Tower's Restaurant

You're walking up Tower Street towards the Minster and ducking into Castlegate House, where Tower's sits with decent views across York's medieval landscape. It's the kind of restaurant that comes attached to a hotel but doesn't feel like it's apologising for that fact—they're doing straightforward, competent food without the theatrical nonsense. The setting works particularly well if you've had your fill of the tourist crush around the Shambles; you get some breathing room and actual quality on the plate.