Christmas unwrapped at the Old Liquor Store York

The Old Liquor Store (OLS), which is set in the historic Grade 2 listed former Terry’s Chocolate Factory, has opened bookings for its Christmas celebrations and unveiled a selection of foodie festive feasts to tantalise taste buds.

Running from 1^st – 23^rd December, reservations can be made for between 2 and 50 people to cater for groups wishing to celebrate Christmas with family, friends or work colleagues. The three-course menu is priced at £58.00 per person and includes a glass of fizz on arrival. Pre-booking is essential.

Acclaimed head chef, Matt Leivers, has cooked up a range of delectable dishes, combining festive flavours, seasonal produce and traditional ingredients with a modern twist that showcase his refined style yet playful approach to cuisine:

Starters

• Winter truffle & celeriac “lasagne”, pickled walnut, agrodolce sultana, whipped gorgonzola
• Smoked gammon shank & biroldo ballottine, bitter marmalade & clove glaze, cranberry, honey mustard bun
• Native lobster, crayfish & basil Arancino, shellfish brandy butter, caviar

Main courses

• Prosciutto wrapped turkey “saltimbocca”, caramelised onion & sage stuffing, pigs in blankets, smoked pancetta sprouts, chestnut, marsala wine & tarragon gravy
• Pan roasted Salmon fillet, steamed mussel, leek & prosecco “mariniere”, salt- baked Jerusalem artichoke, nutmeg & brown butter mash
• “York Gourmet Mushroom pie”, crispy king oyster, cavolo nero, sticky barolo braised carrots

All served with garlic & rosemary roast potatoes, buttered greens & maple glazed roots.

Desserts

• Milk caramel & susumelle gingerbread cheesecake, spiced pear & vin santo sorbet, fig jam
• Amarene cherry & amaretto steeped Christmas pudding, cointreau custard, almond crumble, vanilla mascarpone

Ben Williams, Owner of the restaurant, stated: “Remaining true to their use of quality produce from local independent suppliers, Matt and his team have worked incredibly hard to create a sumptuous offering that we hope people will love. We’re looking forward to welcoming guests, serving up some magnificent Christmas culinary creations and celebrating the season.”

While the restaurant will be closed on Christmas Day and open for roast lunches on Boxing Day, normal service will resume from 27^th December, culminating in a New Years Eve extravaganza featuring an epic 6-course tasting menu designed to help revellers ring in 2025. From 7.30pm – 1.00am, partygoers will be treated to exquisite food and live music, set in one of York’s most historic industrial buildings that will be festooned with festive decs. Tickets are priced at £95.00 per person.

The French inspired tasting menu – “le Réveillon de Saint-Sylvestre” (New Years Eve) includes:

• OLS smoked salmon “mi cuit”, buckwheat blini, caviar, traditional garnish
• Pork shoulder & boudin noir paté en croute Pommery mustard, clementine confiture
• Glazed lobster tail, roasted bone & “Joseph Perrier” velouté, vichy carrot
• Tournedos Rossini Aged beef fillet, duck liver, cep duxelle, Madeira, spinach, winter truffle
• Tartiflette Ratte potato, alsace bacon, reblochon, caramelised onion
• Marquise 85% dark chocolate, griottine cherry, gold leaf

The Old Liquor Store hosts monthly tasting events throughout the year. The restaurant marked Oktoberfest – the world’s largest folk festival and celebration of Bavarian culture, food, and beer – on Thursday 26^th September with a Germanic feast and classic sounds from the Yorkshire Oompah Band. Plans are being developed for a Spanish themed night in October, Burgundy in November and the team will give diners a taste of Australia in January to celebrate Australia Day.

The Old Liquor Store is nestled between York Racecourse and the award winning Bishopthorpe Road and the name pays homage to its confectionery heritage. Located in what was originally the Transformer House, it’s widely believed that this was subsequently used to house coffee beans and barrels of rum imported from America for chocolate making, with the rum being added to the truffles in Terry’s All Gold boxes.

The dog-friendly restaurant is open Wednesday to Saturday, serving brunch, lunch and evening meals (10am – 9pm) and Sunday 12-4pm for roasts. The Old Liquor Store runs monthly tasting events. Group bookings for pre-race brunch and post-race dinner can also be made.

Reservations can be made by visiting www.theoldliquorstore.co.uk