I hesitated to write this article. When I visited York just over a month ago, I was excited to explore the city with one eye on its history and the other on its food scene. And while I did enjoy some fantastic meals, my girlfriend and I also ate something that resulted in severe food poisoning, keeping us awake for the entirety of our only night there. In the end, we had to cut the trip short and return home.

Naturally, this left a bitter taste—quite literally. I debated whether to write this article at all and, if I did, how I should approach it. Should I channel my inner British administrator and unleash a passive-aggressive tirade? Or should I take a more positive approach, finding the silver linings?

Discovering Bites was created to highlight great food experiences, offering honest recommendations with a focus on the good rather than tearing places down. So, rather than dwelling on what went wrong, I’ve chosen to share my top places to eat in York—two incredible street food spots and one must-visit restaurant.

Street Food Gems in York: Must-Try Vendors

York’s most famous attraction, the historic Shambles, isn’t just a feast for the eyes—it’s also a hotspot for incredible street food. This enchanting medieval street, lined with 14th-century buildings and a steady stream of Harry Potter enthusiasts, is surrounded by some of the city's most exciting eats.

Vendor 1: The York Roast Company

4 Stonegate, York, North Yorkshire YO1 8AS (www.theyorkroastco.com) Sandwiches & Wraps £7.50-£10.75

York’s most viral street food sensation, The York Roast Company, has reimagined the classic British roast dinner in an unexpected way—by wrapping it in the region’s most beloved creation, the Yorkshire pudding. This family-run business, serving roast dinner-inspired meals since 2004, shot to internet fame in 2017 after being picked up by LadBible, UNILAD, and later, major media outlets like BBC’s The One Show, ITV’s This Morning, and The Guardian. The now-iconic Yorkshire pudding wrap quickly became a must-try for visitors.

The menu offers a choice between roast dinner sandwiches, a traditional plated roast, or the star attraction—the Yorkshire pudding wrap, filled with a choice of roast pork, turkey, beef, or ham, complete with all the trimmings and a ladle of gravy. Prices range from £9.50 to £10.75, with optional extras like roast potatoes, additional gravy, and crackling.

We tried the beef wrap (£10.75) and the pork wrap (£10), along with a side of pork crackling (£4). Surprisingly, the pork wrap outshone the beef—packed with flavour and juiciness, whereas the beef was slightly dry. The Yorkshire pudding wrap itself wasn’t as crispy as I’d hoped, but given that it needs to remain pliable, it’s understandable. As for the crackling, while tasty, the portion was huge—almost too much—and the stray hairs on it made it a little off-putting.

Ultimately, this isn’t the greatest roast dinner you’ll ever have, nor is it trying to be. It’s a fun, uniquely York experience that celebrates British food in a playful way. Plus, with late opening hours, it’s a great option for some post-night-out scran.

Vendor 2: Crumbles

Shambles Market (Crumbles)

Tucked inside Shambles Market’s food court, where vendors serve everything from Persian cuisine to Indian street food, one stall in particular caught my attention—Crumbles. With its glowing signage and a steady queue of eager customers, it seemed to be the most popular spot in the market.

Dedicated entirely to apple crumble, this was my idea of heaven. I don’t have the biggest sweet tooth, but desserts with a crunch always win me over. What sets Crumbles apart is its sheer indulgence—the crumble is served in a deep cardboard pot, topped with an enormous pour of hot vanilla custard. A second cardboard plate is placed underneath to catch the overflow, making for an impressive showpiece as it’s handed over.

Normally, I’d opt for ice cream with crumble, but in this case, the custard was the star. Smooth, rich, and full of vanilla flavour, it’s so good that they even sell it in takeaway pots. The crumble itself was equally impressive, with large, soft apple chunks, just the right amount of sweetness, and a sprinkle of cinnamon that tied everything together beautifully. With the cold weather setting in, this piping hot dessert was the perfect winter warmer.

York's Incredible Restaurant Scene

After a long day of exploring York, we were exhausted and went back for a quick nap before dinner. When we woke up and started looking for a place to eat, we quickly realised that nearly every restaurant in York had impressively high Google ratings—most 4.7 and above. That’s something I really appreciate about dining outside of London. Cities like Manchester, Aberdeen, and now York seem to have a more vibrant and passionate restaurant scene, and I’ve had some of my most memorable meals in these places.

But just as we were getting excited, reality hit. Every restaurant we called—three, then four—was fully booked. Our fifth choice was an Italian spot called Marzano, which had equally glowing reviews. Like the others, they were fully booked, but the host kindly offered us a table as long as we left by a certain time. Thankfully, in a compact city like York, everything is within walking distance, so we headed straight there.

Marzano

Bridge House, Fossgate, Walmgate, Fossgate, York YO1 9SY (www.marzanoitalian.co.uk) Starters £8.50, Pasta £14.50-£19.95, Pizza £13.50-£16.90

One thing I love about York is that so many restaurants feel like they’ve had real care put into them—not just in the food but in the atmosphere. Marzano was no exception. The restaurant was beautiful, the kind of place you want to wander through and take in every detail. Unfortunately, we were seated near the entrance, but that didn’t take away from the experience.

Prosciutto and Mozzarella with crispy crostini

Gamberoni Piccanti – spicy prawns in a rich tomato sauce

For starters, we had baked crostini topped with mozzarella, prosciutto, and rocket, finished with an incredible balsamic glaze. The sweetness of the glaze balanced perfectly with the saltiness of the ham, and the fresh, house-made bread made all the difference.

We also ordered the king prawns, sautéed in a rich, garlicky, and slightly spicy tomato sauce, again served with fresh bread. The prawns were clearly fresh, and the sauce was bold and full of flavour.

For mains, we went for both pasta and pizza. The Quattro Stagioni pizza came with four different toppings—prosciutto, ham, capers, anchovies, and mushrooms—each taking up a separate quarter of the pizza. While this mix of flavours was great in theory, it turned into a battle over which slice to grab. Trying to cut it up further just made the toppings slide off, which was a bit of a mess. That said, the tomato sauce was fantastic, and this would be a great option for sharing.

The meatball pasta was another standout. The meatballs were clearly made fresh that day, packed with Italian sausage, herbs, onion, and the occasional breadcrumb, which helped soak up the sauce. While the meatballs were slightly dry on their own, dipping them into the rich sauce balanced everything out. The rigatoni was also fresh, and you could instantly tell the difference compared to dried, store-bought pasta.

The atmosphere at Marzano was buzzing—locals filled the restaurant, whether on dates, family gatherings, or group celebrations. The staff were warm, friendly, and attentive, adding to the overall experience. And the portion sizes? Huge. By the end of the meal, we were absolutely stuffed. In hindsight, we probably should have shared a starter and then split either a pizza or pasta rather than ordering both.

Although Marzano wasn’t our first choice, it turned out to be a fantastic one. We left feeling full, happy, and already wishing we had another chance to come back soon.

Final Thoughts on Top Places to Eat in York

Unfortunately, just a few hours after this meal, we ended up feeling unwell. Before you worry—none of the places in this article were to blame. We have two possible suspects: the mixed game pie we had earlier in the afternoon, which tasted slightly off at the time, or the fact that we spent the evening at one of York’s most haunted pubs, sitting by a fireplace and reading eerie ghost stories written on the walls. Personally, I’m convinced it was the latter.

That aside, if you visit York, make sure to explore the street food vendors at Shambles Market. There’s a fantastic variety of food, and the crumble is a must-try. As for the Yorkshire pudding wrap, it’s definitely a gimmick, but one of those fun, novelty foods worth trying just to say you’ve had it.

For restaurants, York’s dining scene is packed with highly-rated spots, and they’re all extremely popular. If you want to secure a table, booking in advance is essential. Marzano was one of the highlights of our trip, and if you’re looking for great Italian food in the city, it’s definitely one to add to your list.