“The History of York is the history of England.“
King George VI
York is a beautiful city, steeped in history and easily explored in a weekend. Human beings have lived in, what is now known as, York since 4000 B.C. York is the perfect destination for history buffs interested in the Roman, Viking and the Medieval periods. For example, right next to the great York Minster Cathedral stands a statue of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great and a pillar that was once part of a great Roman Fortress.
Our trip
I took my partner for a long weekend to York. A city that neither of us had ever visited, but heard great things about. Whilst there’s lots of beautiful places to visit in Yorkshire (e.g. the moors, the dales, castles and abbeys), we decided to spend this weekend in the City.
During our visit we were spoilt for choice with places to eat and drink. Of particular note are the following:
The Shambles Food Court
The Shambles food court is full of different restaurant pop-ups. We saw many happy customers enjoying Italian (e.g. pizzas, arancini balls), Thai, American style BBQ (e.g. brisket burritos) and drinks. There were pub garden style tables and benches for customers to make use of – all dog-friendly. We especially enjoyed the 2-4-1 cocktails at the Shambles Bar!
The Drift-In
The Drift-In York the perfect place for breakfast or snacks. We gorged on pancakes, toasties, smoothies and coffee before visiting the sites described below. Dogs are allowed to sit inside with you and can gorge themselves water bowls and dog biscuits. In fact, they are so dog-friendly they have a polaroid picture wall of dogs who have visited previously by the front door.
The Ivy Brasserie
The Ivy Brasserie restaurant, situated in our hotel, allowed dogs at the bar and in the restaurant during service. We decided not to eat there, as we frequently visit the Bristol branch, but I did take a sneak peak at the restaurant and the menu and it all looked really lovely.
The Churchill Hotel Beer Garden
The Churchill Hotel’s beer garden offers wood fired pizza and al fresco dining. We went early and got a table without a reservation, but the pretty garden quickly filled up with people and well behaved dogs. I would recommend pre-booking a table if visiting after 6pm on weekends (especially sunny ones) here.
Things to do and places to see in York
We visited as the City was starting to reopen after the lock-down. Many places were had extra social distancing measures in place that limited the number of people, and four-legged companions, indoors. For this reason we visited attractions and establishments with outdoor space. Luckily for us, there’s lots to see and do with the castle, the spectacular cathedral (pooches outside only), outdoor markets, the Shambles (a.k.a. Diagon Alley to Harry Potter fans) and street acts that you can watch from the numerous bars/restaurants with outside seating. Below are a few pictures of the sights (yes we had no sun!).
Dog-friendly accommodation in York
I loved our hotel. A fantastic mixture of authentic Victorian/Edwardian fixtures with modern appliances. And seriously dog-friendly.
We stayed at The Grange Hotel. Situated walking distances from the city centre and major attractions. The reception staff were so friendly and seemed genuinely excited to meet the pooch. Well behaved dogs are allowed everywhere in the hotel, including the many lounges, the bar and the Ivy Brasserie restaurant downstairs.
Whilst I highly recommend this hotel, there are lots of other dog-friendly hotels that you can find on the usual sites (e.g. booking.com, airbnb).
Other useful sources
Here are some sources that I used while planning our visit, hopefully they will be useful for you:
- Attractions in the surrounding areas: https://www.visityork.org/beyond-york/attractions
- Things to do in York: https://www.visityork.org/explore
- Dog-friendly places to eat in York: https://www.visityork.org/eat-and-drink/specialist-artisan/dog-friendly and/or https://bringthepooch.com/york/
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I love outdoor food cart areas where you can bring your pup, they’re the best! That hotel looks amazing. I love the painting of the man and his dog. We will have to check this out one day!