Tommy Banks and head chef Will Lockwood on the pass
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Roots York

4.6
·491k reviews·,

A Michelin-starred restaurant in York offering a seasonal farm-to-table tasting menu in a charming 1800s building.

Highlights

Highlights

Must-see attractions

Social content

Social

From TikTok & Reddit

Best Time

Wed/Fri 18-21h

Blue hour photography, calmer galleries

CrowdLow
Tommy Banks and head chef Will Lockwood on the pass

Roots York

Highlights

Highlights

Must-see attractions

A Michelin-starred restaurant in York offering a seasonal farm-to-table tasting menu in a charming 1800s building.

4.6
(491k reviews)

"One of the overall best meals I've had for a while, everything was incredibly fresh and light."

TIP

Book in Advance

Reservations are highly recommended, especially for weekend visits or special occasions.

Non-Alcoholic Pairing

Try the non-alcoholic pairing for creatively handcrafted drinks that perfectly complement the dishes.

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Quick Facts

Closed·Opens 6PM

Cuisine

Fine dining

Price

$$$

Address

68 Marygate, York, YO30 7BH, United Kingdom

Michelin Star

Michelin Star

Excellent Cuisine, where diners can expect skilfully crafted and exceptional dishes

Insta-Factor

High

Highlights

Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

The Sunday Feast

The Sunday Feast

Indulge in a high-quality Sunday Feast with generous portions and excellent food from start to finish. Substitutions for dietary needs are available.

Seasonal Farm-to-Table Tasting Menus

Seasonal Farm-to-Table Tasting Menus

Experience a unique 6-course tasting menu showcasing seasonal, locally sourced ingredients presented beautifully.

Approachable Fine Dining

Approachable Fine Dining

A Michelin-starred experience that is unpretentious yet elevated, offering an unforgettable dining journey.

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Insider Tips

from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit

In today’s ‘Day In The Life’ episode at Roots York, we shadowed our Junior Sous Chef, Rachel. From managing orders to plating on the pass, her daily tasks are as diverse as they are essential! 🎥🍽️ Just for the record, we don’t actually make the team do a fitness test each day 😅😂
@oldstead
1.1K likes • 24.9K views

Book in Advance

Reservations are highly recommended, especially for weekend visits or special occasions.

Non-Alcoholic Pairing

Try the non-alcoholic pairing for creatively handcrafted drinks that perfectly complement the dishes.

We are extremely excited to announce the return of the Sunday Feast Menu at Roots York. From Sunday 15th September Roots will be open on Sundays, serving a set 3-course Sunday Feast Menu at £55 per person featuring succulent meat as well as a delicious non-meat option too. There'll be fluffy Yorkshire puddings, wild garlic roast Potatoes, Tunworth and mustard cauliflower cheese, damson glazed bee...
@oldstead
1.1K likes • 45K views
🍽️ POP UP EVENT 🍽️ Earlier on in the week, we were invited down to a pop up event at @rootsyork put on by one of George’s colleagues and supported by some of the team. It was incredible what @froystonn & @william.63284 put together and they’re not even 18 yet! Absolute madness! Join us as we take you through what we ate and what our favourite bits were! #tastingmenu #delicious_food #popup #chef #...
@yorkonlypans
223 likes • 5.4K views

Pre-Dinner Cocktails

Opt for the Julep with Douglas fir for an exceptional pre-dinner cocktail experience.

Join us for a sneak peek behind the scenes with our new series, 'Day In The Life' at #rootsyork! This week, we shadowed Martin Shaw, our talented Head of Pastry, to discover the ins and outs of his daily routine. From kitchen magic to exciting dish development, we've got it all covered! Don't miss this exclusive look into our team's world. #RootsYorkLife #behindthescenes
@oldstead
237 likes • 5.5K views

Tips

from all over the internet

Book in Advance

Reservations are highly recommended, especially for weekend visits or special occasions.

Non-Alcoholic Pairing

Try the non-alcoholic pairing for creatively handcrafted drinks that perfectly complement the dishes.

Pre-Dinner Cocktails

Opt for the Julep with Douglas fir for an exceptional pre-dinner cocktail experience.

What Travellers Say

4.6
(491k reviews)

Reviews Summary

Roots York is celebrated for its exceptional fine dining experience, with particular praise for its innovative tasting menus and the well-executed Sunday Feast. Guests consistently highlight the attentive and friendly service, creating a relaxed yet elevated atmosphere. While most reviews are glowing, some diners have noted that the flavors, while good, may not always reach the extraordinary heights expected, and occasional pacing issues between courses have been mentioned.

"We booked the Sunday Feast on a weekend visit to York and I’m so glad we did. The food was excellent from start to finish. I had let them know in advance that I was pregnant and may have to avoid a few things, I arrived to find my own menu printed with substitutions for the starters and to my delight they were just as delicious as the regular options. The roast pork main was faultless in every way and each side dish was so good you didn’t know where to go next. Portions were generous but not overwhelming. The setting is beautiful and relaxed. If only we had this place in London, we’d be there every Sunday!"

Stacey Kemp

"We had the three course Sunday lunch. Everything came out promptly and was cooked perfectly. The service from the waiters was excellent, they were very attentive and helpful. Lovely relaxed atmosphere inside the restaurant."

Jade

"One of the overall best meals I've had for a while. Everything was incredibly fresh and light. Service was lovely and friendly without being overbearing in any way. If you w joy any of Tommy Banks restaurants, this is well worth visiting. A lovely restaurant that we will most definitely return to"

Alex Jones

What People Like

Inventive tasting menus
Excellent Sunday Feast
Professional and friendly service

What People Dislike

Flavors not always exceptional
Occasional course pacing delays

Frequently Asked Questions

Roots York is known for its seasonal farm-to-table tasting menus, showcasing locally sourced ingredients and their own kitchen garden produce.

Yes, Roots York offers a three-course Sunday Feast menu, which includes meat and non-meat options, fluffy Yorkshire puddings, and roast potatoes.

TikTok

Yes, Roots York offers a non-alcoholic pairing option, featuring creatively handcrafted drinks that complement the dishes.

Yes, Roots York can accommodate dietary needs, with a printed menu of substitutions provided for guests with specific requirements.

Google Review

The atmosphere is described as relaxed, cozy, and unpretentious, yet refined, offering an approachable fine dining experience.

Google Review+2

Absolutely, Roots York is considered an ideal location for special occasions like anniversaries or birthday meals.

13 Of The Best Restaurants In York You Need To TryGoogle Review

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One of Yorkshire’s starriest chefs, Tommy Banks has the Midas touch when it comes to posh-nosh restaurants, and Roots is the only Michelin-starred restaurant in York. It’s all effortlessly relaxing; a modern country-house style (pale woods, rooty-legged furniture, jars of fermenting goods) mixes with disco beats and tasting menus powered by ingredients from top-notch suppliers including the Banks’ family farm in Oldstead. The likes of brioche beef toast with chive emulsion, grated ox heart and a rhubarb with hay cream linger long in the memory.

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Located in York city centre, Roots, a Michelin-star restaurant, is the little sister to the Black Swan in Oldstead and shares the seasonal and sustainable ethos with naturally evolving taster menus according to produce that originated from their kitchen garden and small regional suppliers. Dishes are creative and modern and prepared with the skill to look deceptively simple, but offer refinement and depth of flavour, according to the Michelin guide. They’re one of the best restaurants in York for a special occasion.

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Nestled in the historic heart of York lies Roots York, a charming café brimming with character and delightful surprises. Step into this culinary haven and prepare to embark on a taste journey that will make your taste buds dance with joy (and possibly do a little cha-cha). With a cozy atmosphere, friendly staff, and drool-inducing dishes that make even the pigeons outside jealous, Roots York is a must-visit destination for foodies and anyone in dire need of a coffee-induced coma.

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Under the direction of head chef and Great British Menu North East winner Will Lockwood, Roots is a Michelin-starred restaurant with spectacular, seasonal tasting menus. Using fresh, foraged produce from their Oldstead farm, Roots offers a Core Tasting Menu and a Seasonal Tasting Menu, as well as a Sunday menu for a delicious fine-dining feast. Coupled with an exquisite wine list, it is no wonder that this stunning restaurant has won the top prize in the hospitality industry.

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A collaboration between Tommy Banks' family and Matthew Lockwood - a close friend of the family and a successful restaurateur - led to the establishment of Roots York in late 2018. Tommy Banks, the acclaimed head chef of the Black Swan at Oldstead and two-time champ of the Great British Menu, brings his culinary expertise to the table. Situated adjacent to Museum Gardens, this family-run establishment is all about shared dining, featuring a rotating, season-sensitive menu.

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Roots York on Marygate in York was ranked 38th on SquareMeal's list - the second highest ranked place in Yorkshire. Although about an hour away from Teesside, it certainly seems worth the journey. In their review of the Michelin starred restaurant, SquareMeal wrote: "At Roots York, Tommy Banks serves a no-frills, hyper-seasonal menu in which fresh ingredients - sourced mostly from the Banks’ family farm - are given the chance to shine.

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Ideal for farm-to-fork fine dining that doesn’t take itself too seriously…. The second act of chef Tommy Banks, this Michelin-starred venture doesn’t just serve food – it serves a sense of time and place. Housed in a Victorian pub where patterned rugs soften wooden floors and natural light pours through tall windows, Roots presents the Banks family farm (over in Oldstead, where the mothership Black Swan sits) in edible form.

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Roots is a high-end restaurant offering a seasonal farm-to-table tasting menu in an 1800s building. They’ve reimagined traditional fine dining to deliver an experience that focuses on interaction and connection over formality, with exceptional service standards that truly showcase their unique, seasonally curated menu. Open Wednesday & Thursday from 6.00pm; Friday and Saturday at 12 noon for lunch and 6.00pm for dinner.

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Roots is your culinary paradise, where vegetables reign supreme. This innovative vegetarian restaurant will challenge any preconceptions you may have about meatless dining, and even though I’m not a vegetarian, I enjoyed every minute of my dining experience at Roots. This is definitely the most well known and expensive fine dining restaurant on this list, with one Michelin star so it is absolutely worth a visit.

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Sitting pretty in our guide to the UK's Top 100 Restaurants, this second restaurant from chef Tommy Banks of the Michelin-starred Black Swan at Oldstead has become the place to eat in York, with tables still hard to come by. Everything on the seasonal menu revolves around fresh produce grown and foraged on the family farm in Oldstead, which is then lightly handled in order to allow each flavour to shine.

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Located just a stone’s throw away from the historic city of York, Roots offers a dining experience that’s both down-to-earth and utterly extraordinary. It’s where the charm of the countryside meets the creativity of the kitchen. This fine-dining establishment is all about celebrating the best local produce, showcasing the flavours of Yorkshire, and delivering them to your plate with a dash of artistry.

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Roots - Roots is a unique restaurant that offers a menu of modern British cuisine with a focus on vegetables. The restaurant is run by Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks, and the menu features dishes like smoked beetroot tartare, salt-baked celeriac, and wild garlic gnocchi. The restaurant has a relaxed and informal atmosphere, with a focus on using seasonal and locally sourced ingredients.

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For a Michelin-star experience take a stroll to Marygate where you’ll find Roots, created by Tommy Banks from Great British Menu fame, and under the talent of Head Chef Will Lockwood, you’re in for a tasting menu of dreams. Taking inspiration from the heritage of farming, Roots provides an outstanding experience with impeccable tastes.

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A Tommy Banks restaurant that specialises in sharing-plates, serving his take on Modern European dishes. This is one of York's premier restaurants suitable for those special occasions. Within a relaxed, modern and vibrant setting.

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Want a proper British pub meal yet keep getting faced with plates of nicely arranged parsnips?. Try Roots (pun intended)!. With a 5 star rating, right in the city centre, they are certainly not short on options.

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Among the most prestigious York restaurants, Roots provides farm-to-table fine dining, in a laid-back style. Eat mouth-watering Michelin star food, and relax in the cool, contemporary dining room.

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This Michelin star restaurant is run by award winning chef and Great British Menu winner Tommy Banks, who owns Black Swan in Oldstead and is closely involved in creating Roots’ novel dishes.

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Sorry, you need to accept cookies from Instagram to view this content. Roots is one of the best restaurants in York. According to the Michelininspectors, it’s the best restaurant in York.

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