Roots York - York

​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, friendl... read more ​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!

Excellent food and service in a lovely restaurant. A truly wonderful dining experience. For the non-drinkers the seasonal soft drinks were absolutely stunning. read more Excellent food and service in a lovely restaurant. A truly wonderful dining experience. For the non-drinkers the seasonal soft drinks were absolutely stunning.

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 exper... read more 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.

Unfortunately, this was an incredibly disappointing experience at Roots. Between us, we’ve dined at over twenty Michelin starred restaurants, and this was by fa... read more Unfortunately, this was an incredibly disappointing experience at Roots. Between us, we’ve dined at over twenty Michelin starred restaurants, and this was by far the weakest food we’ve encountered. Almost every dish shared the same flavour profile: intensely rich, heavy umami, overly salted, and lacking any fresh, bright, or lighter elements. After just two or three courses, it genuinely felt as though I’d consumed several shots of thick soy sauce. The menu quickly became monotonous and overwhelming. Over half of the dishes leaned heavily on mushrooms, reinforcing this “one note” experience. I had expected a much broader celebration of root vegetables throughout, but this never really materialised. This made the inclusion of root vegetables in one of the dessert courses feel particularly underwhelming. While technically impressive (potato transformed into a light foam and chicory into a sweet syrup) the end result was sickly and unbalanced. The only contrasting texture came from grit like inclusions in the ice cream, which felt jarring rather than intentional. There were, however, a couple of highlights. The trout was excellent genuinely delicious and much closer to the standard you’d expect at this level. The rhubarb dessert was also enjoyable. These were the only dishes that broke away from the otherwise heavy, mushroom dominated flavour profile and offered something distinct. The final dessert, described as a lemon verbena tart, was particularly disappointing. It had no discernible citrus character at all and was remarkably bland, with the tart, filling, and topping all tasting almost identical. Service was generally very good: attentive, professional, and clearly knowledgeable, with staff showing genuine enthusiasm. However, one notable issue was that when clearing plates that were largely uneaten, staff made no meaningful attempt to ask for feedback. This felt like a missed opportunity and came across as somewhat performative rather than genuinely attentive. By the end of the meal, after a string of disappointing courses and multiple unfinished plates, it was disheartening to be facing a £600 bill for an experience we had been looking forward to for months. I did raise my concerns, but the response was defensive and lacked any real acknowledgement of our disappointment. Whether intentional or not, it gave the impression that feedback was not particularly welcome, which only compounded an already underwhelming experience.

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 di... read more 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.