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nathan abrida
2 days ago
After a disappointing experience at ASK Italian in Hull, my partner and I decided to give ASK another chance during our day out in York. I'm really glad we did, as we had a lovely evening!
Any doubts we had were quickly put to rest when Anna welcomed us through the door. She was friendly and made us feel comfortable straight away. She also invited us to try the freshly made pink lemonade, which was really refreshing. Although we fancied trying other drinks instead, it was a nice little touch to start our visit.
We decided to go for the Italian Experience offer, which included a starter, main and dessert for £30. We thought this was great value for money! Our food arrived promptly, was served hot and tasted lovely. Elen, who took our food and drinks orders, was friendly and attentive throughout. We were checked on once or twice but otherwise left to enjoy our meal and each other's company. Exactly how we like it!
After our mains, I couldn't decide on a dessert, but Elen kindly recommended one, which we decided to take away to enjoy later (it was absolutely delish!). We needed to get back to the car, so Elen brought our bill over promptly and everything was sorted without us feeling rushed.
The restaurant itself is also a lovely setting, with its chandeliers and huge pillars making it a great place for a date night. Having had a less enjoyable experience at another ASK Italian, it was especially nice to leave this time feeling so pleased with our visit.
A big thank you to Anna, Elen and the rest of the team for making our evening meal such an enjoyable part of our day out. You've certainly restored our faith in ASK Italian, and we'll definitely be returning to York in the future. Would happily recommend this site to friends and family.
Dine inside one of the finest 18th-century Palladian interiors in Britain!Located on Blake Street, ASK Italian - YorkClick to open side panel for more information offers a uniquely memorable dining experience inside the Grade I listed York Assembly Rooms. Designed between 1730 and 1735 by Lord Burlington, this iconic Georgian landmark features a monumental "Egyptian Hall" lined with magnificent Corinthian columns and soaring gilded ceilings. Eating pizza or pasta surrounded by classical 18th-century architecture makes this one of the most magnificent dining settings in York!
We stopped in for lunch while visiting York on a trip and had such a great experience, completely thanks to Pasquale. Honestly, you don’t always expect standout service at a chain restaurant, but he was great. Being Italian, he really added to the authenticity and theme of the restaurant. He knew a ton about the wine list and gave us some really fantastic recommendations that paired perfectly with our meal. He was so attentive and incredibly friendly, and the experience was all positive. He went out of his way to provide a great experience for the restaurant, and we left very happy
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Saffron Mallinson
Sep 26, 2026
Hosted in a fantastic building but lacking overall atmosphere sadly.
Anna was a fantastic server, brought a lot of laughs and personality to our experience. Felt very looked after by both her and the entire team. Cannot fault the service.
Unfortunately the food was nothing to write home about, not bad enough to warrant a complaint, just not outstanding either.
The real dissapointment was the atmosphere on our visit. After 1700 on a friday evening i had expected it to wind down into a more pleasant dining experience however upon arrival we were greeted with mulitple children running around uncontrolled and showing generally unruly behaviour. The music was also quite loud and rather upbeat, generally mismatched to the significance of the building. It may be my ignorance as to how the brand runs but i had expected a calmer dining experience.
If i were to visit again, i would make my booking for 1900 or after as this is when the atmosphere started to calm.
Again exceptional service let down by a base level meal and dissapointing atmosphere.
Honestly, I don’t even know where to begin. ASK Italian York has absolutely blown us away. From the second we walked in, the atmosphere was brilliant, Pas was unbelievably lovely, and the whole experience was just perfect from start to finish.
We started with four cocktails and two beers each — and somehow every single drink was better than the last. The cocktails made by Elen were genuinely dangerous because they tasted so good you forgot you were drinking alcohol! 🍸🍻
For food, we had the calamari and three chicken orzos, and WOW. The calamari was absolutely beautiful, but the chicken orzo was on another level. Properly delicious, comforting, full of flavour and exactly what you want when you’re absolutely starving.
The portions, the drinks, the service, the atmosphere — 10/10 across the board. We came in expecting a nice meal and left feeling like we’d just experienced a religious event.
Huge shoutout to the entire team at ASK Italian York. You were all incredible and made the night genuinely special. If you’re anywhere near York and haven’t been here, what are you doing with your life?!
Would I come back? Absolutely.
Would I recommend it? To everyone I meet.
Would I happily eat three chicken orzos again? Without hesitation.
ASK Italian York, you’ve gained some lifelong fans. ❤️🇮🇹