ASK Italian - York

You're dining in one of York's most spectacular buildings - the Grand Assembly Rooms has hosted everyone from Charles Dickens to local worthies since 1732. The soaring Georgian ceilings and period details make even a midweek pizza feel rather grand. The menu sticks to crowd-pleasing Italian classics done competently rather than creatively. Their slow-cooked ragu actually has proper depth, the stone-baked pizzas emerge with decent char, and the tiramisu won't disappoint your nonna. It's reliable rather than revolutionary, which matters when you're feeding families or catching up with mates before a show at the Theatre Royal. The setting alone justifies the Blake Street location - you're essentially eating your carbonara in a piece of York's architectural history.