"York's smartest small-plates room, Bib Gourmand two years running. Book it for a relaxed first date over the hen's egg."
About Skosh
Skosh sits on Micklegate, just inside York's medieval bar, and it has quietly become the most interesting room in a city better known for tea shops than tasting menus. Chef-patron Neil Bentinck cooks modern British small plates threaded with Japanese and Middle Eastern technique, and the MICHELIN Guide has recognised the result with a Bib Gourmand in both 2024 and 2025. For the wider field, see our York dining guide.
The name is Yorkshire dialect for "a little", which is the format exactly: around two dozen plates, each built to be split, ordered in rounds rather than from a fixed menu. It belongs among the city's best first-date restaurants and reads as a steal next to its price.
The Kitchen
Neil Bentinck opened Skosh in 2016 after stints in kitchens across Yorkshire, and the cooking is unmistakably his: British produce pushed through fermentation, pickling and the odd dashi. The hen's egg, served in a ceramic eggshell, has been on the menu since opening day and is the dish regulars insist newcomers try first. The miso-glazed hake is the other signature, and a Lindisfarne oyster is the cheapest way to start.
Plates land at roughly £6 to £16, and six or seven shared between two comes to about £70 to £80 a head, with lunch nearer £40 to £50. That is remarkable value for cooking this considered, and it is why Skosh outpunches rooms charging twice as much across our York listings.
The Room
Skosh is small and informal: a tight counter and a handful of tables in a converted Georgian townhouse, with an open pass that lets you watch Bentinck work. The mood is buzzy rather than hushed, lighting is warm, and service is friendly and unstuffy. Dress is smart-casual at most. The counter is the seat to ask for if you are dining solo or want a front-row view of the kitchen.
Best for a First Date
Book Skosh for a first date because the sharing format does the heavy lifting: ordering in rounds gives you a shared task, the plates spark conversation, and the bill stays low enough to take the pressure off. It is lively rather than intense, which suits a talkative date better than a silent tasting menu. Ask for an early-evening table for the calmer stretch, and browse the rest of our best first-date restaurants. More York dining is one click away.
Not for
Skip Skosh if you want a formal multi-course tasting menu or a quiet table for two. It is a tight, buzzy counter-and-tables room built for sharing and conversation, not hushed romance.
Frequently Asked
Is Skosh worth it?
Yes. Skosh has held a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024 and 2025, and chef-patron Neil Bentinck's small plates deliver more invention per pound than almost anything else in York. The cooking blends modern British produce with Japanese and Middle Eastern technique, and dishes like the hen's egg have a loyal following. For an adventurous, good-value dinner it is the city's standout, as our York guide reflects.
How much does dinner cost at Skosh?
Individual small plates run roughly £6 to £16, from a Lindisfarne oyster at the low end to the miso-glazed hake higher up. A typical dinner of six or seven plates between two works out at about £70 to £80 per person, with lunch closer to £40 to £50. You build your own running order rather than choosing a set menu.
How hard is it to book Skosh?
Moderately hard for weekend evenings. Skosh is a small room and Friday and Saturday tables go first, so book a couple of weeks ahead through the restaurant's own site. Weekday lunches and early sittings are the easier way in, and solo diners can often find a counter seat at short notice. It is one of our best solo-dining rooms for that reason.
What should I order at Skosh?
Start with the hen's egg, served in a ceramic eggshell and on the menu since opening, then add the miso-glazed hake and a Lindisfarne oyster. The plates are built for two to share, so order in rounds and let the kitchen pace you. Six or seven dishes between two is about right.
Is Skosh good for a first date?
Yes. The sharing format gives you something to do together, the room is informal enough to take the pressure off, and the bill stays sensible. It is buzzy rather than hushed, so it suits a relaxed, talkative date more than a quiet, candle-lit one. Book an early evening table for the calmest stretch.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Skosh
Booking is through the restaurant's own site; weekend tables go first.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
Address98 Micklegate, York YO1 6JX
NeighbourhoodMicklegate
CuisineModern British small plates
PricePlates £6–£16; ~£70–£80 per head at dinner, £40–£50 lunch
Dress CodeSmart casual
RecognitionMICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2024 & 2025
ReservationDirect via skoshyork.co.uk
