January 28th, 2008
It was not exactly a warm welcome as we entered the door to Alley Cats, just off Stonegate in York. A paper sign read “No room for pushchairs” which we translated as meaning, “No children”. We sat immediately to the right at the tall round table which was being cleaned from the last (very messy) customers. The window sill was cluttered with used tea cups and bits of paper.
Five minutes in, we started to wonder whether we should leave because in all this time, the staff had not once acknowledged any of their customers, let alone the new arrivals and smiling was clearly regarded as too strenuous an activity for a Saturday lunchtime. Anyway being committed to bringing you reviews of as many places as possible we persevered and were eventually asked for our order.
From the plastic menu!, we ordered, Vegetable Chili and a Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Baguette that was served with salad and home fries, both reasonably priced at around £7.00 each. The place had a french – cum – cat loving spinster feel about it and while quite small was housed across three floors. Like the rest of old York, it was completely inaccessible to disabled people. The toilets, small but clean, being at the top of a very narrow three flight staircase.
Our drinks arrived and things looked up. The glass served with Dusty’s beer, was ice chilled; always a nice touch we think and my cup of tea (no pot) was hot, fresh and welcome. At the same time we were handed two folded brown paper bags and curiously looked inside to find our cutlery, a paper napkin (arghhhh), salt and pepper.
The main meals arrived and were well presented. My baguette was OK in the end and Dusty said his vegetable chilli was fine. All in all, the food was reasonable value for the price paid but nowt special as they say in Yorkshire.
Score: 3 Stars. Visited January 2008
3 Coffee Yard, York
01904 643307
Posted in Coffee and Tea Shop