York

York is one of the oldest cities in the country, and yet continues to evolve in culinary terms. A city of tea rooms and small cafes is expanding into a real multicultural centre for food, seeing all countries embraced. Happy Valley is a real case in point as it is fabulous family run Taiwanese restaurant housed in a listed building, formerly a traditional tearoom. Though sweet and sour is available, the traditional Taiwanese should be enjoyed such as dumplings and excellent bean curd dishes. Indian food has found a new home in York in the shape of Gandhi and Cardamon. Gandhi is small and unassuming, and the food is consistently excellent. Cardamon follows a far newer concept of buffet dining and is hard to beat for taste but especially value. Vegetarians are catered for by the wonderful Rubicon café, and also the Blake Head Vegetarian Café. Betty’s is an institution in York and Yorkshire and has maintained sky high standards for years. Traditional teas of scones, jam and clotted cream are a must. Other places well worthy of a visit are the wonderfully named Orgasmic and little bit of Turkey, Kapadokya.

Britain.tv’s Choice of the Month: The Blue Bicycle Restaurant

Not many restaurants would even mention, let alone boast that their current premises used to be a brothel, but not The Blue Bicycle. They positively revel in the history of their building and in fact, pictures of the girls who used to work there, adorn the cellar walls. The whole restaurant exudes a rich feeling of warmth and closeness and the food carries through this feeling of comfort. The fare is English but with the occasional continental twist, reserved for just the right time in order to complement. Not often can such great food be enjoyed in such a comforting, friendly atmosphere as at the Blue Bicycle.