Katie Mather is a wine, beer, food, and travel writer based between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales in England, who loves the great outdoors, particularly in the UK, Spain, and on the Isle of Man. Her work has been published in Glug Magazine, Good Beer Hunting, Ferment Magazine and she also writes regularly for Pellicle where she is an Associate Editor. Her first book is due out in 2023.
Katie Mather is a wine, beer, food, and travel writer based between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales in England, who loves the great outdoors, particularly in the UK, Spain, and on the Isle of Man. Her work has been published in Glug Magazine, Good Beer Hunting, Ferment Magazine and she also writes regularly for Pellicle where she is an Associate Editor. Her first book is due out in 2023.
Hi, I'm Katie!Katie Mather is a wine, beer, food, and travel writer based between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales in England, who loves the great outdoors, particularly in the UK, Spain, and on the Isle of Man. Her work has been published in Glug Magazine, Good Beer Hunting, Ferment Magazine and she also writes regularly for Pellicle where she is an Associate Editor. Her first book is due out in 2023.
Hi, I'm Katie!Katie Mather is a wine, beer, food, and travel writer based between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales in England, who loves the great outdoors, particularly in the UK, Spain, and on the Isle of Man. Her work has been published in Glug Magazine, Good Beer Hunting, Ferment Magazine and she also writes regularly for Pellicle where she is an Associate Editor. Her first book is due out in 2023.
Any visitor to York is rightly impressed by the medieval York Minster and its towering spires, and the winding cobbled streets of the city certainly make for excellent photographs. However, one of the true delights of York is its wide selection of pubs—most with their own stories to tell. From traditional and cozy to unusual and haunted, York is a drinker’s dream. Here are seven of York’s most intriguing drinking dens for you to explore on your next trip to Yorkshire’s historic capital.
One of two Trembling Madness bars, the Stonegate address is a definite must-visit for anyone enamored with York’s historic buildings. Step inside what appears to be a bottle shop and climb the stairs into a wooden-beamed, taxidermy-filled, blanket-strewn medieval town house turned into a cozy Belgian bar.
Expect plenty of beers on tap—both draft and cask—and a hefty menu containing everything else a person could ever want to drink. There’s also a daily menu of pies and hearty grub.
Small and perfect, the Blue Bell is a beer drinker’s ideal place for a quiet afternoon pint. Filled with authentic and beautiful Edwardian decor, it has Edwardian rules to match: “No groups, no swearing, and no children” have been the house rules for 120 years.
It’s a friendly place, with excellently-kept cask ale brewed by local breweries. Taste traditional English beers of all kinds, from blonde ales to IPAs, stouts to milds, all served with a smile by a bartender who really knows what they’re talking about. And you’ll probably be able to get a decent pork pie too.
The Hop is a pub that straddles the old traditions of York pubs with modern craft beer, and it does it with style. Unusual in that it feels old but has contemporary music playing—many old pubs in York don’t have music at all—it’s a bar more suited for group revelry rather than quiet reflection.
The interior design sits right on the good side of traditional, with heavy wood, retro tiles and ornate Victorian flourishes. Regular live music sessions take place, and the beer is fresh from nearby Osset Brewery. Wood-fired pizzas are always on the menu. It’s a pubgoing gamechanger.
Inside this beautifully preserved 16th-century townhouse is a modern but candlelit craft beer hidden gem. Converted into a freehouse (a pub with no ties to specific breweries or hospitality companies) 15 years ago, it’s a pub full of historic character and modern touches.
Where else can you sit by a Georgian fireplace and drink super-fresh craft beer brewed just down the road at Brew York or Tapped Brew Co? Set up by Pivovar, there is an obvious European connection to their drinks offering too, with more than 40 bottled beers on the menu.
If you want a traditional York pub, you’ve come to the right place. Hidden in plain sight on Saint Sampson’s Square, this is a pub that knows what it does well, and sticks to it. The jukebox plays Northern Soul, '70s rock, and '50s hits, and locals sing along. Don’t worry—you’ll join in soon enough.
The beauty of this unusual pub is in its refusal to move into the modern age. It’s not a quaint Victorian pub, nor is it a trendy bar. It’s a comfortable, warm, and welcoming place to chat to locals and enjoy a drink or two. No need for any flashy decorations.
Ever wanted to get a peek of a noble’s wine cellar? At Lendal Cellars you can actually sit down inside one, as the whole underground building was once the 18th-century cellars of York’s own Lord Mayor. Under the low-arched brick ceilings, enjoy a drink and something to eat as you take in the atmosphere.
Lendal Cellars is much more about the location than the drinks selection, but in a city like York you just have to visit old curiosities like this bar. Even just for a swift one.
The Three Legged Mare is the last remaining pub owned by York Brewery, and here you will find probably the best pint of Black Sheep in the city. It’s a cheerful place, and the welcome is as warm as any pub you’ve ever been to. Which is funny, considering its name comes from the name of York’s infamous tripod hanging gallows.
Get yourself a drink and admire the vintage brewery gizmos and gadgets, including authentic tools used in York Brewery once upon a time. Visit on a Friday to enjoy excellent live entertainment by local folk musicians, who play and sing the night away in the bar.
