Fossgate runs south from the Merchant Adventurers' Hall towards Walmgate and has become one of the better streets in York for independent traders — bookshops, record shops, cafes, and restaurants that are not part of chains. The street itself is not architecturally exceptional, but the concentration of independent businesses makes it worth exploring, particularly for visitors who have exhausted the Shambles and Stonegate. The Blue Bell pub, one of the finest preserved Edwardian interiors in England, is on Fossgate.
The street connects the Merchant Adventurers' Hall area with Walmgate Bar and the increasingly interesting streets beyond the bar in what was historically the less fashionable end of York. The food scene in this part of the city has improved considerably in recent years, and several of the better restaurants are in this area. Fossgate is quieter than the central tourist streets and more reflective of how York actually functions as a city.