One of my friends is Greek, so when she suggested Inos for dinner I wasn’t going to say no. The four of us met up for an afternoon in York and ended up having a really good evening.
Inos Greek Taverna is on Piccadilly in the centre of York, from the same people behind Sasa Greek street food at SPARK. If you’ve had Sasa, you’ll have a sense of what to expect. It’s a cheerful place with an informal bistro vibe, light and airy inside, and it was busy enough on a Saturday evening that I’d book ahead rather than risk it.
The Food
The menu is small plates, designed to share, so it works like tapas. The staff suggest 4 or 5 plates between two people. We were four and ordered considerably more than that, which I’d recommend.
The lamb chops and the prawns were my highlights. Well-executed versions of classic dishes, cooked well. The fresh Greek salad with feta was exactly right. It only works when the ingredients are good, and these were. The keftedakia meatballs were good, though I wasn’t a massive fan of the sauce. We also got the chicken, which my Greek friend loved, though I personally found it a bit bland compared to the other dishes. It just didn’t have quite the same depth of flavour for me.
The oregano chips were one of my favourite things we had. I’ve been thinking about making them at home ever since. Chips with oregano, a bit of feta, some olives and tomatoes on the side, that would make a great lunch. The homemade bread was worth noticing too.
For dessert we had the Cretan cake with orange syrup, which was lovely. I think it would have been even better warm with a scoop of ice cream, but it was a good end to the meal either way.
The plates are a good size for four to share and we left well fed. We paid around £40 a head, which felt great value for the amount we ate and the quality of it.
The Atmosphere
Friendly service throughout, relaxed without being lax. The decor is bright and quite minimal, almost clinical, but the food more than makes up for it. Darren Greenwood included it in his restaurant guides too, and I can see why.
They do Greek wines if you’re making an evening of it, and there’s live music on at certain times. Worth checking their Instagram at @inos.york before you go.
Would I Go Back?
Yes. The customer feedback on TripAdvisor is consistently strong and it deserves to be. Tasty food, friendly service, a variety of dishes that work well for a group, and a price that doesn’t hurt. It’s the kind of Greek restaurant York’s city centre needed.
If you like Greek food, it’s well worth a visit.