York locals reckon the city has 365 pubs within city walls – one for each day of the year. If you’re only here for a few days the choice can be overwhelming, so we’ve helped narrow down the list by selecting our five favourite drinking dens.
The House of Trembling Madness
This curiously named pub is located in a medieval hall above a beer shop. The small room is littered with antique furnishings, but the most notable decor is the menagerie of taxidermy snarling down from one wall. The bar is tucked away in a corner and serves local real ales and rare Belgian beers along with rustic platters of meats and cheeses.
The Hop
The Hop teams British ales together with Italian pizza. The large front room is a Victorian bar complete with tiled flooring and art deco lampshades. If you head past the splendid mahogany bar, you’ll come to the chic, exposed-brick restaurant and an open kitchen with an impressive stone pizza oven. There’s a slightly raised stage in the dining room where local singers perform unplugged gigs.
Evil Eye Lounge
This Brazilian– and Moroccan–themed bar is popular with a young and trendy clientele. The bar isn’t suited to fans of real ale as drinkers mainly come here for the lengthy cocktail menu. Potent drinks are creatively concocted with off-the-wall ingredients like Balkan vodka and mead. Evil Eye’s decor is as eclectic as its drinks – head to the top floor to lounge across a four-poster bed.
Plonkers Wine Bar
Another trendy York hangout, Plonkers benefits from a riverside location and outdoor seating during the summer. The downstairs bar has a slightly American feel to it, with neon signs and TVs showing sport. The upstairs restaurant serves traditional British food in a sophisticated setting of red leather chairs, Asian ornaments and leafy floor plants.