ONE thing York's thankfully never lacked, despite the arrival of the big-bucks coffee chains during the past few years, is a plethora of small, independent cafs, caf bars, coffee shops and any other variation on the caffeine-and-food theme.

Maybe it's because the narrow, rambling buildings of the city centre lend themselves so well to such individual watering holes, but there were plenty of places bringing caf culture to the banks of the Ouse well before Starbucks started flexing its multinational muscles and breeding branches like caffeinated rabbits all over the place, and there still are.

Gillygate has been home to a changing cast of cafs down the years, and one stalwart has always been Caf No. 8, though it's been through several owners, and recently changed hands again, with the inside getting a revamp.

They don't do evening meals, but their lunchtime menu registered on the Eating Out radar as worth investigating.

I'd never paid a visit, because I had always had an impression of it being slightly pretentious or intimidating - one of those places that it never occurs to you are actually for ordinary mortals to go in for a coffee. (Just like there are whole aisles in Sainsbury's you just don't notice until you're in the right income bracket).

I was, as usual, utterly wrong (maybe it's changed a lot under the new owners).

Inside, it was small, bright and informal, closely packed with tables. A friendly waitress with an exotic accent gave us menus as we took a seat, while the chef was cooking up a storm in the small kitchen behind the counter.

The menu was full of impressive-sounding sandwiches, and an interesting selection of lunches, ranging from the exotic, to the all-day breakfast.

Already, my discerning vegetarian dining colleague, Sam, a man who has suffered at the hands of many a frozen lasagne when looking for veggie options in pubs and restaurants, was looking distinctly impressed by the concept of the South Indian Spicy Lentil Stew.

But the first test was to sample the coffee, and the Caf No. 8 brew (£1.30 a cup) passed with flying colours, as we watched the place smoothly fill up with people.

Food-wise, I went for the day's special, lamb steak with minted couscous and vegetables (£5.50), while Sam did indeed opt for the lentil stew at £4.75. The food arrived swiftly and was spot-on.

Sam's stew came with salad, a naan bread and mango chutney - in small, but-perfectly-formed portions, given this was a light lunch, not an evening blow-out. He ruled the stew well-flavoured and well-cooked, and was impressed, particularly given the very good value of the meal - restaurant quality at pub lunch prices.

My lamb was excellent, the meat tasty and perfectly-cooked, on a bed of couscous with chunks of veg including swede and peppers, again perfectly-done, mixed in with it.

If I were being a culinary fascist, I would possibly moan about the minor glitch of the overdone cooked tomatoes, which disintegrated into mush. But the balance of flavours between the lamb and the mint (particularly the dollop of minty yoghurt which accompanied it) was excellent - one of those meals whose taste you can fondly recall days later. Again, it was of light-lunch rather than belt-busting proportions, and given the quality, good value despite being the most expensive dish on the menu.

We were impressed, and investigated the pudding selection. Sam ordered a fruit crumble, and I again went for the day's special, an interesting-sounding white chocolate and raspberry tart. All deserts are £2.50. We were a little disappointed - Sam's crumble, rhubarb and ginger, was in his phrase "more of a collapse than a crumble", tending to the squidgy.

My tart was OK, a pretty unremarkable slice of gateau accompanied by a scoop of raspberry ice-cream.

Given that competitor Caf Concerto round the corner has always had a good reputation for its cakes, maybe No.8 needs to buck up its desserts if it wants to corner the coffee and cake market.

But, the fact that the very next day I found myself paying equivalent prices in a York city centre pub (which shall remain nameless) for some watery microwaved stodge, throws into relief just how good quality and good value lunch at Caf No.8 is. Our total bill for two was £19.25.

If you're in town and want a lunch with a difference, then check out Caf No.8.

Fact File:

Food:high quality

Service: friendly

Value: very good

Ambience: informal

Disabled access: Yes

Caf No.8, 8 Gillygate, York, Tel 01904 653074.

David Martin visited Caf No.8 on Friday, February 28.

Updated: 08:10 Saturday, March 15, 2003