The Market Cat in York

We were in York recently for a family celebration, with our dog. We went to one pub which advertised they were dog friendly, but it was only in a small area, which was full with people who didn't have pets with them. There were 7 of us and weren't interested in accommodating us. So we moved on and came across The Market Cat. They were fairly busy downstairs, but have 2 other floors & we were told we were very welcome to go up there so we could all be accommodated comfortably. I'm so glad we did! The pizzas were excellent, the staff wonderful and so were the views over the Shambles market. We spent a while there enjoying our family celebration. We also enjoyed trying the lovely local ales. Thank you once again The Market Cat!! We will definitely be back if we find ourselves in York again.

A fantastic real ale pub with plenty of choice of ales. The staff were friendly, the bar itself was lovely & it's surprisingly big with it being spread out over 3 floors. We didn't try the food when we visited so I can't comment on that.

Great place, with 3 floors so there’s space and surprisingly really good pizzas. The place is just a good spot so your feet’s can take a break.

Dog friendly, nice pizza. Service lil bit slow. However drinks are really good. Nice bar and one you should visit ☺️.

Very nice place where they also accept cash payment. Located on three floors, equipped with a lift, where the ground floor is typical English, the first floor is nice, while the second floor, where there is the toilet, is sober. Here we took two medium local beers and a water, spending 12 Pound.

Guy in glasses at the bar know how to recommend drink.

Excellent choices of ales and good place to sit and people watch

I love this place! Great pub in the center of York. Three stories. The upper two floors have large windows overlooking the original market with a glimpse of the Minster in the distance. Excellent pizza and a great selection of beer on tap. Dogs welcome. Staff is helpful and friendly.

Fantastic setting very relaxed and great views of the city from top floor . And selection of drinks brilliant.

Friendly pub with a chilled atmosphere. Wide variety of drinks available to suit all tastes.

Nice place in the Shambles Market in York to have a drink. Go upstairs you can see York Minter from the second floor. Their pizza looks good but I have not tried yet.

When eating upstairs music was too loud to hear conversation while with friends 😔

Really enjoyed the ambience in this pub

2024 and this is our 3rd visit since my original review, just as good, food excellent, location 'most' excellent 👍 3 floors, bit of a walk for the toilet however there is a lift to all floors for the less able. This bar is a decent place in the middle of town that sells great beers. Big comfortable sofas and chairs excellent pizzas.

Great range of beers and the pizza is excellent. You would simply not find a pub of this calibre in the middle of a tourist space in London. Much appreciated.

Really nice bar in the centre of York, the pizzas are great and the choice of beers is spectacular

Its a three tier bar, with their own beers and ipas on draught. the atmosphere is lovely and its right in the centre of ti.e so you have lovely views from the top floor.

Great little place, great beer and you gotta get the pizza 🍕

A nice pub right in the middle of York. We visit the distillery in bakewell and love the beer, so though we would give it a shout. We were not disappointed. Would recommend.

Can't comment on the food as I didn't try but an excellent variety of beers and always a quality stout available.

This is a 5 star pub to be honest. Minus 2 stars for the 2nd floor toilets and the stupidly narrow stairs to get there!!! Stupidly narrow stairs - minus another star!

Really nice pizzas and a good atmosphere.

We came here three times whilst away in York and loved the place. We brought our visitors also. We then returned on our final night to eat as we had seen the pizzas and they looked great but to this point had only come for drinks. This is when it went downhill. I wanted to make my own pizza and add my own selection of toppings which of course i would pay for i dont expect to pay for a margherita and add allsorts, its just the pizzas available werent to my taste and ive never ever been to a pizza place takeaway restaurant or otherwise where you cant do this. Were told point blank No you cant do that you can only take toppings off not add them. No budging nor customer service or even asking the chef or someone else who may have more people skills. Just no. Such a small thing for them and not losing out on money but made a big impact on our experience and they clearly dont care if the customer enjoys their food. Such a shame as this place is beautiful but wouldnt return or recommend for food and think the girl needs some serious customer service training or maybe a different career choice that doesnt involve people. Or smiling.

We came here three times whilst away in York and loved the place. We brought our visitors also. We then returned on our final night to eat as we had seen the pizzas and they looked great but to this point had only come for drinks. This is when it went downhill. I wanted to make my own pizza and add my own selection of toppings which of course i would pay for i dont expect to pay for a margherita and add allsorts, its just the pizzas available werent to my taste and ive never ever been to a pizza place takeaway restaurant or otherwise where you cant do this. Were told point blank No you cant do that you can only take toppings off not add them. No budging nor customer service or even asking the chef or someone else who may have more people skills. Just no. Such a small thing for them and not losing out on money but made a big impact on our experience and they clearly dont care if the customer enjoys their food. Such a shame as this place is beautiful but wouldnt return or recommend for food and think the girl needs some serious customer service training or maybe a different career choice that doesnt involve people. Or smiling.

Had a great lunch in here. Pizzas were fabulous.

It's a really good bar tad expensive but that's York for you

Only pizza and sooooo expensive

Absolutely DELICIOUS vegan pizza in this gorgeous dog-friendly pub overlooking York’s amazing markets… what’s not to love?!

My partner and I dropped by on a quiet Monday night for drinks and so glad we did, a really nice chilled place, beautiful decor, we sat downstairs but they have amazing upstairs seating areas too. Brilliant selection of drinks and staff were great at recommending some spiced rum to me. Lovely place that is worth a visit or two if you're in York.

Not from York amazing bar amazing staff recomended beers and dog friendly surprisingly aa a beautiful place so impressed

It's okay. Other reviews described this as one of the better pubs with great seating, views and great range of beers and a place to unwind. What they didn't mention was the crowds, the 3 flights of stairs to get to the bar or how noisy it actually is. Yes it's a pub, and yes the pizza was good but it's definitely not on par with our locals. Good luck getting a seat! I'd like to come back on a week day to try again, but I'd not come back on a Saturday.

Great place. Called in for a drink (or two) while on an overnight stay for my birthday. Really great staff, friendly and helpful re what each of the beers was best for our greatly differing taste buds!! Would definitely recommend.

Fantanstic food, drink and atmosphere. Always stop here when in York

Wow. Best, and I mean the best pizza we have ever had. Great selection of beers, great staff, unreal location. This place massively under sells itself . The ground floor is fab and atmospheric but please go upstairs, the first n second floors ate fabulous, and the views particularly from the second floor amazing. People, you have a fab pub, in a fab place, please don't under sell yourselves, shout it from your fab second floor that this is one of, if not the best pubs in York.

Great Thornbridge beers, tasty pizza, good music, nice atmosphere

Me and my husband are finding ourselves coming to this pub more and more whenever we visit York. We are cask ale drinkers and love trying out different flavours on offer. This pub has a really good selection of cask, think I counted 8 pumps in total. They are very well poured and keep the creaminess all the way to the bottom of the glass. There is nothing worse than being served a flat cask ale which I was given in a different pub chain, it was so flat it just looked like cider. So it's refreshing to come to a pub and be served a drink with a view to the customer enjoying what they are being given. Great pub with booths and large windows upstairs with views over the market to sit and watch the world go by. Great place to relax. Will be back again definitely.

Lovely lovely place 🥰 we enjoyed our time here, discovered while passing by, and the vibe attracted us to have a pint 🍺 Beer very good, from my understanding is crafted right there I would recommend staying upstairs as is quieter and you’ll see York City Centre and Market in all its beauty ❤️ Please mind that there are no meals served here, only pizzas and some starters, so if you’re hungry better eat in the market (btw food was amazing)

Excellent bar extensive range of drinks

Excellent prices, service and food, cannot complain. Keep it up folks.

A big thanks to all the staff at the Cat for making our 50th anniversary night such a special occasion. As usual, they are all examples of good service, friendly and efficient, knowledgeable about the vast range of beers available and happy to help. I cannot rate them highly enough!! L&J

Highly recommend The Market Cat! It's relaxing, extremely friendly and they serve the best pizzas my husband and I have ever had! It is reasonably priced for a big city and in a great location.

One of the best pubs i have ever visited. The selection of beers is second to none. Jaipur was perfect as were the rest of the beers i tried. Never seen so many Thornbridge beers. My version of heaven.

We had a fantastic time at The Market Cat in York yesterday 4th August! While the drinks were a little on the expensive side, the welcoming staff and the superb ambience more than made up for it. The atmosphere is vibrant and inviting, making it a perfect spot to relax and enjoy great company. The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive, ensuring that we had everything we needed to enjoy our visit. Their warm hospitality truly stood out and added to the overall experience. Special shout out to the Doorman who was a true gent and made our visit! The Market Cat offers a great selection of drinks, all expertly crafted and worth every penny. The quality and variety are impressive, catering to all tastes. Overall, The Market Cat is a must-visit when in York. The combination of excellent service, wonderful ambience, and top-notch drinks made our visit memorable. We highly recommend it and will be returning when next up in the wonderful city of York!

Great pub right by the market with a great selection of Ales , delicious pizzas and friendly staff one of my favorite pubs in York .

Really nice pub, great atmosphere and really cool decor. But, it's not quite the same without Jam working there. Back here again, and still not the same without Jam. Update 27/07/2024 Back again. Jam works here again apparently, but where is he? However, the lovely Alice is now working here. Very good service and I love the chilled beer glasses.

Lovely pub off the shambles market

Great spot at the edge of the Shambles market area, so good for people watching. We sat at the lowest level at the huge open windows that brought the outside in. We enjoyed a few different types of gin. Good service.

Best vegan pizza ever, staff are super friendly too 👌🍕

We were out at The Market Cat last night really enjoying ourselves until one of our friends went the the bathroom with another friend to help her unzip her jumpsuit. When she was coming out of the cubicle she was faced with a bouncer stood with his arms crossed. He told her to get out as they have a no drug policy!. Our friend was mortified as she most certainly doesn't do drugs. York pubs need to look at why they have no business if innocent people are being asked to leave all the time. We definitely will not be stepping foot back in this most unwelcoming bar. The gentleman we spoke to was rude and obnoxious and should not be in charge, another bar that will end up shutting down due to no returning business!

Fantastic pub, with polite and helpful staff. Great views from the upstairs levels and a great selection of drinka

'Best modern pub' said Lord Vasey. Lovely dark wooden interior with polished gold metal. Great selection of thornbridge beers plus guests and good ciders. Great location. 3 storeys, 2nd with a view of the market and 3rd with a glass walled tap room. Toilets are lovely- felt like just sitting in there. Good music. Overall, huge recommendation!

I was lucky enough on Tuesday, 3rd August 2021, to be introduced to what I believe to be one of Yorks 3 best real ale pubs Excelent choice of ales excelent drinking area clientele and staff 10 out of 10 Thursday 17th August 2023 We again visited this 3-story real ale pub Yet again, a plethora of great real ales on offer All ales well kept Great staff local following in pub superb This pub is an essential visit for real ale Drinkers when drinking in York Wednesday 10th July 2024 This pub has never changed in all my visits in its seating interior layout both up and down stairs. Great barstaff/owners here.pub has easy listening music. Today, it was Jazz theamed The food is a well liked asset to this pub. BUT FOR ME, THE MAIN REASON I COME HERE IS The pub has one of the best ranges and well-kept real ales on There was, as usual, a plethora of grand handpumped ales on today. This pub for real ale drinkers when coming to York is as always an essential visit😁😁

We stumbled upon this pub on a tourists walk around York! We liked it so much we went back for more later the same day! And when we visit York again, so shall we visit this pub again! The staff also were particularly nice and remembered me after just one visit! The Mango cider was particularly yummy 😋

Let’s me start by saying how amazing The Cat is within York. We had a day full of pubs and choices where we were craving GOOD pizza and good cocktails. I was also looking for good beer taps and we couldn’t have been happier. Bartender was super nice and we order drinks and A 12” pizza at the bar (perfect size for two). He then set us upstairs overlooking the main square and the view was simply amazing. We even got to see the craftsmanship of their passion for pizza…dough was freshly made and the smells were amazing. Recommend eating upstairs on the second level.

Don't go if you want to try before you buy.... ask to try 2 samples as wasnt sure what to drink and was met with 'only if you are going to buy something'

Great food and service! The pizza was fresh and tasty. Good selection of beers, ciders, and spirits. We sat on the top floor and had a a beautiful view of York Minster.

Had a lovely drink in here, nice to watch the market going on and general people watching.

Excellent choice of ales, friendly helpful staff and a great atmosphere.

Some great beers, pizza was very good 👍 😋

Alright bar in mid town. Glossy look, but not glossy clientele. Polite and informative bar staff. Not over priced either (despite looking like it could be)

Lovely staff and great drinks with real cider on tap

Had 1 or 2 pints of a fantastic ale from ‘Liquid Light’ brewery.

Good selection of beers - both Thornbridge as well as guest beers

You have gotta try the Chocolate porter !! My word it was fabulous and even non real ale drinkers enjoyed it

Had some time to kill and this was right by the Shambles market. They've created a lovely ambiance and a very beautiful craft ale poured for me (very smooth). Great music picks too. Will be back if I have time once more in York.

We look the pizza, beers and atmosphere. Friendly peeps behind the bar. Samples of your unsure of a new brew. Worth a visit of you're in York.

Love this bar overlooking the shambles. Good selection of drinks and a quirky interior

📍The Market Cat 🍺 This restaurant doesn't focus on food, but focuses on draft beer, a variety of flavors, and a good atmosphere. We recommend going up to the 2nd floor to see the view of the flea market on Saturdays and Sundays. because it will be very jolly #TravellingAsACouple

Great space for people watching. Can't fault choice of beers gins wines plenty of seats. Food limited to pizzas but they are really good 👍

Popped in whilst on a Business Trip, Thomas and the team were really friendly and helpful. A great line up of ales and taps. One of my favourite places in York to visit, very spacious (but they have some incredible views on the 1st and 2nd floors too for sunset pics.

Great for sitting watching the world go by. Excellemt selection of drinks at reasonable prices and the home made Pizza is fabulous, but bear the 18" is enormous.

Great availability of beer, including low alcoholic ones. Pizza is delicious. Staff are very friendly.

Very familiar with Thornbridge having visited their Bakewell tap room many times with YoYo the beer monkey, stumbled across this place and stopped for a quick drink. Good selection of beers, not just Thornbridge brews, friendly welcoming service and a well done interior made for a lovely little stop. We'd do the same again if we were in town 😊🍻

Fantastic selection of beers and lovely pub inside. We sat on the second floor and enjoyed the views

Great pizza and loads of choice for drinks and plenty of room inside. A little expensive but to be expected for the location right next to the shambles.

Great beers and service from Andy!

Iv always left good reviews before for this pub but last night we were very disappointed with this establishment this time,we've been going in since it opened with many of our friends. I ordered our favourite pizza Pollo Espanol as always but to find it only having 1 piece of 🐔 between the 4 slices I had and 2 pieces between the other 4 slices and I was charged £7.80 for a small house 🍷 . I'm sorry but we won't be rushing back again.

Only popped in for a drink atmosphere was good. The only complaint was it's a bit of a trek upstairs to the toilet. The pub was busy but no problem getting served

Nice lively pub with a great selection of real ale (not only Thornbridge)

Lovely place to have a drink. Plenty of choice.

Loved it. Didn't eat food so can't really comment on that. Ale was lovely but only criticism is that it was too cold so couldn't really taste it until I'd almost finished my pint.

A very sympathetic restoration of this wonderful pub with a micro brewery upstairs, well worth a visit.

Great food and very good service.

Great pub in the middle of York, selling fantastic selection of beers

Great for a stein of beer 🍺. Pizzas can be ordered huge to share. Although good quality could be more generous with toppings. Vegan option more like a flat bread.

Stopped for drinks with four kids and a dog. Brilliant beers and highly accommodating of our group. Would highly recommend.

Excellent but expensive.. £7.80 a pint of quality craft ale

Have to say beer was first class cracking pints but after putting several rounds behind the bar and having a laugh between our small group of 5 people we were told To keep The noise down. Didn’t realise we were in a Sam smiths pub. The bar was really busy in the bottom floor and we were reminiscing and having a good laugh. Needless To say we took our money else where after Being told to be quiet

Great space, amazing pizzas, and amazing service and company . Cheers to the employees!

A great place when you're allowed in. I have attempted to visit the market cap twice over the festive period of 2023. One visit we were a group of 7 (all middle aged men) and we were welcomed with open arms. We spent a good hour in here I'm bought food too, suspend the considerable amount too. The second visit I was with a group of four other people (5 middle aged men in total) and was turned away by the door staff "because they didn't want large groups" I will definitely think twice about going back!

Great Thornbridge Beer themed City Center bar. Great selection of Thornbridge & guest ales. Over 3 floors with amazing views over The Shambles Market & York Minster.

Excellent real ales great service

Service was very poor. Bar staff were surely and contemptible and didn’t call last orders. Very poor

Great views over the market and York.

Liked this place do think a mirror should be placed outside the toilets as it is quite cramped in toilet cubicle

Pizzas are unbelievable. Great beer selection.

nice place, horrible walk to the toilets which were wet floors throughout.

Great place in the centre of York. Great views from the top floor and a decent pizza

Nice place. Beer choice is 2nd to none. Mittel is lush.

Pizza is amazing!! 😋 And good beers & cider!