The inextricable link between cinema and food is well-known, but there's more happening at the City Screen Picturehouse like fun activities for children, competitions and autism friendly screenings. The atmosphere at the Riverside Café Bar is casual and relaxed, and the interior is done up in a clean, fancy-free way, and yes, some breathtaking riverside views are assured.

Whilst leafing through the list of options at brunch time you might discover a traditional bacon butty, fried English breakfast and scrambled eggs with smoked salmon. Hot grilled sandwiches feature in the bar menu while hand-rolled pizzas and salads are other possible alternatives, or go full throttle with a homemade beef burger topped with a choice of cheddar, brie or blue cheese and served with the well-loved City Screen chips. The Riverside offers some of the best vegetarian dishes in York and they follow a policy of sourcing most of ingredients locally, and choose Fair Trade suppliers for teas, coffee, chocolate and fruit juices. A variety of beers and lagers are available, from the bottled Leffe and Rekorderlig, a fruit cider, to draught Staropramen and Hoegaarden. The bar features two hand-pull beers; one carrying York Brewery ales as standard and the other alternating with such breweries as Rudgate, Leeds and Copper Dragon.

The Basement is a busy hub of activity in the evenings hosting events like live music, poetry, drama and DJ nights, and a weekly Sunday night comedy club.