The 13 best pubs in York

Follow the city walls, and you’ll end up in the Phoenix Inn’s beer garden – making it the ideal retreat after a long day exploring the city’s major sights. The pub’s eighteenth-century interior is candle-lit in winter and covered in flower decorations in summer, and on Sundays, the in-house jazz band rattles through standards and original pieces.

Built in 1640, this Grade II*-listed, timber-framed pub is a York institution. Spread over three floors, the Eagle and Child is a roomy place to grab an ale or glass of wine, and there’s plenty in the way of fresh, seasonal food. Plus, the pub has plenty of fascinating history: the Rolling Stones hung out in the upstairs bar in the ’60s, and their signatures are still in lipstick on the wall.

Groups are banned from York’s smallest pub – making The Blue Bell the perfect place to catch up with a close pal. Comprising just two small rooms, this spot has a cosy, living room-like feel and a decent mix of beers behind the bar. Conversation springs easily between neighbouring pub-goers, though if you fancy some alone time, the window area’s the place to head.

The ideal spot for a sunny day, The Kings Arms packs out with locals every night of the week. Sit by the river and admire the views, or relax in the cosy brick interior. Decorated as it is with flood markings dating back as far as the nineteenth century, this place is famous for staying open even during severe flooding. It may seem a bit OTT, but if you’re in the right mood, the pub’s ban on mobile phones and swearing makes this a thoroughly wholesome night out.

If you arrive a little early for your train, head to this station pub and choose from the 32 brilliant beers on tap. Perch under the chandelier at The York Tap’s circular bar, and you’ll quickly forget you’re actually inside one of Yorkshire’s main transport hubs. Alternatively, sit outside, admire the station architecture and watch as visitors come and go. What better way to pass the time?

Located in a listed seventeenth-century building, the Walmgate Ale House is the place to go to sample some local ales and craft beers. They also go heavy on the bar snacks, but should you fancy something more substantial, there’s also the Chopping Block, a revered Anglo-French restaurant, just upstairs.

For a flavour of Berlin in the heart of York, try the graffiti-daubed Brew York Tap Room and Beer Hall. The best thing here is the variety. The Tap Room area has seven cask beers on rotation alongside nine keg beers and three ciders, while the Beer Hall boasts 40 taps with a selection of brews from York and the surrounding area. Our advice? Kick back in the riverside yard and team your tipple with a burger from the in-house kitchen.

A former stonemason’s and later a priest’s house, The Habit’s nooks and crannies are steeped in fascinating history. But this is also a great spot to swot up on contemporary culture – there’s regular live music, and work by fab local artists adorns the interior walls. Don’t forget to head up to the roof terrace, where you can ogle the peregrine falcons on neighbouring York Minster.

For a drink that takes you back in time, come here. The medieval House of the Trembling Madness was the first building the Normans built in York – head inside and soak up the twelfth-century vibes with one of Yorkshire’s finest ales. Like what you’ve ordered? Buy a bottle to take home from the ground-floor shop.

From hearty breakfasts to platters of cured meats to seafood linguine, Angel on the Green has very much smashed pub grub. That’s reason enough to come, but bike nerds will be pleased to know there’s a cycle workshop out the back, and jazz aficionados will dig the live-music nights on Sundays.