A brand new garden bar has opened at York Art Gallery.
The Sketch Bar has opened at York Art Gallery to coincide with the new Monet exhibition. It’s located on the terrace at the back of the gallery, overlooking the Museum Gardens.
Serving up a delicious array of cheeses, charcuterie, wine and cocktails, it aims to bring the French experience to York.
The Sketch Bar is a cosy and casual bar that’s perfect for relaxing with friends with a cocktail or glass of wine while admiring the beautiful Wildflower Meadow. It has its own entrance at the back of York Art Gallery, so there’s no need to buy a gallery ticket in order to visit – and it’s dog friendly!
The bar is an extension of the Sketch cafe at York Art Gallery, which was founded by Maria Rodriguez and Philip Veal. It’s currently a temporary fixture at the gallery and will close when the Monet exhibition ends (8 September) but there is the hope that it will return again in the future.
“People love it and everyone’s been asking if it’s going to stay forever,” said Marianne Paré, barista and bar tender with Sketch. “People have been really enjoying it. It’s a really nice and cosy terrace environment.”
All the charcuterie comes from the award-winning Yorkshire butcher Lishman’s of Ilkley. The meat includes Coppa (£6), Speck (£6), Yorkshire chorizo (£6), and Yorkshire Bresaola (£7.50). The cheeses include Comte and French Brie, as well as a daily specials board. The meat and cheese are all served with a selection of crackers, Haxby Focaccia bread, chutneys and salted butter.
On the drinks menu there’s a selection of soft drinks, red, white and rose wine and some classic cocktails with a bit of a twist. You can choose from an Olive Oil and Vanilla Martini (£11), a Pineapple Daiquiri (£10), or how about a Carrot 75 (£9), which ingredients include, yes, carrots.
The Sketch Bar is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 12:30pm to 4:30pm, to align with the Gallery closing time of 5pm.
Find out more about the Monet exhibition at the York Art Gallery website.