If you are looking for somewhere in York that does more than just serve dinner, Nola is worth knowing about. It is a modern bistro and bar in the historic city centre, and the building itself is half the appeal: it sits in the former Lendal Congregational Chapel, now dressed in a 1920s Art Deco theme. The address is 2A Lendal, York, YO1 8AA, and it is open every day from 12:00 to 23:00, so it works as easily for a long lunch as it does for an evening out.
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The space is split across two floors. Upstairs there is a bar and waiting area decorated with period mirrors and marble, while the main restaurant downstairs is the more settled half, with large leather-upholstered chairs, banquette seating and dark wood panelling. It is the kind of room that encourages you to stay a while rather than rush through a course.
The food takes its cue from New Orleans and Louisiana, mixing Cajun-inspired dishes with flavours from further afield, and it is served on smaller plates designed for sharing. That is the idea here: order a few things to the middle of the table and work your way through them. The kitchen pulls in Italian, Mediterranean, seafood and South American influences as well, and there are gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options, so it is not difficult to accommodate a group with different diets. Each dish comes with a side, and the drinks and cocktail menu is built to pair with the food rather than sit alongside it.
What really sets the place apart, though, is the music. Live jazz is on three nights a week: Tuesday and Sunday from 20:00 to 22:00, and Friday from 21:00 to 23:00. It is a genuine part of the evening rather than background noise, and it gives the whole place a different energy when the band is playing. A few practical things to keep in mind if you plan to go: the last order for food is at 22:00, and bookings are only available for food, not for the bar on its own. Reservations are recommended and can be made by phone or through the website, though walk-in tables are available if you chance it.
On paper, the place holds up. It has a 5 out of 5 food hygiene rating, and the reviews are consistently strong, with TripAdvisor and Google both sitting around 4.5 out of 5, and other sources quoting 3.5 out of 4 and 4.7 out of 5 across a large number of reviews. People tend to point to the food and the service as the highlights. For bookings or to check the latest menus, the number is 01904 622 333 and the website is nolayork.com. If you are after a night that combines good food with a bit of atmosphere, Nola is a solid shout in the centre of town.
