The story
Since opening in 2013, The Star Inn The City has become a fixture on the banks of the River Ouse in central York. Housed in the Grade II listed Old Engine House, the restaurant was transformed from a disused waterworks building into a glass-fronted dining room with clear views of the water. The renovation, completed in just over six months, added a green roof and a striking modern extension that earned a Lord Mayor’s Award at the York Design Awards. The building’s history as a water-pumping station designed by civil engineer Joseph Smeaton gives the setting an unexpected layer of character.
The restaurant is the city sibling of Andrew Pern’s Michelin-starred Star Inn at Harome, and Pern’s vision of bringing “a taste of the countryside to the city” runs through everything here. Executive Chef Joshua Brimmell leads the kitchen, having worked his way up from a pot wash job at fifteen through an apprenticeship at a Michelin-recommended restaurant. He describes his inspiration as coming directly from the seasons and the Yorkshire landscape — a walk on the moors, the produce a supplier has available, or simply talking with the team. The result is an ever-evolving menu of Modern British dishes built around the finest local ingredients.
The kitchen has a particular passion for game, sourcing venison, pheasant and partridge from local farmers and gamekeepers. Thyme roasted breasts of Rievaulx shot partridge has been a standout, and the restaurant was shortlisted for the EatGame Award in recognition of its commitment to seasonal game cookery. Daily specials change frequently, reflecting what is at its peak.
The restaurant is also recognised with a Michelin Recommended award, placing it among the best dining destinations in the region. Beyond the main dining room, there is an outdoor terrace that offers a more relaxed setting with riverside views, and private dining spaces for larger gatherings or celebrations. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with service that balances professionalism with genuine hospitality.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
In 2013, chef-patron Andrew Pern (of the much-garlanded Star Inn, 20 or so miles away in Harome) snapped up a derelict water pumping station by the river Ouse and added another restaurant to his portfolio. He attached a contemporary, glass-fronted extension and a spacious terrace to the Grade II-listed building, and with views across the river, there is nowhere better on a balmy day. Indoors, the 130-cover dining room is equally inviting with generous tables, velvet banquettes and characterful vintage lampshades. Pern's aim is to bring ‘a little taste of the countryside to the city’ with the help of a seasonally changing menu: North York Moors game sausage with truffled mash; venison and beef-shin terrine; confit duck leg and duck parfait; Yorkshire Wolds chicken with fondant potato, wild garlic and pink peppercorn jus. The menu is largely meat-focused, though there is fish from the coast such as a fillet of stone bass on buttered leeks with mussels and a lovely ‘scallop’ of thinly sliced, battered and deep-fried potatoes. To finish, keep it local with Yorkshire rhubarb and almond tart or Whitby rum and York honey panna cotta. As a seasoned restaurateur, Pern has all bases covered here – from a substantial wine list, classic and ‘zero’ cocktails, weekend breakfasts and special dinners to a children’s menu and some of the best Sunday roasts in the city.
1 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence
Location
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