Roots York in York

Amazing!!! The food, atmosphere, hospitality - all brilliant. The sommelier was super knowledgeable. Third time dining here and never disappointed. Would 100% recommend going to York just to dine here.

A bit disappointing considering the cost and I’ve certainly had better experiences elsewhere. Let me explain the issues. The first thing is the restaurant space itself which has the acoustics of a swimming pool which makes it difficult to hear the serving staff, or should I say more difficult as they seemed to be whispering other than the sommelier. They all seemed a bit bored too and weren’t really interested adding to an underwhelming tone. Most of the dishes on the tasting menu were fabulous but not all of them. Bread as a course is a bit of a cheap move even if it was good. The venison was spectacular, pink fir potato outstanding as was the fish course. The mackerel was overwhelmed by citrus and the deserts were just ordinary and lacked any character. Wine pairing was ok but we found that even the unusual and interesting pairing was anything but; the wine serving sizes were perfect however as sometimes they can be too much. Scallop at an extra £30 per head is baffling; it’s either in the menu or it isn’t. When the bill comes to £1200 nickel and diming folk is a poor look. The use of real milk is tin foil helmet territory - it’s not necessary.

Roots York offers a standout tasting menu featuring seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. The dishes are beautifully presented, full of balanced flavors, and the service is attentive. Cozy setting adds to the experience.

We had a fantastic experience dining at Roots having the tasting menu with wine pairings. The staff like at The Black Swan are very knowledgeable about all the food and drink. The atmosphere is great thanks to its clever decor and table positioning. Well worth a visit, would go again.

Great place for a special occasion. My daughter and I had the Sunday Feast lunch, which is 3 courses for £55-60 each plus drinks. The menu is on the website and the meat option changes each month. The starters are from the tasting menu and it can rotate, but they were all excellent; smoked salmon, liver parfait, a croquette and charcuterie with sourdough bread. Mains when we were there was pork (beef was the alternative for £15 more, previously it was beef Wellington) with duck fat roasties and Yorkshire pudding. Sides of hispi cabbage, carrots and cauliflower cheese were all lovely and the dripping gravy was brilliant. Dessert can vary, but we had a pear crumble with sheep's yoghurt ice cream and a chocolate hazelnut sauce. We just had water and two beers, with the bill coming to £140 with service included, but drinks would have added more to that if we'd both not been driving. Staff are lovely and it's a nice relaxed atmosphere at lunchtime. Can happily recommend, for a rare treat

A little disappointed, we chose the signature menu for 145 pounds, but the food was relatively simple and the appearance was ordinary, not very beautiful. Probably a family-style restaurant. Not as good as one Michelin star. The three desserts are not special, but they are very sweet. It is worth mentioning that there is a scallop on the menu that costs an additional 30 pounds. It was really delicious, I have never had scallops like this, but only one for 30 pounds. The final feeling was that I would rather eat nothing else and eat more of that scallop. If you must go to this restaurant, I recommend just ordering the regular menu for £95 and adding the scallops! In addition, their service fee is 12.5%, which I don't think is worth it.

Great restaurant with lots farm to table elements. Overall a very good experience with good food and professional service. Some farm to table concepts used throughout the course and particularly for the appetiser. Appreciate the effort but I think the home made ham is not particularly good if I am honest, taste like a Tesco ham, I understand it is not easy to cured own ham, but, if you are confident enough to serve it, I will expect more. The leek purée that serve with potato is a bit over seasoned for me as well. It is acceptable when eating with the potato but if you have a small sip of the purée on its own, you better prepare to drink extra glass of water. I think overall the main dish surprise me more as I found the scallops really a show stopper! A really huge one and it tasted good as well. Wine paring is also great as well as it is on a special offer. It’s a good experience and would worth a visit if you are in York.

This is good. We went for the Core menu and didn’t feel that we needed more. Each course was good, standouts were the potato, leek and whey and the venison for me. The menu as a whole was well judged and paced, service was great as well. We will be back and need to try the Black Swan as well. The iPad wine list is not a deal breaker but I’m not sure it is an improvement on a list. Nice gamay that worked well with the meal though.

Our second time at roots and I regret to say not overly successful. We’d been out the previous night to another York Michelin-listed restaurant (which was smashing) and were so looking forward to roots. The £165 Saturday menu really ought to have been a knock out. It wasn’t. From the hard to navigate wine list on an iPad that was left with us with no helpful hints as to how on earth to navigate it, the evening didn’t really succeed. We had gapping in the courses, we were left with empty wine glasses for 10 minutes, felt a little ignored and then the food just didn’t feel like £165( I know foods escalated in price, but I can get better Michelin value in Birmingham eg Adams £137 menu or Opheems 10 course 2* £175). The mackerel was tiny, albeit gorgeous, the cod felt underseasoned, the venison good( but could have done with one more spoon of sauce).Puddings were a highlight I must say but because of the gapping, everything became quite rushed at the end. Pity. Not the celebration I had planned.

Not many words can describe the experience we have had here, simply outstanding might just cover it. The service and knowledge about the food by the staff is amazing. The food is just unbelievable, how anyone can get flavours like that out of an ingredient is super talented. Well done to all from kitchen to front of house.

A Really Special Meal - Thank You Roots Booked for my partners bday and travelled down from Glasgow as had seen featured on ITV’s James Martin. Booked signature tasting menu £165pp. Immediately restaurant contacted to thank us for booking and to ask if we had any allergies etc. Arrived at restaurant, such a beautiful building all lit up from from outside. Received such a warm welcome on arrival, sat down promptly and greeted by our server Chloe (who was an absolute joy). Restaurant was warm and cosy, all staff were lightly buzzing about giving a beautiful soft glow about the room. Food was nothing short of exquisite, staff were so attentive and knowledgeable. The tasting experience was approx 3 1/2 hours long which we knew, every course flowed into the next and my wine glass was never empty! We opted to purchase a bottle (or 2) of wine however there is wine pairings, which we would have on next visit. With tasting menu the plates are generally smaller, I was however very satisfied and not hungry after our delicious dinner, we were glad we had not made any plans for the rest of the evening we were so full! It’s not a cheap so be prepared to spend, but so worth it! We also booked approx 4 weeks in advance. Thank you Roots for an evening to remember it was a very special meal.

We had the core menu without the £30 supplement for the scallop. The brioche tasted like it had just caught and gave it a slightly bitter burnt taste. Carpaccio was good. Bread was nice but nothing special in terms of taste . Butter and honey was good. Potatoes were okay and then kale was good but, again, nothing amazing. The venison lacked depth of flavour. The pudding contained burnt nuts which ruined it. This was followed by a donut that tasted okay but smelled like a deep fat fryer and a piece of fudge. The overall experience was very disappointing. Plates were returned to the kitchen with food still on them and this didn’t seem to trigger any response from the staff. The staff were attentive and well trained but the overall experience was austere and cold. We did complain about the burnt pud and we were given a small discount on the bill. It feels like this restaurant is trading on past glory. We went about 4 years ago and had one of the best dining experiences ever. This time we paid £300 for tiny portions that were not well prepared. Left feeling hungry, dejected and deeply disappointed with the complete lack of value for money.

Beautiful restaurant, light airy , fabulous furniture. Booked for a 50th Birthday treat and had the Sunday feast. Staff were very welcoming and attentive, also knowledgeable regarding the food when asked questions. Exquisite lunch and we absolutely loved it! In our opinion bery good value.

The food is unfortunately so average. It really was too salty at parts, especially the beef dish just before the dessert. For £180 per head (including drinks), it really isn't worth it!

Service and setting are fantastic at this restaurant. Some of the dishes were incredible but overall the menu was quite rich with an emphasis towards the end on sweet dishes of which there were 3. We opted for the optional extra dish which was a scallop. We found the sauce overpowered the scallop dish.

Unique experience in a high profile restaurant, with a kitchen and a staff that shows incredible professionalism without getting presumptuous in any way. We're not used to these kinds of environments, but we decided to give it a try as we follow the chef in his various mediatic endeavors, and really appreciate his philosophy on food. The dinner was wonderfully served, eaxh and every dish was savory and a real experience - in both taste and presentation. A big plus is the staff, incredibly well prepared and welcoming. I usually feel uncomfortable when overly served and 'pampered' but this was not the case. A fantastic experience that everyone should enjoy, at least once in a lifetime!

Amazing experience from start to finish. Friendly, attentive service from front of house. Sunday Feast Menu was superb - especially the charlotte potato starter.

I enjoyed the seasonal food, beautiful restaurant and good service. We came for Saturday lunch and opted for the "Core" menu which was 6 courses. Each dish was delicious but my favourites were the courgette, aged beef and the raspberry doughnut. The service was polished, striking the right balance of attentiveness without being overbearing.

One dining experience you will never forget. The food is just beyond good!

Amazing food and service. Could not fault anything. Best taster menu I have ever had. Had signature menu. Every couse was superb. Plus service exceptional from the moment we arrived till we left.

The food was lovely, and the atmosphere too, but we decided to try the signature menu and it took over 4 hours from beginning to end. As a pregnant lady, this was not ideal. The waits between courses were unnecessarily long.

Excellent restaurant. A welcome change from the English fish and chips cuisine. Good service as well. And for the foreign travellers there’s no dress code so you can pack lightly.

Unfortunately on the night of our meal, I had an upset stomach so I wanted to go for the smaller menu, my husband on the other hand, wanted to go for the fuller menu. We weren't allowed to do that, we had to both have the same menu, I found that to be an avoidable disappointment. The starter was delicious (of course), courgette and cheese sauce. Now this is where it gets confusing as husband opted for the scallop as an extra dish, we then should have been served hispi cabbage but that never arrived. The rest of the dishes we had were lovely and tasty, just wondered what happened to the cabbage. Also, husband had the wine flight, the server was knowledgeable about the wine but after telling us about the wine, walked off without putting any in the glass, she did that more than once! This is a real shame as I had been before and was telling my husband how amazing it was. It didn't quite reach the heights of amazing this time but the food that we did have was very tasty. Having been to Tommy's other restaurant, the black swan, this is not a patch on it, would still like to try his new restaurant one day though.

It’s the second time we’ve visited Roots in York.. This time for lunch.. All I can say is wow! The food and service were excellent. Expensive of course, but a place where you make memories with amazing food is also priceless! Right up there with the best I’d say!

Visiting York for the weekend, we had decided to try what was reputed to be one of, if not the, best restaurant in the city. We knew only that it had a Michelin star, but were not unduly surprised to be presented with a set menu of interesting-sounding dishes when we were seated by the charming staff, as we have eaten at many similar restaurants in the past. We had arrived just before 7pm. We opted for the “signature” menu at £145 per head (as opposed to the “core” menu at £95). Each course was beautifully presented and (except for one) completely delicious. In particular, the potato and chicory dessert dish was both ingenious and scrumptious. The sole exception was the aged beef which we both found incredibly salty. However, that is not the reason for the low score. The reason for the low score was the interminable wait between courses, sometimes 15-20 minutes. Over 11 very small courses, that is a LOT of waiting. We really struggled to understand why, with a set menu, dishes could not follow one another at, say, 5-6 minute intervals. Coming from South Africa, where fine dining is a way of life, we have never experienced this. Sadly, it ruined the entire experience for us. And, looking around the dining room, we could see that we were not the only customers getting fed up with the long wait. The waiting staff were utterly lovely (and to their credit kept their descriptions of the dishes short and snappy), so we can only attribute it to the kitchen preparation process.

Great end-to-end dining experience! The atmosphere is casual and yet elegant. The staff are very attentive. It was great to see the chefs at work, every dish meticulously checked prior to service. The stand-out dishes were crab on toast, the scallops with truffle special, and the potato dessert. The only thing perhaps that we would tweak is the charcuterie canapé, it didn't add but rather detracted from the flavour explosion of the accompanying tartlet. Very small detail in an otherwise perfect menu.

A great evening at Roots York ! We had the signature menu with the wine and juice pairings. The dishes were inventive and delicious. Ingredients from the local area and the venue is cozy in a Scandinavian way. Beautiful house and great service!

The devil is in the details at Roots, from the polished wood decor to the custom furniture. On our lunch, we tried the Signature menu and were full after 8 courses of the 10 designated. The additional cheese course was so worth it though, coming with a spectacular sesame cracker held together by potato starch…genius. Next time I’d go for the Core menu, but absolutely add the unforgettable scallop. It was one of the best scallops I’ve ever had. Also highly recommend the non-alcoholic pairing for a set of handcrafted, genuinely quirky delicious drinks made and paired creatively in-house. For a fantastic cocktail pre-dinner go for the Julep with Douglas fir.

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 meal 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 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 politely 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 politely asked 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.

Superfood, great staff, highly recommend

Very special meal here. Highly recommend

We have been to Roots twice in the past year and both times have been 10/10. Service fantastic and food event better. One of our favourite places to visit and wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Went for the full signature tasting menu, but oh dear, most of the dishes were bland and dissapointing. The starter was messy, nice, but impossible to eat without dropping bits on the table like a toddler and there was a nice xx with cheese sauce.We have enjoyed many tasting menus in the past so we are used to the portion sizes, but never has the phrase style over substance been more apt. Normally you look forward to the next course to see what amazing flavours are next, but not this time, more like, oh no, another dish to contend with. Don't mind paying a lot for good food, but if this has been a special occasion we would have been really dissapointed. We'd rather have had fish and chips. Staff were good and enthusiastic so paid the service charge. We asked for the bill with three courses left, "I'll ask the manager" - why? Are we being held hostage by the forces of blandness, let us go, please! It was strange they didn't even ask why we wanted to leave early. I left looking forward to eating the biscuits I'd wilfully ignored in the hotel room, yes, really.

An incredible experience, food looked and tasted incredible. Staff clearly well trained and had learnt each item on the menu to perfection. It was a gift from our eldest son for Christmas and could not have been more delightful.

Delicious Modern British restaurant in York using locally sourced ingredients! Although the food was good, the portions were ridiculously small. We often go to fine dining establishments so we are used to the smaller portions given in these types of restaurants but in terms of price/value, this was subpar. The hogget (which was our main) was tiny and we were served bites, not courses. Other than that, the flavours were decent but we had to get some food afterwards!

Really good experience Food and Staff are amazing

The best food I’ve ever eaten! Fine dining done well! Much better than other Michelin stars we’ve tried. A potato desert, how do they make it work so well like a sorbet?! Great atmosphere and attention to detail!

Wow amazing Fantastic venue, food, staff, atmosphere, can recommend this place

We were welcomed at the table with an Anniversary card to mark our special occasion! Food was delicious, as I would expect some of the flavour combinations challenged us and it was exciting! Attention to detail and an attentive team were evident. My only ‘could be better if….’ Was the music. The courses take a quite a while to get through and I would have loved a sound track more in keeping with the atmosphere and food!! A small detail in an otherwise fantastic visit to a stunning restaurant in a beautiful city!

Every part of our meal was fantastic. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable, and every course of the taster menu was so inventive and delicious. We will definitely return

We dinned at Roots on Friday night and were served by Frankie. Frankie looked after us really well and the food was absolutely delicious. I would highly recommend, myself and my partner will definitely return

Wow, this was the most amazing dining experiences of my life and I'm 55, the food was fantastic, a work of art, every dish was explained in great detail, it was a master class in taste, how food is dried or frozen in order not to waste it, but every dish that came out was an explosion of detail, art and taste, we were genuinely in ore of it. The service was on another level to anything we have experienced, exceptionally fabulous, we couldn't find anything at all to moan about, nothing! absolutely amazing, amazing, amazing so much so we gave a 20% tip. If you are looking for steak and chips, then this isn't for you, but if you are looking for a once in a lifetime dining experience just go for it, we are already saving up for our next visit in summer.

Amazing experience would recommend for a special treat

Very interesting menu, everything was quite technical/complex for food sourcing, ingredients, preparation & cooking, while most importantly, it all tasted very good! While nothing wrong with the service it did vary between the different staff presenting each course, some better than others. The wines were very good. Overall it was something different and no complaints for price, food or drink. We were sat at a table of 2 in the window and it just did not have the comfort and ambience you would expect (neither the chair or the window bench seat with a cushion behind). For the food & drink we would go again.

Absolutely faultless, made to feel very welcome, a truly wonderful meal

What an awesome tasting menu experience: blew us all away and we will return x thanx Jessica for your attention and attentiveness and making us laugh between courses x wanted to be able to pick a favourite course:but couldn't: every course was perfect and mind-blowing x highly recommended x

Nothing worth five stars like all other reviews . Doesn’t deserve a Michelin as well . Save the money for other restaurants in York , like Melton ( the only other we tried ), which had good service and good food and good vibe. 1) service is not great . The male waiter who served us was with standard service but another female waitress is just half black faced for no reason . It’s not only towards us but I can see she had the same face for other tables as well . Her serving manner was so bad that her manager kept correcting her at table side . 2) food is standard , nothing special , maybe except the egg custard . The duck was cold . 3) the waiting time between course highly depended on the occupancy of the restaurant . The more table occupied , the longer ( up to 25 mins ) the waiting time . And this should not happen in a Michelin star place . Won’t suggest anyone to waste money to come . We have been to many Michelin star places , nowhere offered such a bad experience that we actually craving to finish everything and leave .

Lovely looking restaurant in a great building. All the food was great but, for me, lacked a little wow that you'd expect with the price. Everything was very well put together but I wasn't blown away by anything except the sourdough bread.

Everything was incredible from the moment we walked in. Wine was beautiful and every course was fantastic. Loved how much was their own produce and the story behind each dish. The staff were all very attentive too. Highly recommend a trip here!

I took my wife Kay as a treat for her 50th birthday in September. The restaurant itself is lovely and creates a great atmosphere. The food is not only delicious but also thought-provoking (how do they come up with these ideas 😁). The waiting staff were very attentive and friendly, and their knowledge of each dish added to the enjoyment of the food. I would recommend pairing the wine list. Not only does it enhance the meal, but the sommeliers' knowledge of the wine and food was brilliant. All this combined, elavated the evening from a beautiful meal, to a restaurant experience that was amazing. Thanks to all the staff.

You know the food is fabulous. But the fantastic service takes this place to the next level. Friendly, efficient, everything you could wish for.

Just an amazing experience. Stunning all round. Each plate seemed to surpass the last. Incredible skill and technique from the whole team, front of house completely on point, timing impeccable (apart from my own). Wine pairing second to none. Phenomenal skill from the Sommelier. Thank you all so much Very special anniversary evening.

A very enjoyable evening for our wedding anniversary

I recommend taking dishes with a set of wines - it is a perfect menu for drinking wine, but without wine I missed the flavor reflections of several dishes.

Relaxed atmosphere and phenomenal food a fantastic combination. We will be back. Go. For the tasting menu it's more than worth it.

Roots is the ninth Michelin starred restaurant I've been to and definitely the best. Everything was stunning! The food was exceptional, and pacing of the courses was perfect. We had both of the wine pairings and the sommelier indulged us by not telling us which was which so we could guess. When I booked I mentioned it was for my partner's birthday, and team messaged me in advance to confirm his name so they could have a birthday card ready for him when we arrived, which was a really sweet touch.

Most amazing meal, Sylvia our waitress was so lovely and knowledgeable - couldn’t recommend more highly.

Remarkable. Another triumph from our favourite UK chef, Tommy Banks, and his very impressive York team of chefs and front of house staff. Super-polished and friendly service throughout our three hour tasting menu experience. And what fabulous cooking! From a wild garlic margarita to start to the strawberry , marigold and sweet cicely dessert we enjoyed every dish. A nice surprise was the Banks brothers serve quality wines in 250ml cans and there is a good range of wines by the glass. Yes, we travelled from Bristol to York for dinner and we're very glad we did. It was that good. An amazing experience.

We had a 3.5 hour journey that explored local ingredients, imaginative cooking and nearly every corner of our taste buds.

Great meal great food and great wines. Whole meal was perfect bar the last interaction with the head waitress. Didn't leave a sour taste with our guests though.

Top class food & service, a real treat and a great experience throughout. Really interesting menu choices with vegetables featuring strongly throughout, even in both deserts! Very clear link back to the farm/produce and fab to eat something completely different, but with such familiar flavours. Probably the best food I’ve ever eaten. We had the lunch menu and felt it was good value for the quality and for such a memorable experience. Cocktail and pre-dinner drink list superb too.

Food is on the salty side. The sommelier did not serve our wines by the table when we ordered by the glass.

What an experience! Prepared yourself if you’ve book here. I strongly recommend not to have any lunch and clear your schedule for the rest of the night. Superb service and food, some bits were genuinely spectacular like the raw deer tart - Extraordinary! Other bits are challenging like the crab custard (texture thing!) and chicory dessert (a bit weird) . We had matching wine with a glorious oak barrel aged for 18 months napa valley Albariño (weird huh! - try it!!!). We loved the room, the team and the food - just barely able to walk back to hotel. Zoe kindly and effusively explain the dishes and the wines - if you can go for the super interesting and less expensive wine pairing. She packs any leftovers in wonderful boxes to take with you home. It is not cheap, just be aware! You’ll need to plan and book ahead as this is a touch more special than your average “nice restaurant”. No wonder they have a ⭐️ they deserve ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The most amazing evening. The whole experience was superb. Cannot compliment the food and staff enough. Treat yourself !!!!

Absolutely amazing lunch experience, can't fault it.

Wow! Absolutely amazing food and the best wine pairings I've ever had as well. You'll be blown away with the food, I didn't believe that potato could be good in a pudding! One of the best restaurants I've ever been to, on a par with its big brother, the Black Swan in Oldstead. Very easy going, with friendly and informative service.

Delicious food and excellent service.

Celebrated my birthday here, sommelier was very knowledgeable. Service andvfodd impeccable.

Outstanding food and service. Well worth the extra cost.

Food was awesome (as expected), but staff and service were exceptional. They were all really personable and made the whole evening a blast.

Lovely food, lovely wait staff, would definitely recommend.

We were very excited to come to roots, especially after seeing the Head Chef on Great British Menu. Sadly we were left underwhelmed. The atmosphere is very nice, relaxed fine dining and the made to feel welcome by the knowledgeable staff. The food was delicious however the portions were very small. It felt their priority was on selling their own produce from Olstead rather than the customer satisfaction. The first course consisted of 3 slithers of charcuterie… For the price of the meal we expected more than one small slice of beef as a “main meal”. If every dish was larger we would most likely be giving 5 stars. Though very tasty we left hungry and deflated sadly after high expectations and would not rush back until the portion sizes are reviewed

Not what I expect from a Michelin starred restaurant. I am giving this 2 stars (1 stars are sometimes ignored) in the hope that it gets some attention from the restaurant, as this really was a terrible, terrible experience. The food itself was extremely salty, that salty that it actually burned our mouth (and 2 days afterwards). By course 4 I literally could not eat anything else. I brought this to the attention of our waitress, when she asked how the course was and I was told I was wrong and that it was just the richness of the food. My husband and I have eaten in some of the best restaurants in the food including The Fat Duck and French Laundry - I am very aware of what rich food tastes like. It is not what we experienced at Roots on 6th April. If that wasn't sufficient reasoning for my low rating, after 3 courses we were starting to wait over 30 minutes for each new course (I took pictures, so they are timed stamped in case Roots try to challenge this). At 11pm we walked out, with 3 remaining courses to go, having paid the bill, in full with service charge - nearly 400 GBP. No one at ANY point asked us why we were leaving, why we weren't eating our meal and at no point did a manager come over and talk to us. In a Michelin starred restaurant, this is TOTALLY unacceptable. We will not return and I suggest you don't either, save your money for a meal at Grays Bow Room also in York, you won't regret it.

Exceptional food, wine and service. A real treat.

A beautiful experience. Some very memorable courses.

Great service, good food, high prices. Let's face it, no one goes to Roots regularly, it's a place for a special occasion at currently £235 per head for the tasting menu and cheapest wine pairing on Friday and Saturday (cheaper if you go Wednesday or Thursday). For that special occasion meal, the ambience is excellent and easily some of the best service I've ever had. The Michelin star reflects this, but it also hiked the prices and the food didn't magically become better. The value side is why this gets four and not five stars. Yes, the food is good, but this is probably the most expensive restaurant in York. If you want great food in York, Roots is matched by Skosh and Meltons. On the plus side, the high prices and £50 per person deposit mean that availability is much better at short notice - Skosh and Meltons typically need months of planning in advance, but looking just now, you can still book a table at Roots with just a couple of weeks' notice. For your visit to Roots, I recommend a pre-dinner cocktail - always interesting and tasty but make sure to ask the staff for some more details beyond what the menu lists. I was slightly surprised that mint tea was not available at the end, but the staff suggested a tasty aniseed herbal tea instead.

Food was great ,wine pairing one of the best we've had .Service was excellent, had a good chat with all the staff.

The worst Michelin starred place I've ever been to. I'd been looking forward to it for weeks given the star and the reviews. I'll say out the gate the food was a mix between brilliant and good. But the service was atrocious. We'd booked for six, and an extra friend turned up last minute. There was plenty of room on the table/booth, but they said no the kitchen refused to do any more covers. We accepted gracefully, it was a last minute ask and understand the pressures people are under. Our friend went to a bar nearby, no big problem. But then as service got going, while food was good, some courses amazing, it became apparent that something was amiss. We were waiting ~30 minutes between courses, long enough for the party to finish a bottle of wine between courses. And we were repeatedly left without drinks for 30m+ at points. The service was just not deserving of a Michelin star, I've had better service in gastro pubs. By hour four, we'd made it to the dessert courses. My friend was still in the bar nearby alone. I asked if he could come and have a glass of wine with us while we finished the remaining 2-4 courses. The reaction from the staff was incredulous, which when you're spending thousands of pounds on a meal, is a complete and utter joke. No, no he couldn't - and how dare we ask was the attitude. I left shortly thereafter to meet the friend, and the attitude apparently only got worse thereafter. I've eaten at the best Michelin restaurants in the world, and I can categorically say they've made a mistake with this place. The food is just one (admittedly big) part of the experience, but if front of house is as ridiculous as this was you don't deserve any recognition. The food was potentially worthy of a Michelin star for some courses, the venue was great, but the service was definitely not. I've had much better experiences and food in places that were only listed in the guide rather than starred. I'll never go back.

Food brilliant. Every dish popped.

If I could I'd rate the food and service even higher. Celebrating a birthday and successful PhD 5 of us had lunch and each course was amazing. The dishes were explained and then savoured, finger-licking sauces mopped up, everything was so good. Service was impeccable and friendly and even the table was so beautifully designed. A memorable and happy meal.

Amazing tasting menu. Some dishes, flavours and combinations you can't have else where. Crab sandwich and beef were my highlights. Service very attentive and friendly waiters. Wines were well paired.

We were looking forward to visiting this restaurant on our trip to York and it did not disappoint. A very relaxed, warm atmosphere. The waiters were all really friendly and welcoming. Make sure you go hungry as there are a lot of dishes and each one is absolutely delicious. Personal favourites were the deer, the scallop and the chicory desert. But honestly, every single dish was exceptional. We also did the wine pairing and really enjoyed every one of them, we were not rushed to finish them like I have experienced in other places. Overall, I can't recommend this place enough for a treat!

Michelin star restaurant which lived up to the price point. Excellent staff who were friendly and attentive at the right (non smarmy) level. The speed of the tasting menu courses was just perfect and all the items on the tasting menu complimented each other and were absolutely divine. Some special food is served. If you have the money go there regularly. If you need a special treat and want guaranteed special food and service then go too. 😊👍

Terrible. I have had acute food poisoning since my visit on the 14/01/23. Awaiting the results of tests back to confirm. Ask for a replacement for the scallop dish, is my advice

Absolutely beautiful food alongside excellent service from a knowledge team and a relaxed atmosphere. The tasting menu was divine, and there is an extensive drinks menu with nearly all wines available by the glass. We had a lovely evening here and would definitely recommend.

Fantastic food and service. Genuine staff. Will be going again.

Absolutely fantastic. My first visit to a Michelin Starred restaurant. Sublime food, the staff were all brilliant and the venue was perfect. Worth every penny.

I so wanted to give you all a five star review but the experience turned into a a rather painful one,yes your place is well kept yes your staff are very knowledgeable regarding the dishes that are served and yes your dishes look like little works of art the taster menu is a fun thing to go through but isn't cheap I would like to say I enjoyed it but it was tainted by what happened the tastes of the dishes were excellent untill the sour dough bread arrived it should actually come with a warning I have implants in my mouth dentures with metal plates due to the brain injury I have and your bread was so hard it tore out the bottom of my mouth and caused it to bleed this left me in alot of discomfort and caused some issues through the night at the hotel it actually caused a significant bleed I was gutted to be honest I am just glad the rest of the dishes that followed were soft because yep there I sat looking at my partner with the bottom of my mouth hanging out SO PLEASE IF YOU VISIT AND HAVE ANY IMPLANTS OR DENTURES ETC BE WARNED THE SOURDOUGH BREAD (PROVED BAKED CULTURED) MAY NOT BE YOUR FRIEND

Wow!! What an amazing place this is, and a must to visit for a special occasion. I was celebrating my 50th birthday, and took the opportunity to visit and take the wine pairing too. We were blown away with everything, and the service and knowledge of the staff exceeded our expectations. What impressed me most was their care for me needing gluten free, having my own menu clearly showing the (limited) differences to the standard menu, and each course delivered confirming mine was gluten free. Well done team, two very happy people.

Fabulous evening, taster menu was extremely good and often amazing, who would have thought you could make potato and chicory into a beautiful desert, the wines that were picked for us were different but perfectly matched with each course. In all if you have the cheese (and we did) you end up having 13 courses a real delight.

An incredible evening, totally surpassed all expectations. Every dish was very well balanced, considered and complemented the previous course. Super delicious, refined and well presented food made from high quality ingredients with provenance. The service was absolutely fabulous, it really shone through how much the front of house cared about the food, wine and restaurant as a whole. I'd also like to make a big shout out to Zoe, we were blown away by her effervescent personality and great sense of humour. It was just wonderful to be served by staff so knowledgeable and passionate about the industry. The entire team were brilliant. Keep up the amazing work :)

Really wonderfull, excellent service and friendly knowledgeable staff. Astounding food well worth a visit

Amazing service, awesome food - thank you!

I went for the tasting menu the food was amazing all but 2 the first course of cured meats 1 portion to share between two people a little bit of a let down, dishes in-between were amazing till the dessert part of then pastilles I found not to my liking. I think it was worth the experience, would I do it again possibly. I think I would prefer to see of their normal menu gave as much detail and flavours as the tasting menu.

Highly recommend this restaurant and you certainly will not be leaving hungry! A truly wonderful experience that we won’t forget in a hurry

An excellent experience, taster menu was superb, every mouthful a delight. Service very good and paired wines very good. One small criticism however, the drinks package which on reading covers everything from pre-dinner drinks to coffee should read wine package, a payment on my bill at the end of the evening for pre-drinks and coffees was unexpected. It did not detract from sn excellent evening out though, I would go again.

If you make the decision to dine at Roots then there is for me only one test and that is how good was the food. Forget the cost, forget the quality of service. You know that it will be on the more expensive side and you can take it as read that the staff will be first class. But what about the food ? Well I am happy to tell my readers that the food was out of this world. We chose the pescatarian luncheon menu and drank wine by the glass as we were driving. Each course on the menu was so exquisitely prepared and the depth of flavours beyond our wildest expectations. This was food heaven.

The food and the service were excellent But I found the chairs very uncomfortable and I was also very chilly

A feast for the senses. Everything from the interior design to the vibe and service to the tasting menu and wine pairing was *spectacular*. The staff is not only friendly but also well educated on the ingredients, wines and the producers. The entire experience was high-end yet down to earth, without an ounce of pretentiousness. Thank you. We’ll be back.

I had 11 dishes from tasting menu. The combination is EXELLENT. It is worth the Michelin one star. Venison dish is the best! The dessert was lovely both presentation and taste. Services are great as well. Only it is a bit pricey comparing to others Michelin restaurant in the area. Anyway, they use ingredient fresh from their farm. Will come back again