Updated on 5th January 2025

The 10 Best Coffee Shops in York

Try the best beans from around the world at these York cafes.

Written on Food & Drink Updated on 5th January 2025

V60 or flat white? Cold brew or cortado? Whatever your brew of choice, these are the coffee shops you need to visit in York.

If you’re looking for speciality coffee in York, you’ve got plenty of options. So many in fact, that you might need a little help choosing, so we’ve tried and tested the city’s best coffee spots to bring you our favourites. From intimate, family-run cafes to independent roasteries, these cafes serve the best coffee in York with a side of expert know-how.

Divine

Station at Divine Coffee Roasters with coffee machine, signage and two people working

Divine is a small-batch coffee roaster serving speciality beans at two York city centre locations. Both cafes have a minimal, warm vibe, with plenty of wooden benches and, of course, shelves stacked with bags of coffee.

Try one of their single-origins or blends – their baristas really know their stuff, so don’t be afraid to ask for a recommendation – before picking up a bag to take home. If the weather’s nice, grab a spot outside on Micklegate – it’s the perfect place to people watch or just enjoy the views of the nearby church and grand townhouses on the street.

Don’t be surprised if you get tempted by something sweet – there’s always a great range of mouthwatering treats at Divine. If you can’t get enough coffee, order a slice of the Fortuna coffee cake, made with Divine’s high-intensity house blend of El Salvador, Brazilian, Kenyan and Vietnamese beans.

Where? Divine, 74 Micklegate, York, YO1 6LF & 22-24 Market Street, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 8SJ.
What? Espresso, cold brew.
Milks? Dairy, oat, soya.
Price? From £3 for an espresso, £3.70 for a cappuccino.

North South

Paper coffee cup with black zigzag pattern on a wooden table

As a firm favourite with locals, you might have to compete for a seat at North South on a Saturday morning. Owners Laura and Rich Taylor have turned their York coffee shop into a welcoming meeting place for visitors and locals alike, with plenty of tables, window seats, and outdoor seating for those sunnier days.

The homely atmosphere extends to North South’s coffee. The house blend is affectionately named Jeffrey, after the couple’s Jack Russell. Beans are hand-roasted seven kilograms at a time by one-man operation Indy Coffee in Oxenhope, and you can buy a bag to take home if you love it.

There are also indulgent cakes and pastries on the menu for sweet-toothed visitors – the carrot cake or brownie will go down a treat with your coffee. If you’re looking for a relaxed spot for a natter and catch up in York city centre, this is the place to be.

Where? North South, 25 Bootham, York, North Yorkshire, YO30 7BW.
What? Espresso, cold brew.
Milks? Dairy, oat, soya.
Price? From £3.10 for an espresso, £3.70 for a cappuccino.

Coffee Culture

The view of Coffee Culture from across the street.

© Copyright Yorkshire-List 2024

Coffee Culture is one of York’s original speciality coffee shops, having been around for over 25 years. You’re spoilt for choice with beans, as the owner hand-selects guest blends from UK roasters, which they’ve usually picked up on their personal travels.

The house roast is specially made for the shop by the York Emporium roastery (you won’t get it anywhere else) and is a dark roast blend of coffee beans from Brazil, Ethiopia, Columbia and Vietnam. Don’t forget to order an Italian cannoli to go with your coffee – they’re fresh from the gelateria down the street.

The best seat in the Grade I-listed, 16th-century house is the first-floor window nook, where you can keep watch over Goodramgate as you sip your coffee. There’s a huge food menu too, making Coffee Culture an ideal pit-stop in York city centre.

Where? Coffee Culture, 41 Goodramgate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 7LS.
What? Espresso.
Milks? Dairy, oat, soya.
Price? From £2.70 for an espresso, £2.90 for a cappuccino.

Lè Specialty

Hands holding up an iced coffee and bagel with Le Speciality branding

Lè Specialty is a family-run, Asian-inspired cafe. The owners, Leon and Olivia Tan, use the best beans from North Yorkshire’s own Rounton Coffee Roasters, including blends and single origin roasts, to make drinks that you won’t find at any other coffee shop in York.

You might try the Asian Dolce coffee, a sweet and smooth beverage which is a favourite in the Tans’ home country, Malaysia. On a warm day, go for the iced orange Americano, a blend of strong espresso and fizzy orange – it’s tangy and refreshing.

Don’t be surprised if Leon and Olivia’s son, Oliver, comes to say hello as you’re enjoying your coffee – he’s the cafe’s namesake, after all (his Mandarin name, Lè, means happiness or joy). Stay for something to eat – once you see the Asian-inspired croffles, you’ll want to order them too.

Where? Lè Specialty, 23 Fossgate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9TA.
What? Espresso.
Milks? Dairy.
Price? From £2.80 for an espresso, £3.60 for a cappuccino.

Stanley and Ramona

A glorious array of pastries displayed in the window of Stanley & Ramona

Credit: Abigail Lister

A queue of regulars is a common sight outside this Bishopthorpe Road (‘Bishy Road’) favourite. Stanley and Ramona has just enough space inside to fit the mountains of freshly-baked cakes, so if you want one of the four table seats outside, you’ll have to lurk and pounce.

Run by a mother-and-daughter duo, this welcoming cafe serves some of the best coffee this side of the river. All the beans are single-origin, making Stanley and Ramona unique among York’s coffee shops, and they’re sourced from Origin Coffee in Cornwall.

Owner Emma Carr bakes all the cakes in-house, and the vegan cinnamon buns (a weekend special) are particularly good with coffee. With treats this good, you’ll be back more than once, so don’t be surprised if they remember your order next time you’re in.

Where? Stanley and Ramona, 30A Bishopthorpe Rd, York, North Yorkshire, YO23 1JJ.
What? Espresso.
Milks? Dairy, oat.
Price? From £2.40 for an espresso, £3.30 for a cappuccino.

The Dark Horse Espresso Bar

The view of Dark Horse Espresso as people sit outside and enjoy their coffees

You can’t miss Dark Horse Espresso Bar while wandering around Shambles Market – it’s the only horse box on the square. Inspired by Australian coffee shops (owner Laura Edwards used to run one in Sydney), Dark Horse serves London’s finest Allpress Espresso alongside Aussie treats like Anzac biscuits.

Dark Horse commands a great spot in the market, with views of nearby traders and wandering visitors. Enjoy your coffee on the terrace by the horsebox for a front-row-view of all the happenings.

Outside York city centre, you can drop by Dark Horse’s newest location on Bishy Road, a spacious cafe complete with window seats and a large veranda. Here, you can tuck into a menu of must-have brunch plates, most served with locally-made sourdough.

Where? The Dark Horse Espresso Bar, Shambles Market, 5 Silver Street, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 8RY & 147A Bishopthorpe Road, York, North Yorkshire, YO23 1NZ.
What? Espresso.
Milks? Dairy, oat, soya, almond.
Price? From £2.50 for an espresso, £3.20 for a cappuccino.

Kiosk

A cup of coffee in a home-style cup on the table in a cosy coffee shop

Credit: Abigail Lister

You’ll miss this little gem of a coffee shop if you don’t keep an eye out. Sandwiched in a Grade II-listed building on buzzing Fossgate, Kiosk serves single estate coffee from West Yorkshire favourites Dark Woods Coffee, who use beans from Africa, India or South America, depending on the season.

Aside from the house blend, you can choose from hand-picked guest espressos, some of which are sourced from nano-roasteries. Pastries are all baked in-house, and who could resist a vegan chocolate babka to go with that long black?

There are just a few tables inside Kiosk, plus a couple of outdoor seats, so you’ll have to be quick (or lucky) if you want one. Typical of Fossgate, the atmosphere is relaxed but cosmopolitan – this York coffee shop could rival any in London.

Where? Kiosk, 41 Fossgate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9TF.
What? Espresso, filter.
Milks? Dairy, oat.
Price? From £2.70 for an espresso, £3.50 for filter, £3.40 for a cappuccino.

Vi

A coffee on a white table with dried flowers and wine bottles in the window in the background.

Credit: Abigail Lister

The ethos behind Vi is ‘not a lot, but all done well’. You won’t find an extensive food menu at their Scandi-inspired cafes but you will find some of the best speciality coffee in York – and baristas that are up for answering any questions you have about what you’re drinking.

Vi’s beans are on a seasonal rotation, while the filter blend changes daily, so you could come in every morning, grab a seat at the cosy wooden booths, and try something new. The baristas at Vi make all the syrups in-house too, which make for a delicious pumpkin spice or vanilla latte.

You won’t necessarily head to Vi for lunch, but you should definitely go for breakfast or a sweet treat – the counter is always full of freshly-baked pastries. At their SPARK location, you can even get homemade vanilla ice cream, which makes for a fantastic affogato.

Where? Vi, 17-21 Piccadilly, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9PB & 2 Monkgate, York, North Yorkshire, YO31 7PE.
What? Espresso, filter, cold brew.
Milks? Dairy, oat.
Price? From £2.90 for an espresso, £3.25 for filter, £3.70 for a cappuccino.

Spring Espresso

A cup of coffee on a table surrounded by freshly baked brownies and pastries

Spring Espresso has developed a bit of a reputation as the original York coffee shop for speciality coffee. The cafe has now grown to two locations, both serving top-quality beans alongside a packed menu of great food.

The house blend is from Small Batch Coffee Roasters, a (you guessed it) small-batch speciality roastery in Brighton. The single-origin Costa Rican roast is their choice for a V60 or cold brew, while the award-winning Goldstone blend, featuring washed coffees from Brazil, Uganda and Cameroon, is the house espresso.

Come for your morning coffee, but stay for brunch – the menu has tonnes of delicious options, including the local favourite, the stacked pancakes. The vibe is down-to-earth, where locals mix with tourists, coffee connoisseurs with those looking for a quick pick-me-up.

Where? Spring Espresso, 45 Fossgate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 9TF & 21 Lendal, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 8AQ.
What? Espresso, V60, cold brew.
Milks? Dairy and alternative milks.
Price? From £3.10 for an espresso, £4.20 for V60, £3.30 for a cappuccino.

200 Degrees

Signage of 200 Degrees coffee shop on shopfront

Known for its top-class barista school, 200 Degrees serves hand-roasted speciality coffee beans from its large cafe just a few minutes from the Minster. A popular place to work, you’ll usually find the booths filled with people tapping away at their laptops, and in-app ordering means you don’t even have to get up for a refill.

The signature house roast is ‘Brazilian Love Affair’, a blend of beans from Brazil, Uganda and Peru. But you can also try the rotating guest beans, which are usually single-origin and very often themed – a Christmas roast, anyone?

No matter your brew of choice, you’ll get it at this York coffee shop – the menu is extensive, featuring options like the V60, a Spanish Latte and freshly-made cold brew. The best seat in the house? A pair of armchairs at the rear of the cafe by the arty neon fireplace, where you can people (and dog) watch.

Where? 200 Degrees, 68 Low Petergate, York, North Yorkshire, YO1 7HZ.
What? Espresso, filter, V60, cold brew.
Milks? Dairy, oat, soya.
Price? From £2.65 for an espresso, £3.40 for filter, £4.20 for V60, £3.80 for a cappuccino.

Cover image credit: Abigail Lister
Abigail Lister Senior Writer

An experienced travel writer with over 6 years of experience behind her, Abigail has turned her attention closer to home to write about Yorkshire. She knows all the nooks and crannies of her home city of York and loves nothing more than revealing its secrets, so even visitors can get a sense of the real York.

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