly instagrammable and aesthetically pleasing. People are often queuing to be seated, as like many other places in York, it’s quite small. We visited on a weekday around 11:30am and were seated immediately, so maybe this is the way to go. Rise offers a pretty standard brunch menu, but their drinks are what make them stand out. There’s an assortment of different delicious smoothies, as well as specialty coffees. Each drink comes with an exclusive bamboo straw that has a cheeky little phrase on- one of ours read “nice bum!”.
Drift
More commonly known as Drift In before one of their locations closed, Drift is one of our favourite cafes in York. They have a good range of drinks, including coffees, seasonal flavours, smoothies, milkshakes and even protein shakes, all reasonably priced. Drift rotates their menus, having separate offerings for brunch and lunch, with some staples that stay consistent throughout. They always have specials as well, usually including a unique French toast (recently it was Banoffee)! A personal favourite of ours is their hash brown stacks; they’re always cooked perfectly and packed flavour. They’re practically irresistible! Plus, Drift offers student discount, making it the perfect cafe of choice.
Chocolate Circus
The final stop on our viral food tour of York was at the Christmas Market once again. We just had to grab one of the stacked hot chocolates that are all over social media! You can get yourself a hot chocolate topped with a cookie, marshmallow fluff, whipped cream and a wafer for just £7.50. This sweet treat was the perfect way to keep warm after a few cold, snowy days. Plus, Chocolate Circus also serve “melting pots”. These are new for this year and consist of a cookie cup filled with molten milk chocolate. Pro tip from us to you: drink the hot chocolate before tackling the delicious toppings so you don’t lose that warmth!
We’re definitely going to need some time to recover after this, but if we’ve learnt anything it’s that York’s viral food spots are talked about for good reason. Everything we had was absolutely lovely, and we will definitely be returning. What are your favourite places to eat in York? We just might have to try those too!
