A price of fifteen quid made this pizza kit an impulse purchase that had dropped out of my consciousness a little bit by the time I received notice of the imminent delivery, which was slightly delayed from the original date. All the packaging is environmentally on message, featuring sheeps wool insulation, cardboard and compostable pots to keep the components separate and the packet neatly aped a pizza delivery.

The following day we set everything out for dinner and watched the instructional video, realising that there wasn’t really any further prep to do and that we were good to have a bash at turning balls of dough into pizza bases. Obviously this is a skill that can be honed and perfected over years so we were never going to turn out something more than tolerable, but we had fun doing it, which is surely the point, assuming the end product is edible! After all, if it was possible to mess it up badly enough to warrant an emergency takeaway, I’d be unimpressed. That wasn’t the case though and we were soon arranging toppings.

Up until this point we’d not really deviated from standard pizza production but the lack of a pizza oven in our domestic kitchen was about to push us down a different route, the clue rather being in the title. The trick to this technique would be to combine a hob and a grill to effectively cook the base and toppings so while stretching the dough, I’d got a frying pan as hot as practical and the grill pre-heating. With the base successfully transferred to the hot pan, further assembly was straightforward and included quality San Marzano tomato, Fior de Latte & parmesan cheeses as well as a drizzle of olive oil and basil leaves. Thankfully this wasn’t too much of a race against time to complete while the base took on some colour and I was soon ready to shift to the grill and give the cook some symmetry.

After a few minutes the crust had begun to blister and the cheese melted appealingly into the tomato to produce a good approximation of a top quality take out pizza from one of my local favourites. The quality of the toppings was beyond question and that all important dough had obviously been subject to plenty of development and love. In all honesty it was evident that the end result came from a domestic setting; there wasn’t the same depth of blistering and lightness of touch that a quick cook in a super hot oven brings to the best pizza, but that’s missing the point slightly. I learnt a bit about making pizza, was entertained in the process then got to eat something delicious at the end of the process. Seems pretty fair value for fifteen quid (for two pizzas) to me.

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Rudy’s Pizza is situated on New Station Street right in the centre of the city in a former bike shop a conveniently short distance from the train station for a trip from York. It’s one of five restaurants based around Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool that, predictably enough, specialise in pizza. The space they’re serving in is airy and casual, successfully designing in a nice buzz on our lunchtime visit, which took place only a couple of weeks into their tenure in the building. Indeed it was hard to believe that their Leeds opening was so recent given how busy it was. They seemed to have adopted a strategy of giving over table service for reservations while keeping back counter seating for walk ins, a neat compromise.

We picked a sharing “Campana” platter to start the meal which gave us a selection of cured meats to distribute between us along with a generous helping of mozzarella and bread. Perhaps the salad could have done with one or two more sun-dried tomatoes, but this was a fine start to the meal, the wild boar salami in particular provoking a number of justifications as to relative deservedness of the last mouthfuls.

Obviously pizza was always going to be the centrepiece of this meal and thankfully lived up to our high expectations. We went for a Capricciosa and a Portobello, taking the suggestion for the latter to be a white pizza. Pizza toppings are pretty irrelevant if the standard of the base falls short, a fault end that proliferates amongst delivered pizzas which fall into the category of “guilty pleasures not to own up to”. The crusts at Rudy’s Pizza display a decent amount of blistering and char, making them more than just a a sideshow for toppings. Speaking of which, there was no evidence of scrimping here either. Just good quality ingredients left to their own devices in a super hot oven for a short period, given their best opportunity to shine. The combination of fresh vegetables and prosciutto with tomato on the Capricciosa sang a good tune while the Portobello hit entirely different notes with the lack of tomato setting it well apart from its companion pizza.

With none of the pizzas breaching £9 and that starter platter less than £8 this was cracking value, the addition of a couple of beers bringing the total to around £40. Rudy’s Pizza is a great addition to the Leeds food scene that deserves to become a regular for anyone who enjoys decent pizza. Sadly, as of today that can’t be the case. When I started writing this, takeaway was still available but such is the pace of change at the moment, that’s no longer the case. Over the coming weeks and months, it’ll become clearer how food and hospitality can exist most effectively in these disconcerting times, by which point I’m confident many of us will fancy a pizza. I don’t doubt that the guys at Rudy’s are extremely anxious for both their own and their industry’s future. As ways emerge for us to show support, we must make sure we do so in any way we can.

Disclaimer: No charge was made for this meal. Opinions are impartial.

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With all that being the case, the idea of going to a casino for food was quite far down my to-do list, so I wasn’t sure how to react when I received an invite to pop down to Sheffield and sample a range of new menus at the Grosvenor Casino. My curiosity was piqued and the menus read well enough, so when I found myself with a few hours to spare while Baby Fork was at nursery, I popped myself onto a train and made tracks South.

My naivety showed as soon as I arrived at the casino and was asked to surrender my satchel. After conversation with the pleasant receptionist, I was acutely aware of the potential for fraud and deception and made my way inside. The legend of there being no natural light in a casino proved correct – all the better to lose track of time – but the space was clean and comfortable with the bar area being segregated enough from the gambling activities to provide a space in which to relax in front of the appropriately outsized big screen.

With my focus shifting to food, I took a look at the four street food menus in which I was interested and decided to start off with the offering from Absurd Bird. This menu is an offshoot of the fried chicken chain and offers wings, burgers and buckets of fried food apt to soak up a few beers in front of that previously mentioned big screen. My challenge for the afternoon was to sample something representative from each menu, so I kicked off with some fried wings that were served in a box neatly designed to recline into a plate of sorts. It’s no real criticism to say that I’ve had more refined fried chicken elsewhere, but this was a cracking example of the breed, not too greasy but still messy enough to make sure you leave fingerprints on everything for some time.

Next up was a Garden Club pizza from Barrel & Stone. These guys’ core business is providing ‘plug and play’ solutions to other premises that allow them to broaden their offering easily. Here they’re just one strand of the menu, but pizza is bound to be a favourite and thankfully this one is comfortably good enough for the surroundings, with plentiful fresh toppings and a crispy base.

My next gearshift took me seamlessly into curry. This was branded up from Holy Cow and served along with rice and naan. I chose Rogan Josh on the recommendation of my server and enjoyed it, though the naan was on the dry side.

The last question asked of my appetite was by Field & Fin from a menu geared toward restaurant style dishes. I’d had an eye on the slow-braised beef rib from this menu and it was just the luxuriant I’d hoped to finish the day’s indulgences on. With the smoked bacon strip-topped meat smothering the mashed potato base, the presentation was a little monochromatic but the meat had justice done to it.

I really didn’t know what to expect when I accepted this invitation. If I’m honest I’ve not the time or inclination to start to understand the mechanics of gambling so this is unlikely to become a habit, but I enjoyed my visit and the food. The concept of multiple menus could have tripped up in lots of different ways, but the execution was satisfying and I can certainly see how this makes sense for this kind of venue. I’m not sure how much custom over and above their existing base this offering will get them, but I doubt many who do try this offering will be disappointed.

Disclaimer: No charge was made for my attendance. Opinions are impartial.

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We decided that Doncaster Wool Market would be the perfect half way point at which to meet friends who live in Sheffield so, to that end, hopped on a train on a Sunday morning to make the 20 or so minute hop to Donnie. The Wool Market has benefitted from an extensive make over that’s turned it into a bright and open space full of independent businesses, a number of street food traders amongst them. Notable as well is the table tennis available for all and sundry to get stuck into and a glass covering that lets people admire a medieval well discovered during the renovation.

We started our exploration of the street food on offer with a pizza, acting on a tip off from a York-based street food vendor, and The Rustic Pizza company up to the task of turning out good value tasty pizza pleasingly quickly. Our roast veg offering certainly found itself split across the table very quickly. Next we hit The Barnyard for some chilli cheese fries. Nobody would claim that these were refined or subtle but they lived up to the name and were quickly dispatched.

York favourite Clucking Oinks has a presence here so we next fell back into their familiar embrace before taking their recommendation to try Peruvian “Rumba Skewers” from Taste Peru. It’s hard to dislike spiced chicken skewers with rice, potato and salad but it’s a shame they were only running a limited Sunday menu and had a relatively narrow offering.

To finish on a sweet note we called by Scrapes for ice cream and brownie. I’m not quite sold on the advantages of making ice cream by hand to order but, regardless of the theatrics, my mint Aero ice cream did everything demanded of it as did a hot double chocolate brownie.

The renovation at Doncaster Wool Market has left a bright and usable space that lends itself well to a few hours of grazing on nice food and browsing independent businesses. Based on the walk from the station, it seems like a definite highlight of Doncaster’s centre that one hopes will go from strength to strength.

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Spark has been on the horizon for some time in the form of a proposal for a container park on the land created by clearing a derelict building on Piccadilly. That plan has now crystallised into reality and Piccadilly has become home to a complex of repurposed shipping containers that house a variety of businesses. There’s been plenty of debate, healthy and otherwise, on social media about the merits of the scheme as is bound to be the case with anything new and bold. This has in part been fuelled by some negativity associated with delays to the project opening. Now that it’s up and running, it’s time to let the project speak for itself though and see how the people of York react. It goes without saying that I’ve been exhaustively checking out the food options for you.

A great deal of the debate on Spark York suitability for the city has centred on its appearance and how well a complex of repurposed shipping containers would blend into York’s historic centre. This is likely to remain a divisive subject for the lifespan of the project, but in my view it’s all the better for its limited attempts to blend in. This was always going to be a distinctive development and I believe it has been improved by embracing its own character, embellished by striking murals and signage. Once you’ve made your way up the wooden entrance ramp to the surprisingly spacious interior that’s open to the air and grabbed a seat, it’s time to take stock of the food vendors.

The traders who’ve been chosen to take up residence in Spark York are a bunch who all bring, deservedly, strong reputations to the party. Fronting the complex, geographically, is Cwtch coffee who offer, unsurprisingly, superb coffee and a warm space to enjoy it should the weather outside not be playing ball. Keep an eye on the food offering here; while chatting to the owner, I get the impression that this is going to be a great place for breakfast… Moving further into the space, you next come across Munchies Cakeaway, who are ready and eager to provide you with sweet treats including waffles with a variety of toppings. These guys have been delivering delicious cake to the people of York for some time so are a great choice to dish out desserts and indulgences.

Another couple of steps gets you to the ordering hatch of Krep, who after making a name for themselves serving from their Citroen van have already established themselves as a firm favourite here. The mix of savoury gallettes and sweet crepes feature fillings that evidence great pride in the product.

Neighbouring Krep is what’s fast becoming a York legend. Street Cleaver has generated a dedicated following (among which I count myself) over the course of a series of pop ups and residencies. Headed by the impressively tattooed and bearded Mark Hill, Spark has given the opportunity to add a range of ramen dishes to the signature range of bao buns. Never one to bow to convention, Mark has branded his ramen “No rules” and is playing happily fast and loose, notably pairing chorizo and pork. This is serious food that doesn’t feature a single shortcut on the way to the recipient.

Continuing our tour of the on site food traders, Once Across the Garden do a brilliant job of broadening the offering by producing a fantastic range of vegan food. Previous dishes have included hot dogs, mac’ cheese and kebabs, so there’s no accusing these guys of retreating into vegan stereotypes.

Next up is Cluckin’ Oinks, who knock out the best fried chicken I’ve ever eaten. I always feel compelled to qualify a recommendation to Cluckin’ on the basis that it’s hard to articulate how good fried chicken can be given the quality of what’s usually offered to the mass market. With home made sauces, fries and addictive fried macaroni cheese bites as well as the chicken, there’s plenty to come back for.

If you continue to circulate, you’ll come across Dough Eyed Pizza who have sadly had to temporarily close after a small fire on the opening weekend. I can’t wait to see these guys up and running again the slices of pizza on offer here easily rank amongst the best in York. Dough Eyed’s other neighbour is Sloppy’s Burgers, offering up suitably messy and indulgent burgers. Take a look at the scooter out front and make sure you get a pic on it!

If, after trying all that, you’ve still the stamina to check out more places to eat (for clarity, I didn’t eat at all these places in one day), then there are even more treats upstairs from Tikk’s Thai Kitchen, who won the northern heats of last year’s British Streetfood Awards. Every time I’ve sampled food from these guys, it’s been fabulous and the red curry I grabbed from them the other day was just as fantastic as the satay skewers I had the previous week.

Unique amongst the food offering is York Nurturing Community who operate ‘pay as you feel’ and ‘pay it forward’ models to make sure that anyone can afford a healthy meal with them. They also make use of intercepted surplus food that may otherwise go to waste. This is a wonderfully valuable project for York that’s landed in a great spot.

Obviously food this good needs something to wash it down, and Spark doesn’t fall short here either. There’s a range of beers from Pivovar at the main bar along with a micro brewery to offer more variety. Cocktails come from 4swings and are as inventive as their reputation suggests and if you’re after a glass of wine then BNHO have a great variety on tap. Of course it doesn’t end with food though. While that’s my focus here, there’re a bunch of good people doing their best to make Spark York feel more like a high street than a food court: vintage clothes, vinyl, interior furnishings, stationery and accessories all being available.

Spark York is a fantastic addition to York. It’s family friendly and has a range of great quality food and drink at sensible prices that make it a fantastic place to to meet the demands of most audiences. There’s a real sense of community amongst the traders that gives a real sense of cohesion and opportunity to grow the project. There’re a few improvements to be made, in particular more covered seating will add flexibility and a lift will improve accessibility, but the remainder of this project surely holds exciting things.

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I’ve had a few people suggest popping along to Gio’s Italian Diner and it’s on a regular route I travel, so I’ve been noting it’s progress for some time. During this period it’s formed itself into something of a landmark on the Hull Road, making the most of its modest surroundings that, perhaps unpromisingly, features a hand car wash. The actual restaurant is based in a repurposed shipping container that feels anything but as utilitarian as that might suggest. Diners were welcomed by the friendly owner behind his strikingly large machine for producing thin dough. Around the same time as I got there, another party arrived with a couple of kids who were quickly issued with chunks of dough for them to form into whatever shapes they saw fit ready to bake and take home; a really nice touch that set the friendly and informal tone.

The one thing that Gio’s Italian Diner has chosen to specialise in is Calzone, which unsurprisingly dominates the menu. A four inch calzone will set you back up to six pounds while doubling the size means you’ll have to dig out up to another three quid. Alternatively a set menu including antipasti, a four inch calzone and some ice cream will run up a bill of £11.95 a person.

We made ourselves comfortable at a corner table while we ordered and settled Baby Fork into a space and got stuck into the antipasti and a few slices of cheesy garlic bread. It’s worth reinforcing at this point that this is very much street food style, so if you’re put off by cardboard trays and disposable (biodegradable) cutlery then maybe give this one a miss. I’ll happily eat anywhere the food measures up and what’s on offer here is certainly worth a detour. The antipasti we started with was a simple selection of marinated veg including mushroom, cauliflower, sweet potato and olives along with a few slices of chorizo and that cheesy garlic bread. Everything we ate was simple enough stuff but judged well and balanced nicely, a theme that was to continue.

Our party of three had all gone for the four inch option, variously selecting the pepperoni, cheese and ham and a special of a wagyu beef brisket with bbq sauce, garnished with some sharp pickled veg. We may have all been eating variations on the same dish, but nobody was disappointed. The Gio’s calzone is the epitome of a well-delivered dish from a chef that has focussed on making one thing as good as he’s able to. In my experience, calzone has always been a doughy, weighty disappointment focussed on size rather than quality but the surprisingly light parcels we enjoyed were a world away from that stereotype. In particular, the beef in mine was delightfully tender and sat happily in the taste of barbecue sauce it needed to make the dish while the pickled veg didn’t outstay their welcome. When relying on doing one dish well, every element needs to hit its mark perfectly and the final remaining element of the dough reached the same heights. Thankfully it was beautifully light and didn’t descend into starchy lumps as can be the case, it (both figuratively and literally) wrapped up a delightful course for us all.

To finish, we shared a series of ice cream scoops featuring a range of flavours including a delicious creme caramel that I’m afraid I may have dominated. By this point Baby Fork was due a change which in doing so exposed a weakness as I didn’t find a suitable baby changing area. Thankfully the nice weather made the back seat of the car an easy substitute.

Gio’s is a friendly, welcoming and characterful spot that achieves its goals admirably in delivering a superb signature dish at a great price without compromising on quality. With a reputation spreading rapidly, it’s worth planning a visit in the near future to check it out for yourself.

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After a period of closure and the finding of a new tenant, the Minster Inn has been subjected to a sympathetic renovation that, thankfully, hasn’t ruined the character of the interior rooms and bar, but has introduced luxuries such as indoor toilets. Part of the refurbishment has sacrificed one of the small rooms in favour of a kitchen that now offers pizza and tapas. While I’ve not got around to following up that visit and proving myself right to the friend in question, I did have the chance to pop back with another couple of lovely people to see if the food was up to snuff.

While now offering food, the Minster Inn still works just fine as a pub. The front bar still houses friendly locals and the real ale is both varied and well kept. Back in my early days in York, this is somewhere I bumped into a chap who lived a few doors from me a couple of years previously…in Cambridge. It doesn’t feel any less friendly now.

When we got to ordering food, we chose three tapas dishes and a pizza to share. The prawn and chorizo pizza, marinated anchovies, stuffed peppers and garlic mushrooms weighed in at £24 with a couple of drinks. Very reasonable recompense for dinner for two and a beer each. There was a bit of a wait on food, but fair warning was given from the friendly servers.

When the food punctuated our conversation, the pizza presented well with generous toppings and thin crust. The tapas varied in promise from nicely presented mushrooms on toast to a modest portion of anchovy. Of the three tapas dishes, the mushrooms stood out, presented on fried bread and with a balsamic dressing. The mushrooms were richly dressed and contrasted well with the crisped bread. Stuffed peppers were less successful, throwing out a unexpected amount of heat that threw the whole table. They were by no means a terrible thing to eat, but didn’t deliver what any of us expected. The anchovies were salty and satisfying to go with a drink. It’s fair to say that none of this stuff is fine dining, but as a well priced way to supplement drinks with friends on a casual night out, this really hits the spot. It’d be remiss of me not to mention that the pizza had an unexpected bit of topping in the form of a shard of plastic, but no harm done and the server looked mortified beyond words when informed, quickly returning with complimentary beer to make up for it. If it wasn’t on the wrong side of town for me, I’d be back a lot more often!

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Of the three branches of Pizza Express in York, Museum Street is by far the grandest building, thanks to being housed in what was a Victorian gentlemen’s club, which had undertaken a recent refurbishment. I happily accepted an invitation to check out the refurb and refresh happy memories of the restaurant chain in which I first sampled espresso way back in 1997.

The building has benefitted from updating that’s in keeping with its history, making it a pleasant place to dine. On previous visits here, I’ve noted a lack of soft surfaces in the dining areas that has created an irritatingly echoey space. This has thankfully been corrected to make a much more relaxed experience. Being a former gentlemen’s club (no, not that kind) it should perhaps be unsurprising to find the gent’s loos large and ornate, but they’d been allowed to fall from their previous majesty somewhat prior to the refurbishment; a state that’s now been reversed. Also part of the refurbishment is a seating area that serves as a comfortable place to sit if there’s a wait for a table.

To get the food going, we chose a customary portion of dough balls, a classic Italian antipasto and a few extra olives to pick at to start before taking the venue’s name at face value and requesting a brace of pizzas in the form of an Etna and a Padana.

The service was as brisk as you’d expect from a chain as well established as this, so starters were in front of us very quickly, ready to be grazed upon between the two of us. It might sound like I’m damning with faint praise by repeating the mantra of consistency, but the dough balls were exactly as expected. Light and cooked to the point of a slight char that nicely offsets garlic butter. The antipasto consisted of flatbreads, salami, mozzarella, sweet peppers, sundried tomatoes, a few extra olives and some slices of marinated aubergine. To accompany the bread, a harissa-spiced tomato dip livened things up and gave us a favourite element over which to compete for the lion’s share.

It must be said that the pizzas were delivered on plates that were slightly too small, making it tricky to use the pizza cutters, but the dough was light and crisp under evenly distributed toppings. My Padana combined caramelised onion and goats cheese to good effect while Grace’s Etna reflected its namesake to turn up the heat with a generous quantity of chilli peppers and ‘nduja sausage.

With no space left for dessert, we called it a night and reflected on Pizza Express’s place in our food culture. I don’t think it’s unfair to call it a safe option, but that shouldn’t be seen as a weakness. Perhaps it’s not likely to find itself at the forefront of any food trends, but it’s hard to fault the value and consistency, and the refurbishment of this site brings a lovely building back up to the standard it deserves.

Disclaimer: While our meal was complimentary in return for this review, all opinions remain impartial.

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The Fulford has been through a few iterations in recent years. An intersecting wall was removed during a refurbishment a few years ago as it slipped into a new role as a music venue and real ale stronghold before the baton was passed to current licensee Chris Sherrington toward the beginning of the year. Since then, further investment has been made in the form of another extensive refurbishment while Chris, Ellie and Moriarty (the resident evil genius chihuahua ) and their kitties have settled into their new home.

That latest refurb has taken the key step of moving the bar away from the longer front wall of the pub to reinstate a large window to provide a much airier feel to the space. A stage has been placed at one end for live performances and the bar relocated to the opposing wall with the stated aim being to provide a space to meet all the pubs aims: live music, good food, good beer and a friendly place that anyone can go for a meal or drink. If you want to consider how tricky it is to balance the requirements for those uses, just consider how many music venues will feel friendly and comfortable in the middle of the day AND knock up a good pizza AND put on a ticketed event in the evening.

I have to say that live music really isn’t on my list in a local pub. I’m only an occasional concert goer these days and prefer to go see something specific, but the stage isn’t overly intrusive and its use as a focus for the two bar billiards tables outside of gigs softens what could have been an overbearing presence. I suppose I can be grown up enough to admit pubs need to serve a range of customers, not just me. Just.

Resident Italian, Holly, provides the food, a smiling blue-haired presence who seems able to produce some of York’s best pizzas. A wider menu is available since that refurb, but I need to tear myself away from the pizza and try it. I’m not a football fan but I’m reliably informed that the blue hair is in honour of ACF Fiorentina. Quickly Googling their strip does indeed confirm the hair is indeed the same shade. The pizzas are some of the best in York, stacking up well against the Hop in particular. Absolutely perfect for soaking up a couple of pints.

Those bar billiards tables I mentioned give yet another dimension to the place. Fielding a team in York’s burgeoning bar billiards league, the Fulford sports two tables (the only pub I’ve seen with this setup) and a noteworthy addition for any fans of slightly obscure cuesports. Both tables attract a crowd of seasoned players and newcomers curious about something that looks like pool but has the pockets in the middle of the table and skittles to avoid next to them. You can read more on the UK’s northernmost bar billiards league at www.yorkbarbilliards.com

So how can I get away with being nice about it, retaining neutrality and not putting any noses unnecessarily out of joint? Of course there’re things that I don’t find perfect. I’m not really a fan of the (thankfully not too explicit) 80’s theme, even if that has afforded me the opportunity to pilot a Sinclair C5, and could happily forego the live music. What I do think the Fulford does well is provide balance. If that variety provides a characterful pub that’s a viable ongoing economic concern, then I’m all for it and the balance is undoubtedly on the side of positivity.

If you asked me to choose between a less successful, quieter pub made in my own image or somewhere with character and a couple of revenue streams to keep it ticking over, I know which I’d choose and which would be better for the community. I know I said I was going to try and avoid bias, but actually I don’t think I need to, the strongest endorsement comes from my repeated patronage after all. This isn’t the perfect pub for everyone, not least for me, but the reasons I like it are clear for all to see. No wonder I keep going, and that it seems busier by the week.

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