York Tap, York

Still finding its feet but it's getting there quickly and is a seriously good addition to the York beer scene. 20 handpulls (of which at least 15 are usually available) dispense well kept real ale to the masses - it's usually busiest around 5pm onwards as people opt to take a later train after work and enjoy a beer or 2, topped up around 6pm by those arriving back into York by train. The odd gripe still surfaces about there being not enough lower gravity beers and a predeliction for closing earlier when they are not busy, but in general a very good beer haven indeed and guaranteed not to disappoint. Another of York's "must visit" destinations.

This was our first visit to this temple of ale, a remarkable renovation of the former tea rooms of York Station . A centrally positioned rugby ball shaped island bar is home to a vast array of handpumps and keg fonts. Tables and chairs,open fire, art nouveau stained glass, light and airy on a mid week February lunchtime. Not too busy: a few worshippers-me included-a lone laptop warrior, and a few slightly disconcerted families on halfterm. Given the theological atmosphere and the generally high gravity of the beers on offer, we kept to halves, though I’m sure I’d have graduated to pints before too long. We met our son there:independently , we’d both ordered Thornbridge Hall’s Kipling. We moved on to High Wire from Magic Rock, followed by Black Band Porter from Kirkstall Brewery, which proved to be the beer of the day, indeed of the week. Not to be out done, the ladies, and indeed our son, enjoyed the hot chocolate from the Tap’s whizzy new Italian machine, which they’d twittered about that very morning. While not exactly a pub, the Tap is a wonderful institution, and one to which I intend to return when in York.