-Walmgate Ale House-
Review:
The Walmgate Ale House & Chopping Block Bistro is another example of a café bistro revamping and shifting their focus towards real ale, a popular move it would appear recently in York. It was previously the restaurant Melton’s Too, an extensive renovation later and it has morphed them into wonderful bar and bistro, fully taking on-board the extensive history of the building which sees the numerous additions of saddles, ropes and other period décor. All harking back to 1795 when the building was Ellerker’s, a business which once had the contract with York Castle to make nooses for the hangman. Everything is stripped back with beautiful open brickwork, beams and hanging lanterns; it looks new but totally authentic and very cosy. There are two main rooms leading out to an oddly long corridor with the very well-kept toilets at the end. Upstairs is the bistro area, a rustic loft space reserved predominantly for dining and private parties. As of 2019 they also have a lovely little secret garden to the rear, a graveled area with several benches set around a small tree, perfect for grabbing a few rays of sun. The bar has a cracking selection of 6 local real ales as well as offering Yorkshire cider and lager, not a sign of any commercial rubbish which is great. Prices are pretty average for central York but well worth it with the quality beers on offer. Ground floor access is excellent and there are even some nice window seats to watch the world go by. All in all we love what they’ve done with the place and hope that although it is slightly off the beaten path the influx of new pubs and bars down Fossgate will begin to link up with Walmgate, it’s certainly miles ahead of the other pubs down the street. We heartily recommend you check it out.
The Walmgate Ale House & Chopping Block Bistro is another example of a café bistro revamping and shifting their focus towards real ale, a popular move it would appear recently in York. It was previously the restaurant Melton’s Too, an extensive renovation later and it has morphed them into wonderful bar and bistro, fully taking on-board the extensive history of the building which sees the numerous additions of saddles, ropes and other period décor. All harking back to 1795 when the building was Ellerker’s, a business which once had the contract with York Castle to make nooses for the hangman. Everything is stripped back with beautiful open brickwork, beams and hanging lanterns; it looks new but totally authentic and very cosy. There are two main rooms leading out to an oddly long corridor with the very well-kept toilets at the end. Upstairs is the bistro area, a rustic loft space reserved predominantly for dining and private parties. As of 2019 they also have a lovely little secret garden to the rear, a graveled area with several benches set around a small tree, perfect for grabbing a few rays of sun. The bar has a cracking selection of 6 local real ales as well as offering Yorkshire cider and lager, not a sign of any commercial rubbish which is great. Prices are pretty average for central York but well worth it with the quality beers on offer. Ground floor access is excellent and there are even some nice window seats to watch the world go by. All in all we love what they’ve done with the place and hope that although it is slightly off the beaten path the influx of new pubs and bars down Fossgate will begin to link up with Walmgate, it’s certainly miles ahead of the other pubs down the street. We heartily recommend you check it out.