York Cafe, York Place, Clifton, Bristol

Our first EBCB guest review:

Various people have recommended the York Cafe in Bristol as worthy of a visit and my friend Chris was going through on his way to the Carling Cup Final, so I asked him to pay a visit. Here's his splendid contribution. Words and pictures by Chris Groom. (Only shame is; he managed to delete his exterior shot)

Situated in Clifton about a mile out of Bristol City Centre, York Café is a friendly spot for some EBCB. It¹s close to Bristol University and seems to get a mix of students and locals. The booths seat 6 so unless you¹re a small battalion of eaters be prepared to snuggle up with people you may not know.

A generous portion of chips. Crisp and golden on the outside, fluffy on the inside. Nice. The highlight of the EBCB however was undoubtedly the egg.

Cooked to perfection, the yolk was plump and sweet. The bacon tasty, the beans good, but as you can see by the beans to juice ratio they weren¹t Heinz.

Impressive extension on the sugar dispenser.

Other highlights include the red formica tables, the lime green laminated menu¹s, the spotted dick on the menu and a large fridge containing various items of chocolate confectionary and cans of coke just in case you get peckish on your way to wherever you¹re headed.

Comments

[karie]

The York Cafe ROCKS! I visited Clifton last summer and had a post clubbing breakfast (at 3 in the afternoon!). The food was fantastic, the additional extras are a great option too - I plumped for the Black Pudding - v.good. Tea in sturdy mugs too! A group of 9 of us were dining and managed to procure a table that is placed just over the road from the cafe, nice and shady under a tree, sweet! The whole experience was finished off by white garden chairs sprayed gold, for that classy touch! These places should be on some protected status register!

[Pedro]

Have you tried The Bulls Head in Es Cana Ibiza the best English food on the island. The EBCB is out of this world

[Sam]

Oh darn. I was in Bristol last week and ate a sub standard breakfast in Cheddar. Wish I' gone here instead. Oh well, next time...

[Andrew]

Mmmmmm, York Cafe....
That is, it's undeniably great :-)
If you want a photo or two of the outside, drop me an email, I live less than 5 mins walk away so it's no trouble.

[Greasy Spooner]

This Cafe is outrageously overrated, milking a reputation and standard gained years ago which it now fails to meet. I've dabbled a few times and am always dissappointed. If you this this is great you should get out a bit more!

[chris]

looks great. I'd love to visit the UK and go to this restaurant just for a lovely plate of this fine lookin grub!

[Clarrie]

Yuk! Don't bother!! I live around the corner from this greasy spoon and I ate there yesterday- never again! The people that liked it may have just got lucky but the food and hygiene standards are horrendous!! The food is swimming in grime and theres never any clean cutlery, oh and avoid the burnt veggie breakfast like the plague... I don't mean to be negative but its just a warning, if you want e-coli eat here!! Theres a lot of nicer alternatives in Bristol xxx

[Newton]

Chris is right, this is a dreadful place. Easy to romanticise the greasy and quaint, but here they trade on the sub-standard. In Bristol, The Bristolian is better, Stokes Croft.

[Dan]

Overrated place - always gets mentioned because its in Clifton - St Michaels cafe near Kingsdown is definitely the one for me!

[Rose]

Seriously stop knocking the York Cafe! I live in student halls that face the York, and it is undoubtedly the best, in the world, ever. Why? Well firstly because it doesn't pretend to be something it's not- it's a greasey spoon through and through and proud of it, secondly because it has an amazing atmosphere where students, locals, young and old can mix happily on cozy little benches. The food is varied and if breakfast isn't your thing, then give the roast lunches a go. They're great value at a little under or over four pounds, and you get so much yummy food you need never eat again. Give it a chance, hey? x

[Lukas]

I use to go here as a student and thought it was great, but I was extremely hungover at the time...I rememeber the chips were actually potato chunks, it was fantastic.
Another EBCB place we use to go to in Clifton was the Friary Cafe on Cotham Hill...Mmmm...definitely worth a try if you're nearby.

[Me]

Hey i have heard some good reviews about this place and i am trying to track down a friend who might be part of this cafe.. i just wondered what the owners of this place were called?.. please comment back here if you know or if you are the owner and checking!!.. Many thanks.

[Former Worker]

Just to let you all know, I went today to give a Christmas card, and found out it was closed down last friday since the building is no longer safe?!? According to the boss, it's gonna try to move into the city centre in 6 months. A real shame coz the chef even came to my graduation...

[Gus]

I love your site & your book

I feel bad that I don't comment often

:(

my dad has been to loads of these cafes

He gets everywhere

:O

[John Hesketh]

Many thanks for all your comments . .sadly, we had to close the cafe back in December 2007 because the upper storeys we decaying and becoming dangerous.

All being well, we reopen in Broadmead in March 2007. Hope to see you all then. Cheers!

[Helen McBride]

Ohi!

After the York cafe in Clifton, Bristol, moved to the city centre, it means I can't get to it, as I have a 2.7m high van, and the nearest parking is for cars! Please can someone recommend a cheapish greasy spoon cafe in Bristol (Clifton, Henleaze, Hotwells, Bedminster, Redlans, Gloucester road), not posh because I'll be coming in after a night shift! This cafe must be open for Sunday Morning fry up breakfasts (as that is when I am able to visit for my once a week treat) And have street parking available nearby.

Thanks!

Helen