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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Market Cat
This is a modern conversion, the Cat suffix a clue that this is a Thornbridge house with a modern fake Victorian interior and tropes that mirror the Bankers Cat in Leeds, so expect much dark wood, recessed booths and Victorian-style brass ‘n’ glass light fittings.
Sadly, the Thornbridge Black Jaipur wasn’t available, so I went for a half of Crackendale, served by a friendly and engaging barman.
Not bad though not for the traditionalist either; I think I’ll wait for their London branch – The Wild Swan – to open later this year.
On 21st July 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2266 recommendations about 2218 pubs]
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Market Cat
Owned by Thornbridge close to the market ,it may be housed in a modern building but the interior has that traditional feel very similar to their Bankers Cat in Leeds.To the left are wood panelled seating booths with chandeliers above,the handpumps are to the front while to the right is a mix of seating,with stairs and a lift to a first floor with panoramic windows,some fully opening in fine weather.A great mix of modern and trad with the real star being the ale range which on my trip was Thornbridge Jaipur,Lord Marples,Crackendale,Thornbridge x Cafe Beermoth APA (NBSS 4.5) ,Thornbridge x Salopian Kashpur V2 with guests Yorkshire Heart Blonde,TT Landlord and Tapped Brew Co. Mojo.That a celebration of pale and IPA across a wide range of ABV's with some outstanding brews and for that alone I would beat a path to this pub to see what is on offer.A must visit on any crawl around York .Close to a 9.
On 20th July 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2997 recommendations about 2997 pubs]
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Market Cat
First visit to this Thornbridge joint venture with Pivovar, which unlike (say) the Colmore Tap in Birmingham has a lot more space within a reversed but undivided J-shaped layout. However, despite being in quite a modern building, the elegant semi-Victorian street-level bar is much the same, although the beer offering is very much modern of course. Upstairs, the first-floor room has picture overlooking the Shambles Market, and above that (oddly) is the glass-sided cool room for the beer casks and kegs. Five of their own ales on tap, along with Easy Rider from Kelham Island (£4.80), the Vocation x Turning Point Tonka & Vanilla Stout and Pool of Mist from Keltek.
On 23rd November 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8813 recommendations about 8813 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Market Cat
Thornbridge pub in conjunction with Pivovar. They've done an excellent job here within a fairly modern building. The ground floor has an upmarket interior which has a traditional feel over a C shaped layout with some full-length booths at the rear, lots of polished mahogany (or effect?). Above this are two extra floors with a far more modern bent and there’s some fantastic window seating for those lucky enough to bag, allowing for great views over the Shambles Market square; some also open-out fully, giving the place a continental bar feel. Four of theirs on cask plus three guests. My Jaipur Noir was in great shape (NBSS 4) so well deserves the GBG place. One overworked barman and over-loud music made for mid-afternoon were negatives. It’s very much somewhere that, if you can bag the right seat at the right time, would see you ensconced for a session 8.5
On 5th July 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5657 recommendations about 5638 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Market Cat
This was the one remaining York pub in the latest Good Beer Guide that I hadn't previously visited. Initially I remember seeing a couple of people on a bench outside (similar to the picture above), but managed to walk straight past it and into the market itself, which stands just outside. After a quick walk around the block, I managed to locate it!
With darkness having fallen late on a Monday afternoon, the pub felt quite dark inside, especially with some rather dim lighting. However its corner location and windows on two sides, probably makes it quite light during the daytime.
There were a fair few people in on the ground floor, but I didn't manage to explore the upper floors. Apparently the pizzas served here are nice.
Service from the young barman was friendly and there was a good range of both cask and keg beers from Thornbridge (who own the pub) and also from elsewhere. On cask, Thornbridge Jaipur & Lord Marples are regulars. Thornbridge Wild Swan & Lumi were also on, alongside Timothy Taylor Golden Best, Tapped Toha & my choice Play Brew Co. Choco Peanut Butter Marshmallow Ice Cream Stout, a rather sweet affair which went down quite nicely.
Craft beers from Thornbridge were Zero Five, Brock, AM:PM & Green Mountain. Guests were Brew By Numbers #10 Mocha Porter, Shiny Rainbow Tea, Play Brew Co. Hug & a beer called Super 8 Cherry. The cider was Lilley's Cherries & Berries.
Whilst I didn't spend much time here, as I had many more pubs to explore, I could have quite happily settled in here for an evening session.
On 22nd January 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3204 recommendations about 3202 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about The Market Cat
Really enjoyed spending a bit of time in the Market Cat back in July this year, working my way through a selection of the ales on offer. This is a Thornbridge bar but there are also guests available.
Pretty busy downstairs as you would expect at the weekend in York city centre, but additional seating was available upstairs and was plentiful.
Food is served in the form of artisan pizzas and you can see the food prep area from the first floor area.
Well worth a visit.
On 21st August 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 843 recommendations about 668 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Market Cat
The Market Cat is on a corner location with three floors of seating that overlook the adjacent Shambles Open Market and York City beyond. Seating is found on the two upper floors and a U-shaped bar area is located on the ground floor. It was busy during my recent early Thursday afternoon visit, but we managed to grab one of the window seats with copper topped tables that run along the front facing the main market side. These windows looked out onto some vendors selling posters, and the right-hand windows, where a long armchair resides, looked out onto some stalls selling jewellery where my wallet took a pounding. Along the rear mirrored wall are some booths and the dark wood panelled U-shaped bar counter comes out of the right-hand wall. The large bulbs hanging from the ceiling emitted a dull orange glow which went well with the dark furniture, panelling and wooden floor throughout.
The bar supports a premium and craft keg selection, and the eight hand pumps were drawing Thornbridge’s Freeman Street, Jaipur and Lord Marples alongside Neptune Brewery’s Ezili and Galene, Electric Bear Brewing’s Debora, Roosters Brewing’s Little Changes and Kelham Island’s Pale Rider. The Ezili was on good form, and with three soft drinks cost less than a tenner, which surprised me because this place wouldn’t look out of place in some trendy London borough where I would have paid over £20 for the same order. Food is available in the form of partisan pizza, the 12” cost up to £13 and the 18” up to £26.
The crowd was quite transient, which was to be expected considering the location, but there was a good atmosphere, which was mostly due to the very friendly barman. I wasn’t expecting much from this place, but I was pleasantly surprised and would gladly return.
On 8th June 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6168 recommendations about 6131 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Market Cat
Overlooking the Shambles market, this is a curious modern take on a pub in a joint venture between Thornbridge and Pivovar. With a fairly small footprint, it is arranged over three levels. The ground floor is tricked out in dark wood, with some old style booths to one side and arty lighting. The central bar has 8 handpumps, with a fair range of Thornbridge ales and guests, although pale ales of some sort seem to dominate. Moving upstairs, the first floor has a more open feel with large windows, while the top floor has a nice view of the rooftops and houses the toilets and, bizarrely, the 'cellar'. There is a lift but if not working, as on this occasion, it is a fair old climb from the bar. The beer seemed in good condition, but was perhaps a bit on the expensive side.
On 5th September 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3742 recommendations about 3677 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Market Cat
I liked the interior of this pub, with the dark stained timbers. Button back leatherette bench seating finished in dark brown and deep mustard coloured bench seating, plus the various types of light fittings and the booths along the back wall. Eight handpumps, serving 5 Thornbridge, 2 Guest and 1 Cider. We went for the Bad Seed Hit Squad and the Half Moon Wilma, which were excellent. Staff were all twentysomethings and were very pleasant.
On 10th August 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3716 recommendations about 3716 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Oggwyn Great left this review about The Market Cat
Enjoyed our early afternoon visit here , good selection from 8 Handpulls , 4 from Thornbridge Brewery and 4 from others , my Pig and Porter Skylarking was spot on .
On 27th September 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 797 recommendations about 683 pubs]