Breaking news
Harden's says
'Great British Menu' winner Tommy Banks and family, who run popular restaurant-with-rooms The Black Swan at Oldstead, have opened a new restaurant in central York. The PR info for Roots says: "Make a choice. Order as much as you like, eat, drink and be the creator of your own menu."
Harden's survey result
Summary
“Combining skill and originality in equal measure – with a menu that’s is unexpected and exciting”; Tommy Banks’s converted pub in the city centre is applauded in all reports as a “fabulous” destination: “knowledgeable service coupled with the beautiful presentation and amazingly flavoured food makes for a truly unforgettable meal”. However, even those who acknowledge that it’s “excellent” still often feel that “bills are simply excessive” (“we love Tommy Banks, but won’t be returning”). The overall verdict? “Excellent… but at a price”.
Summary
“We went the day after having eaten at The Black Swan and all enjoyed this more!” – “Tommy Banks continues to surprise, amaze and delight in equal measure” at his family’s converted pub in the city centre, which nowadays is the most talked-about place in town, and one of the most commented-on restaurants nationally in our annual diners’ poll. Head chef, Will Lockwood, moved here from The Black Swan in late 2021 and his tasting menus showcase “the Banks ethos of local produce and sustainability”. “Each course is a work of art starting with lots of foraged and locally sourced ingredients”, all “served impeccably in a relaxed manner by knowledgeable and friendly staff” and “complemented by good wine pairings”. “The location even allows a gentle post-prandial stroll along the river bank – assuming York's legendary floods are not present!". The experience is, however, decidedly “not cheap” and as a result even some who rate it as “exceptional” feel it’s “a one-visit-only job”.
Summary
“A go-to-restaurant in York!” – Tommy Banks continues to inspire delight at this converted pub in the centre, which is one of our most commented-on destinations in this ever-more foodie city. Central to its appeal is a menu that fans “love, love, love as it’s so creative and sophisticated”, using ingredients grown on the Banks family’s 20-acre farm. There’s only one caveat, and that’s increasing concern over creeping prices: “not sure the Tommy Banks hype is improving things at his two restaurants, and value for money is certainly reducing”. The team is not standing still, though: in November 2021 Will Lockwood transferred from being head chef at The Black Swan to run the kitchen here.
Summary
“A magnificent addition to York's burgeoning food scene” – “Tommy Banks does amazing things with the most simple of ingredients” (“how can anyone make a humble brassica such as kale so bloody tasty that we were all fighting over it?!”), at his family’s “converted pub, close to York city-centre”, which – in one short year – became the survey’s most-mentioned destination in this increasingly foodie town. “The intense flavours and imaginative combination of sometimes-unlikely ingredients are a delight” and “the wine to match is excellent, and very well thought out”. “Young, friendly, helpful and enthusiastic service” contributes to a highly impressive debut. “Get in quick, before the prices match those at his Black Swan in Oldstead!”. Top Menu Tip – “his best-known dish is the epic crapaudine beetroot, the beetroot cooked in beef fat”.
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 Roots?
68 Marygate, York, YO30 7BH
Restaurant details
Roots Restaurant Diner Reviews
"Whilst we had a very pleasant meal the evening was ruined by the lady in charge of the floor. We wrote to Tommy Banks on TWO occasions and even the recorded delivery letter was IGNORED. We have stayed at The Black Swan at Oldstead twice and at The Abbey and also had food deliveries from “Made in Oldstead”, so we know the food is good and wanted to try Roots. Sadly, on Wednesday 13th March the service was very upsetting. A lovely gentleman served us for most of the mean and he was polite, helpful and made us feel welcome. Later on in the meal we were served hogget and unfortunately mine was very tough and I left most of it. I DID NOT INTEND COMPLAINING. The lady in charge cleared our plates and asked me if there was something wrong, but she walked away whilst I was trying to explain why I had left it. After she left, I said to my husband that it was very rude of her to ask if something was wrong and then walk off like that. I believe for a lot of the time during the evening she was watching t and supervising the restaurant from behind my chair. Suddenly she came over leaning over the table at me getting into my space asking me what was wrong. I said I had tried to tell her but she had walked away and I did not want to discuss it further. She would not let it drop and my husband asked her a number of times to go away. By this time I was in tears and the evening was ruined by a piece of tough meat which I would not have even complained about. She even came back again and got into my face asking what was wrong. My husband again told her to go away and leave us alone. We then called over the gentleman who had been serving us at the start of the evening and asked for the bill as we wanted to leave. He asked what was wrong and we told him about his female colleague. We paid the bill and left before the final couple of courses. We had travelled a long way and paid for overnight accommodation in order to visit Roots and now we will NEVER visit any of Tommy Bank’s restaurants again. Finally, someone did get in touch with my husband only to tell us they had looked at the restaurant CCTV and did not see a problem! They must have seen me in tears. No apology was ever given for the way this lady treated me and I guess Tommy Banks does not know anything about it."
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £32.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £2.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 10.00% |
68 Marygate, York, YO30 7BH
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | CLOSED |
| Wednesday | 6 pm‑8 pm |
| Thursday | 6 pm‑8 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑1:30 pm, 6 pm‑8 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑1:30 pm, 6 pm‑8 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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