Upper River Restaurant in York - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

It was delicious. I ordered Zuozhuhou Beef Brisket, Tofu and Fire Pork Rice, Dry Fried Beef Brisket, and Frozen Lemon Tea. They were all eaten by two people. A restaurant with attitude, I like the proprietress who is sincere. I think that I will always eat French food when I visit York in the future.

Perfect homesick cure for Hongkongers. One of the most authentic and best Hongkongese dishes I have tasted in the UK so far. Stir fried lettice is surprisingly delicious. Might sound exaggerating but taste even better than in HK. Also recommending to reserve A DAY IN ADVANCE the clay pot satay beef with vermicelli (you won't regret it). Deserved 6 out of 5 stars!

Xingzhou fried rice is delicious!

一路从伦敦到剑桥到约克，这是吃过最好吃最符合口味的中餐！两个人都清盘了！ 重点是也不贵！！！我们两个人才吃了30胖不到，非常适合约克旅行想吃中餐的伙伴！推荐！

This is why I travel all the way to York from London.

I’m beyond words to sing praise of the siu mei! My life would be ten folds better if I could afford weekly trips to York just to dine here.

Best Hong Kong style Cantonese food in York. Excellent service, and the boss is very friendly.

Having heard so much about this Cafe offering authentic Hong Kong food, we went there for a simple dinner when we visited York a few days ago. We had 3 bowls of fish ball noodles, 1 curry beef brisket rice, roast pork, fry vegetable, a coke and 3 lemon tea. The total bill came to £97. The roast pork was disappointing, cold and chewy. The beef rice was OK, the fish ball soup was blend. Overall the food wasn't able to quench our thirst for Hong Kong food. But, a big but, about our experience was the owner shouted at us loudly when we were leaving. He was so rude, that on the way back to our hotel we were joking that that was a true Hong Kong experience of having impolite service and lousy food at "Cha Tseng tangs"(cafes). The whole saga was about the cafe's policy of accepting cash payments only. To be fair when we entered we were told by the woman at the door. As it was quite late, and we were hungry, we chose to go in to give it a try. As we ordered the food, we had to count how much cash we had (£100) on us to avoid the embarrassment of not having enough to pay. Unwittingly we talked about the practice of accepting cash only could give rise to tax evasion, and we talked about how often it is that Chinese run businesses have cash payment policy. Apparently the owner overheard us and gave us a lesson in the end. First time in the UK, having moved to live for 3 years, that there was not a word of thank you but a rude lesson that we shouldn't talk among ourselves topics like the inconvenience of cash payments and the difficulty of detecting tax evasion.

As someone who grew up in Hong Kong, I can confidently say that the flavors here are authentic and spot on. The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive, making the dining experience even more enjoyable.

Stopby York for 2 nites and found this authentic HK restaurant by chance! It was so good that we went back again the next day. Recommended dishes are sweet and sour pork, fried rice, fried Singapore vermicelli, satay hor fun and roast duck and char siew!

Delicious food, super friendly staff :)

The best stir fry beef noodles I ever had in UK. Authentic Hong Kong taste but not as oily as some HK restaurants. In addition, the beef was tender and juicy. Last but not the least, 有鑊氣👍🏻

I really like the attitude of the store clerk.

Authentic Hong Kong food, delicious and good size. Fried noodle is strongly recommended

Glad to know we and the owner are from the same town in Hong Kong. Foods are great and the atmosphere feels like home. Sadly we had to catch the bus and didn’t have more time to share. Thanks for everything.

Although the taste of the roasted pork is a bit weird, the staff are friendly and the dinning area is clean and tidy.

Great food but a little pricey compare to London prices! Wanted Roast Pork but only available on Fridays and Saturdays! But will come again if I'm in York again! Service with a smile is all that matters!

Good taste, human touch, and dogs are welcome😊 The food tastes great. They are very kindly and pet friendly.

This is the best Canto food place in the whole of the UK. I love it and miss it so much.

I must say this place is great. I visited with my family on sunny day and this place was fresh with a lot of air inside, well ventilated - very nice friendly, almost family like atmosphere. Good food, portions big enough for a grown up man to chase away hunger unlike in few other restaurants in York. Reasonable prices. I enjoyed this place a lot. Very friendly staff, not just pretending to be friendly. Also very clean and tidy place. I wish you guys all the best for you and your families. I do not live in York so cannot visit as often as I would like to. Only one suggestion, it would be great to be able to order some desserts like ice cream or something sweet for children. Great place I totally recommend.

Highly recommend! A place you MUST stop by when you visit York.

I lived in HK for many years and came back to York recently. This is a real taste of Hong Kong and even brought a tear to my eyes. Excellent in every way. Thank you so much 🙏

Delicious food and friendly staff

The food in the restaurant is delicious. It has the taste and characteristics of Hong Kong. It is highly recommended and worth a try.

Authentic Hong Kong delicious style.

Perfect for traditional Hong Kong restaurant's food.

Hong Kong taste. Must try and come

Have been hearing Upper River quite a while and today I went there with my wife for a relaxing Hong Kong style dinner. We both born in Hong Kong in 70s which food are delicate and well prepared. This is something we missed even in Hong Kong after 2000. We shared our story with the boss Kijnnij and lots of memories shared. He then recommended an upcoming dish (picture attached), the mixed meat rice with black pepper sauce. That is EXACTLY what we had back in 80s - freshly prepared sauce, juicy meat (pork, chicken, sausage) and a Hong Kong style fried egg (sunny side up with fried edges). If you want to try authentic Hong Kong food or recall the nostalgic memory, please come and try!

i love this place authentic hong kong food best milktea in the uk and even

The satay beef rice is my top choice, the wonton is my favorite, and the lemon tea is delicious. Next time I’ll try a cup of milk tea and comment again.

Hong Kong people in the UK must come here to eat it. All the wild food is cooked well and tastes very high.

The price is reasonable and the food portion is sufficient. I think the value for money is above average.

I ordered stir fried hor fun with beef and a hot milk tea. The food was great! It tasted just like what they serve in Hong Kong cha chaan teng. Tbh it was even better than some chain restaurants like Cafe 100%. Usually I can't finish a whole dish of stir fried hor fun with beef because of its oily taste, and I always leave the onions and bean sprouts on the side. However this time I finished the whole dish ngl!!! The ppl were very nice too, and the siu yuk shown in the photo was on the house! I will definitely come again xx

The price is too expensive. On average, a portion of fried noodle rice costs £14-£15. Prices in the UK are so high that they shouldn’t be so expensive. The price is more than a double in Hong Kong. The most outrageous thing is that a cucumber is £6.6. A piece of bread without peanut butter is just a steal. £6.6 I bought three loaves of bread, a jar of peanut butter, 15 eggs, the whole fifteen pieces for you to have.

This place is as close to the authentic Hong Kong experience as you can get without going to Hong Kong. Food is spot on!

Horrible and expensive food, I ordered roast duck and roast pork rice, roast pork was no taste. Roast ducks with no meat; but skin and fatty only. The cashier responds she loves the duck fat so much, if so why they giving to the customer instead? Very disappointed and not going again! 😡

Roasted or barbecued pork and duck are the staples of the menu, and they are absolutely melt-in-the-mouth delicious. Noodles in broth were a bit bland, but we also had a plate of broccoli to complement the roasts, and it was stir-fried to exquisite perfection with garlic and ginger. Very different from what I think of as typical 'Chinese' food, with sticky sauces and a lot of MSG. The decor is basic, but the number of Chinese diners suggests the food is not just tasty but also very authentic, and prices are very reasonable.

Excellent Hong Kong style cafe/ restaurant. The chef has truly got all his passion and experience in ensuring every dish is delicious and unique. Happy food. Good people. Good service. 💖💖💖💖💖

I saw a lot of positive google reviews before our visit, so I was probably overestimating the restaurant. I liked the spring rolls but the noodle was slightly tasteless for me. The service was okay, just I didn’t enjoy the loud conversation of restaurant staff complaining about the other customers. I guess the restaurant has a lot of room for improvement interior, atmosphere etc…

Here you can speak Cantonese to your heart’s content and talk about Hong Kong’s past and current situation. You can have the authentic Hong Kong taste back to the past ~ wonton noodles 🍜 claypot rice 🥘

Authentic Hong Kong restaurant serving big portions of delicious food. The owners are from Hong Kong and they run a no frills restaurant focusing on quality dishes with fresh ingredients and not overusing seasonings. They were accommodating for our special needs son in a wheelchair and made space for us in their small eating area. They were attentive to our needs and checked in on us throughout our meal. We felt genuine care from the owners and had a friendly interaction with them. As for the food, we had the stir fried beef with whole green beans, stewed beef tendon, stir fried beef rice noodles, and some blanched lettuce. We like our food with less seasoning and they were happy to oblige. We are happy to support this small local business and highly recommend this restaurant. It's close to the York Minster and away from the more touristy part of town.

Authentic Hong Kong cuisine. So many choices on the menu, and I’m not complaining.

Authentic Hong Kong style restaurant very nice

As we all know, it is difficult to find good food in the UK. I tried it today for the first time. Although the 4-hour drive back and forth was worth it, the two of us had fried beef river, baked pork chop rice with white sauce, and salt and pepper tofu. Western toast, Cai Yuan beef brisket stir-fried river and Tongyi roast (the last two flavors have become indistinguishable and I picked up my chopsticks) The dry-fried beef ho is stir-fried with fresh rice noodles. There is no oil at all when stir-fried. The beef is crispy and cooked to perfection. It is not the same as the beef itself but has no tendons. The wok flavor is even better. It is really special. There's no such thing as a job that can't be fired even if you have such high and low skills. Baked Pork Chop Rice with White Sauce - This is my 10-year-old's favorite. I only ate two of them, so I can't say why, but I can tell by the speed with which he ate the rice. The salt and pepper tofu is dry enough without having to drink a lot of water after eating. The three-color peppers and onions are chopped into fine pieces and the flavor is infused. It doesn’t feel like adding a lot of onions and cutting them into pieces. Even if it’s green pepper, they really have the heart to make it. Western toast is the same as rice. I ate ten portions and couldn’t eat any of them. It’s just too much for a kid. I’ll order a plate myself next time. Caiyuan Beef Brisket Stir-fried River - The beef brisket is dry-flavored and juicy, but it is very difficult to cook it yourself in the UK. It all takes time and effort. The bakery was a surprise. I usually don't order it, but I didn't expect it to be so delicious. The gravy is juicy but not fat and juicy. Would you like to order the whole dish? I don’t think I know this guy well enough to help him sell ads. I met him for the first time today and I didn’t even know his name. I made this comment purely because I think their food and service quality are good ( You shouldn’t post about the aunt who helps the cook and the polite waiter sister), if you don’t like my personal sharing, don’t interfere! P.S. My boss told me that I don’t want to be rated. If I say that I will give someone a chance after rating, but there is no plan: If you don’t make people jealous, you are a mediocre person. Come on😌

Had char siu fan and HK style milk tea. All very lovely, but way overpriced for what it was. Still, I'm not often in York, so it was okay for a one-off.

It's a pity that there is no roast meat on Sunday. It tastes good and is a little oily.

Food is superb and truly Hong Kong style. Lots of good choices in the menu with reasonable prices. A must try for those who miss HK style foods.

Not many can pull off the Hong Kong style cafe outside of HK, Upper river holds its own… ran by a couple out of HK, the food is good, fresh and tasty…. HK style tea that taste as it should… menu is big and I recommend the set menus… I got menu B which consists of toast, frankfurter, pork cutlet (in breadcrumbs) and a bowl of soup. The owner switched this soup out for a special stewed beef brisket in satay sauce on noodle in soup…. Delicious and mouthwatering.. the cost ? £11… the roast meat on rice is also great, marinade spot on and good portion size. The cafe is small so get in early to avoid disappointment… good job 👍

This shop serves original recipe of Hong Kong Style Cantonese food in 70s. It's authentic and has some differences in what Hong Kong food are being served right now. If you want to try the wonderful Hong Kong style dishes, this will be the perfect place in York.

If you are missing Hong Kong cafe style fast food then this is the place. Food is average but we enjoyed our visit here. First impressions - not good and would usually put me off but we were visiting York and wanted to give this place a try. It’s very messy as soon as you walk in, kitchen stock all over the place and the open kitchen is at the front too. So probably explains the stock, easy to access. We were seated very quickly. It’s very informal and menus are these ring binders, lots of information on dishes with photos to accompany. Lady asked if we were ready to order, I asked if we could swap a Macaroni soup with frankfurter instead of ham (this is what my young child wants to eat and if you have children, you know how fussy they can be). The lady pulled a face and exclaimed she didn’t know how to charge for this. Her manner was abrupt and unexpected and I didn’t really know how to respond. So I told her I would pay for the complete dish, tell the chef to leave the ham out and charge me for 2 extra frankfurters. She seemed confused by this still, and another lady stepped in. She was clarifying what I wanted in a very polite way but thought that this caused unnecessary attention and it was very uncomfortable. So, I have been to Hong Kong many times and understand that some do have an abrupt manner and don’t mean to be impolite but it does come across as rude. Just feel that not everyone is as understanding, and it will put other diners off. They use fresh Ho Fun noodles, was cooked well and tasty. Our other dishes were braised beef noodles- good flavour, tender meat and was enjoyed. Char siu, fried egg with rice - meat could be roasted more for flavour and presentation wise, it looked and tasted bland. All in all still a nice place to go for a quick meal but not for us unfortunately.

The famous Hong Kong restaurant in York. Situated next to the York minster for about 3minutes, it’s in a good location when you finish off touring York city and looking for food afterwards. Very friendly staff, cozy atmosphere, food are amazing. Hong Kong Barbecues are the highlights but there are more to try.

The best dry-fried beef river in this trip to the UK! The taste is authentic, the side dishes are well matched, the beef is fresh and tender, the rice noodles are complete and smooth, and the sprinkle of sesame seeds when served is really the finishing touch and fragrant! Slight discount for cash only.

Good if you are craving hong kong food, owners are very very nice, it is just not my taste tho, not what I expected to taste like, but the fried rice from the next table looks and smells so good, maybe i will get some fried rice next time instead!

Authentic Hong Kong flavour! Truly domestic taste! If you are a food lover, you would not be disappointed. If you are a die hard HK’s food fans and you are also very accustomed to today’s HK’s taste (in HK), I dare to say that your tastebuds would be very pleased for this upgrade of taste! Recommendations - 乾炒牛河、冬菇雞煲仔飯、窩蛋牛肉飯煲仔飯、大𧎚炒蛋、豆腐魚煲、satay牛肉煲、星洲炒米、雲吞雞、燒肉。

The food was delicious, and the drinks were expertly made. The staff are really sweet. We will be back.

Long time no eat a true Hong Kong style food, must go! Fried Beef Noodles..Bowl Rice.. Boss is nice guy to talk with.

Authentic hong kong style restaurant. Loved the beef chow fun and milk tea here. A must-go spot in York!

100% Authentic Hong Kong style cuisine. The Stir-fried Beef noodles and the Barbecued Pork is a must-try!

Authentic HK taste. Great food, even better people. The owner is such a sweet guy, definitely recommend.

After seeing some negative skin, I want to experience it for myself if the rumors are true. The result is so surprising In particular, the star meter is of a high standard and is very powerful. The stewed beef with satay beef vermicelli is very tender and the satay sauce is so thick that it has a little bit of sand. Finally appreciate the boss’s true temperament👍🏼

One of the best and authentic cha chaan teng in the U.K.! Stir fry beef udon (as rice noodle sold out), fried tofu with salt and pepper, sweet and sour chicken rice are really nice. However the French toast is only made by one slice of bread and no peanut butter inside, would be much better if they put too slices of bread with peanut butter as it’s what it should be in Hong Kong! Milk tea is good but I prefer a stronger tea flavour. Recommended this restaurant!

Food was okay but small portion. Service was good. Limited seating space.

It’s a big surprise for me to have authentic Hong Kong food in York! The taste of food and drinks is absolutely good, it reminds me of the taste in my home town Hong Kong!

Friendly staff. Nice Hong Kong dishes. The milk tea is authentic Hong Kong style.

After reading all the reviews I was so looking forward to this…. But… what a disappointment. Food bland and staff were not friendly at all. I really didn’t understand with all those amazing reviews. Never again! You can also read all their polite reply and see how they really are.

Wok gas stir-fry👍 Can taste the taste of Hong Kong👍

Just visited and had dinner at Upper River Restaurant. Original 'Ying Yang' (coffee + milk tea), great Singaporian rice noodle which brings back my memories in 70's Hong Kong. The fried vegetable is fresh with refreshing 'Chinese ginger + bean curd' flavour. A must go for anyone want to try delicious Hong Kong dishes.

Friendly staff, good service and lovely atmosphere. Definitely recall my memories back to Hong Kong. The food is wonderful and the 'Satay beef' is a must try dish. The lemon tea is genuinely prepared in Hong Kong style. Had a great evening with my hubby.

這是非常港式的茶餐廳，極少數地你可嘆到像 香港abc式早/全餐的選擇，老板娘推介的沙嗲牛肉非常香濃，配米粉更是一絕👍當然還有星洲米、燒味各樣美食🤤更值得一提的是濃濃的香港情，這點你到別的食店是嘆不到的，若到York這肯定是必須去的重點旅遊點！

Food is really nice and authentic Best place to go to if you love Hong Kong food

Easiest the best hongkong taste in uk in my opinion, i miss home.. Tofu and pork belly rice, a man’s romance

Foods are average, pricey, and the Lady was quite rude.

I came to Upper River Restaurant with high expectations because of the rave reviews by the Asians who came before me. I was not disappointed. I spent 3 weeks in the UK, ate at 2- and 3-star Michelin restaurants (Asian and Western), but nothing came close to Upper River Restaurant. This was the best meal I had by a country mile. PSA: A must-try for all Asians who visit York. We had (1) fried hor fun, (2) fried rice with duck, (3) wanton soup, and (4) milk tea.

Authentic Hong Kong style restaurant and food!

Very tasty! Highly recommended!

The boss is so friendly👍🏻👍🏻 good person

Couldn't get a table midweek lunch despite place being near empty. Offered to eat at bar. They declined with the excuse of Covid. Discriminating against solo diners. Disappointing after travelling an hour. Went elsewhere.

Nice staff and authentic food! Definitely will go again!

Absolutely lovely ambiance and genuine hong kong food. A place that feels like home away from home.

Authentic Hong Kong cuisine. Its not plush dining however the food is very good, lots of Chinese students eat here

I really wanted to like this based on the reviews but it just wasn’t very good. The staff are lovely but the food was lacking as well as the atmosphere.

Had one of the most authentic Hong Kong style “cha chaan teng” in the UK! Please do not listen to any HK YouTuber with the bad reviews! Try it yourself and you will know!! Dishes are all cooked to order and serving hot. Milk tea is exactly the same you had it in HK! Definitely not to be missed if you had a visit in York!

Great authentic Hong Kong food. I tried the Satay Beef rice noodle and sweet toast. It’s so delicious and reminded me Hong Kong memories. The staff were very friendly as well. Highly recommended for everyone!

Having been there quite a few times I believe I can confidently say that this restaurant serves very authentic Hong Kong fast food. Really loved it and 100/10 will visit again next time I’m in York!

Been there a few times already and love their food so much! I went there twice during my 3 days trip to York. I'm glad I pre-ordered a Satay bowl this time as it was really delicious. I would also highly recommend their Braised Tofu Roasted Pork with rice and SiuMei!! Quality food and nice service, can't wait to visit again xx

Very and only authentic Hong Kong style “cha chaan teng” in York. They are not only providing “Siu Mei” and fried noodles and rice, but also really local HK “tea set” like Ham macaroni.

If you are looking for authentic Hong Kong food and the culture of Cha chaan teng (HK style cafe), this is the place for you. Lovely owners are willing to share their knowledge of cooking especially HK cuisine. During my short visit in York, I went to this wonderful restaurant everyday and yet I will return in the future for sure. Must try: - Singapore vermicelli which is different from other places. (According to owners, it's the traditional way of cooking.) - Char Siu (HK roast pork)

authentic Hong Kong style food with good taste and good quality

The service attitude is poor, the proprietress seems to be aggressive and noisy, the price is expensive, the portions are small, and the taste is worse than other tea shops in Hong Kong. Sin Chew fried rice is the most unforgettable. I have never seen Sin Chew rice without color or curry smell. It only has a salty taste and MSG taste. I will not go there again. Response: When someone criticizes you negatively, you will start to criticize and make trouble. Are you sincere and humble enough to listen to other people’s opinions and try to improve? This also shows that there is something wrong with the attitude

Nice food, real Hong Konger, support

These guys just take cash, just don’t want to pay tax

I took the bus from Manchester to visit York and stopped by the Sheung Shui Station because I wanted to experience the taste of Hong Kong. The family of four ordered beef ball rice noodles, beef brisket noodles, salted fish and chicken fried rice and curry beef brisket rice, and had four cups of food to drink. Noodles, beef balls, beef brisket, fried fish, and milk tea all taste the same as Hong Kong Tea Kee, satisfying our homesickness. The waiter greeted me well and was very polite. It's totally worth our special trip to help. I drove from Manchester to York and went to Upper River Restaurant because I wanted to have a taste of Hong Kong. We ordered rice noodles with beef balls, beef brisket noodles, salted fish and chicken fried rice and curry beef brisket rice, and had four cups of drinks. The noodles, beef balls, beef brisket, fried fish and milk tea were just like the taste of Hong Kong Tea Kee, which satisfied our homesickness. The waiters are very polite and courteous. Totally worth the trip.

Disappointed. Food taste is not good and pricey. Avoid!

Really nice Hong Kong style restaurant with authentic Hong Kong food,  we ordered Satay beef rice, BBQ food, Gillette Pork Chop rice, both are in great taste and delicious. Service is good.  And we have finally visited twice during our two-nights stay in York.

Very nice food , friendly owners and staff. Reasonable price for Authentic Hong Kong /Cantonese dishes that you can hardly find elsewhere in York . We had stir fried beef with rice noodles and curry beef with rice . Delicious .

I missed Hong Kong food so much and am delighted to have a chance to try this restaurant when I visited York! The authentic milk tea is not just Hong Kong style but really taste like when I had in Hong Kong. The stir fry dishes were mouth-watering. My friend and I liked their dishes so much that we ordered takeaway again before we went back to the Northeast. Will definitely go back when we visit York in the future!

We had high expectations for Upper River but we were left very disappointed. The food tasted ok but was much overpriced. The portions were tiny and the restaurant itself feels rather run down. And in this day and age, they only accept cash?!

Delicious! It tastes like Hong Kong. At the end, you always add salted fish, chicken, fried rice and western toast. There is also authentic Hong Kong frozen and hot lemon tea👍

Service really slow, food was warm, £4.50 for a Hong Kong style milk tea is well overpriced. You’re better going to a local Chinese restaurant which would serve you a better quality meal. The place is well overrated.

Brilliant food and lovely staff