Budget
Hungary Horaces
Authentic working men's cafe. greasy and tatty but the food is of a very high standard. the staff at the cafe are very friendly and may refer to you as love or flower.
Meltons Too
5 minutes walk from the center in an area called walmgate - good food in pleasant olde worlde environment.
Miller's
(http://www.millersyork.co.uk/) - delicious fish and chip shop in fulford, which also works as a restaurant. reasonable prices and as good a plate's worth as you'll get in york.
Pizza Express
Needs no introduction, but worth a look for the setting - a spectacular Victorian brick edifice perched on the bank of the River Ouse. Summer evenings on the terraces are pleasant, and their toilets are marble temples of Victorian excess - it's worth eating there just for the chance to use a solid brass-and-marble urinal.
The Spurriergate Centre
On spurriergate - a great little cafe in an old church, well worth a visit just for the architecture but the food is good and there are vegetarian options - the staff have a "godly" feel but are friendly enough.
For budget eating, try any traditional pub though food quality may be variable.
A cafeteria in an old church facing away from Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate sells cheap good food - eat on the grass outside.
The Golden Dragon
Cheap and cheerful Chinese food.
Midrange
ASK
Like Pizza Express, come for the setting rather than the food which is fine, just nothing special. A marble-pillared Georgian assembly rooms with 40-foot ceilings and plaster cherubs. Extremely busy at weekends and tourist periods.
El Piano
Grape lane, (http://www.elpiano.co.uk/). mexican influenced vegetarian food. very relaxed atmosphere, you can carve your name in a table for a â£1 donation to amnesty they lend you the tools. has toys and games lying around. if you have children, ask nicely and they'll give you a room upstairs to yourselves.
Old Grey Mare
A good curry place about halfway between the city walls and the YHA hostel.
The Lime House
Goodramgate, (http://www.limehouseresta...). this restaurant has won many awards but still doesn't seem to be on the tourist radar. this is a shame, because it serves some of the most inventive, lovingly-prepared food in the city. starters from â£5, mains from â£13.
Viceroy of India
Always busy even in early evening, this long established Indian Restaurant is a favourite of York residents who keep returning time after time for its excellent food and friendly atmosphere. As they say - when in Rome...
Bari's
Cheerfully unpretentious Italian bistro serving pizza and pasta in an authentically Italian style overly-phallic pepper grinders and waiters adopting cod accents. Food's not bad, it's reasonably priced, and it's pretty lively of an evening.
Top end
Betty's Tea Rooms
World-famous for its nostalgic atmosphere and spectacular Swiss-Yorkshire patisserie-style catering. It is a twenties-style tea rooms complete with palm trees, aproned waitresses and piano player, and serves the kind of food that comes with the crusts cut off. The quality is superb, but it's not cheap - and be prepared for a queue at peak times, it's not unknown for potential customers to wait outside in the rain for a seat.
Little Betty's
This is a smaller version of Betty's in Stonegate which doesn't get quite so busy, and serves exactly the same kind of food in a similar ambience.
For upmarket eating, try York's 'restaurant district' on Fossgate and Walmgate.
Four High Petergate
One of the cityâs finest restaurants with rooms, offering guests a delightful culinary experience and a beautiful place to stay right in the heart of York's city centre. The new venue also has the capabilities to stage weddings, tea parties and business events.
J Bakers Bistro Moderne
Run by Michelin-starred chef J Baker 10 consecutive years with Michelin starsthis is regularly reviewed and acknowledged as York's best restaurant by some way. Booking is essential for evenings as there is often a waiting list but the Lunch time menu is a bargain and it is easy to get a table.
Monty's Grill
An award-winning steak and seafood restaurant close to the centre of York. It is based on the concept of a Victorian chop house and specializes in serving high-quality, traditional British food.
The Judges Lodgings
Has the largest outside dining area in York. Its upstairs restaurant, located inside the hotel, serves freshly prepared meals, a selection of fine wines and homemade desserts. These are enjoyed amongst the splendour of guilt mirrors, antique paintings and beautiful architecture.