Roots York

Featured reviews

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  HVB

  ·2 weeks ago

  “From the warm welcome to the final bite, everything was just perfect. The tasting menu was a stunning showcase of seasonal ingredients, creative, elegant and absolutely delicious. Every single dish was packed with such depth and balance of flavour, and it was wonderful to taste how thoughtfully each ingredient had been sourced and prepared. The staff were incredible - so knowledgeable, friendly and attentive, making us feel looked after throughout the whole lunch without ever rushing us. Their passion for the food and the story behind each dish really shone through. Roots isn’t just a meal, it’s an experience. We’ll be back! 🥂”

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  David Billings

  ·3 weeks ago

  “Had an amazing meal experience here. Starting off with cocktails downstairs then upstairs for our food. A lovely place to come and eat with friendly staffs. Location roght by the river and easy to find.”

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  harbert van der kaap

  ·2 months ago

  “My first Sunday roast and I don’t think it will get better than this. The starters were outstanding and I am beginning to understand the British obsession with the Sunday roast.”

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  Carolyn Long

  ·4 months ago

  “What a fabulous experience the signature tasting menu was. Highly recommend with our favourite dishes being the mushroom, lamb and rhubarb. Big shout out to Josh who made our experience fabulous, professional, friendly, knowledgeable and good banter.”

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  Alishka

  ·5 months ago

  “​A must-visit in York! We went to Roots for Sunday lunch and it was an outstanding experience from start to finish. The staff are fantastic—really warm, friendly, and they make the whole afternoon feel special without being stuffy. ​The Sunday roast itself is a "must-have." We opted for the ox cheek stuffed Yorkshire pudding and it was out of this world—rich, tender, and perfectly executed. The starters were delicate and bursting with flavor, providing a light enough lead-in so that you’re still ready for the main event. If you're in York, do not miss this!”

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  Craig

  ·6 months ago

  “My initial visit in 2025 left a strong impression, one that was not only upheld but subtly surpassed upon my return in 2026. Roots continues to deliver an experience that is both assured and quietly sophisticated. From the outset, the welcome is impeccably judged warm without excess, polished yet entirely genuine. Service throughout is exemplary: attentive, informed, and delivered with an evident passion for both the cuisine and its provenance. The team’s depth of knowledge adds a meaningful layer of context to the meal, enriching each course without ever feeling intrusive. The signature menu presents a confident expression of the kitchen’s philosophy, showcasing precision, balance, and a clear sense of identity. The Experimental & Adventurous wine pairing is particularly noteworthy thoughtfully assembled, occasionally daring, and consistently harmonious, it elevates the progression of dishes rather than merely accompanying them. Roots is a restaurant operating with clarity of vision and consistency of execution. It remains a compelling destination, and one to which I will return with genuine anticipation.”

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  Paul Smart

  ·7 months ago

  “So I have wanted to go to roots for sometime. So I decided to just book it and I was not disappointed in anyway shape or form! Me and my wife loved it from the welcome walking through the door to the service then the food was outstanding. We were waited on by a gentleman (I susbt get his name) with a beard . His service was exceptional. Helping with the wine selection and then just being very attentive. So the food….after all that’s why we went! We went on a Sunday for the Sunday feast and a feast is exactly what we had. All the starters were stunning. The skill in the cookery of each one of the starters was amazing. The balance of flavours just blew our minds. The starters are small plates that pack massive flavours! Nothing was left on any of the plates we had! The main course we had the stuffed Yorkshire pudding (stuffed with pigs cheek) I would recommend this to anyone who has the chance to get it. Again everything was outstanding. Nothing was left on our plates and we both agreed that having a set menu for the feast including the meat you got on your dinner was a god send. You just go in sit down and relax and the only thing you had to thing about was what drinks to order, if you want a stuffed Yorkshire or not and if your brave enough to try to eat a cheeseboard before your desert! We had to say no to the cheeseboard as we thought we were going to struggle to eat our pudding of what can only be described as an extremely high end rhubarb trifle. I say though we were going to struggle, that was untill we took our first spoon full each!!!! Then that was gone before you knew it aswell! I felt like there should have been a room with beds in to go and have a sleep afterwards for a little nap. We were both truly happy and satisfied! Only managed to take one photo of the starters. The rest we just enjoyed. We both can’t wait to come again very soon hopefully. Thank you to the service staff and chefs for an amazing experience. Date of visit: March 2026”

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  Emily

  ·7 months ago

  “I have to say, I have dined at many Michelin starred restaurants and unfortunately I feel this one did not hit the mark. The food I felt was very average and did not compare with the standard of others around the area with a couple dishes being very enjoyable including the cured beef toast and one of the desserts (photo attached). 2 out of three of us had very chewy venison, mine was fine but I tried the other two and in parts it was inedible. The beetroot dish as well, we did not enjoy. However the main thing that let the place down the most was the service and the overall atmosphere. We were sat right in the middle of the restaurant and my auntie asked politely if we could move to a different table as she didn’t feel comfortable sat on this table for personal reasons, she expressed this to the blonde waitress and we felt she was extremely rude and would not budge on the decision to say no. We pointed out several other tables that were available and she said they will be taken soon (which was not true as we had a later reservation and we were there until the restaurant just about closed on a Friday night and it was dead the whole time with no others being seated after we arrived). Another excuse she had was she would move us to another table but she is not willing to move a chair as the dining room is set out in a certain way and it can’t be changed. I don’t feel that a simple request due to a personal reason should be turned down when spending so much money to dine. We in the end just sucked it up and stayed on this table which is the worst table in the house and I doubt anyone wants to be on it. We’ve had much better service at a McDonald’s than we had from this woman and for a bill of over £850 for three of us, I expected much better in both service and food. Wasn’t going to leave this review as I hate to leave bad reviews but after long consideration, I’m truly unhappy with the way my auntie was treated here. It goes without saying that we will not be returning, worst Michelin starred dining experience by a country mile. There was one waitress who was very nice and she was the only redeeming factor, I never took her name unfortunately but she had glasses and funky earrings from memory, and complimented my eyelashes if that helps the team distinguish who this was.”

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  Matthew de Monte

  ·10 months ago

  “Dinner at Michelin starred Roots York. This was a superb experience. Curated by chef Tommy Banks, under the direction of head chef and Great British Menu North East winner Will Lockwood, this was both innovative and technical cooking with a real farm-to-fork ethos with sustainability at its core. Excellent produce, with beautiful presentation, each dish was fantastic, with the main course of venison being a stand out amongst many. Service, from a young and knowledgeable team was both friendly and passionate, really bringing each dish to life, perfectly pitched. A modern, bright and laid back dining room, with great music meant the overall experience was a special one and one of our best meals of the year. We will be back again to enjoy the longer tasting menu. An awesome evening.”

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  Michael Alfonso

  ·11 months ago

  “Excellent experience at Roots. We were visiting from the U.S. and decided to try this restaurant based on great reviews. It didn't disappoint. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable about all the courses without being pretentious. The restaurant itself was very comfortable and had great music. The food was exceptional and creative. I'm not usually a huge fan of venison but thought that course was outstanding. The dessert with chicory and potato was also great and very unique. We also loved the sourdough bread.”

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