Harden's says
Just a month after the tragic fire at his Star Inn at Harome, chef Andrew Pern received the good news that his application to convert the closed York Minster School into a restaurant, along with chef Bex Toppin and her partner Will Pearce, of Robinsons Cafe.
Harden's survey result
Summary
Andrew Pern, longtime owner of the acclaimed Star Inn at Harome, is the mastermind behind this superbly set restaurant, which was opened amid popping flashbulbs in April 2023 by King Charles III (as he’d shortly become) and then Queen-in-waiting Camilla. While the rangy outdoor terrace is an undoubted draw – offering the best views of the Minster in town – the inside (a former 1830s school turned upscale dining room) is also a delightful location in which to sample the old-fashioned British-style cooking, within reach of mortals thanks to regular deals including the current two-course Sunday lunch for £30 (or three courses for £35). Given the venue’s obvious tourist appeal and the glut of reports it spawned after opening, there was mystifyingly little feedback from reporters this year, but what there was remained positive.
Summary
“Unbeatable views of the Minster from the terrace” set the scene at this new April 2023 landmark, which has a “fabulous location next to York Minster” and which was opened with great fanfare shortly before his coronation by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Despite its relatively recent opening, it instantly inspired very encouraging feedback in our annual diners’ poll – “an amazing new restaurant by local restaurateur Andrew Pern with a simple menu on the 150-seat terrace and fuller menu inside”. There’s “a very characterful interior in an old school” (the original use for this space, built in 1833) and – by the standards of touristy locations – promising reports of “excellent food”: “raw dishes and delicate starters followed up by interesting taste combinations”, with a heavy emphasis on local sourcing.
For 33 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
Have you eaten at The York Minister Refectory Restaurant?
Deangate, York, YO1 7JA
Deangate, York, YO1 7JA
Opening hours
| Monday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑11 pm |
| Friday | 9 am‑11 pm |
| Saturday | 9 am‑11 pm |
| Sunday | 9 am‑5 pm |
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