Portal Bookshop and Over the Rainbow Cafe

Portal Bookshop opened in 2019, and expanded with Over The Rainbow Café upstairs in 2022. They are a safe place for anyone, and work hard to be inclusive, with a zero tolerance policy for any bigotry or prejudice.

You can buy books, cakes, drinks, local craft items, and all sorts of Pride merchandise. Both the café and the bookshop have notice boards for local events, promoting anything from drag nights to sober socials, tour groups to yoga.

Portal Bookshop

The bookshop stocks a wide range of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction by LGBTQIA+ authors or about LGBTQIA+ lives. They have something for everyone from children’s books to sci-fi and fantasy. There is also a variety of merchandise from LGBTQIA+ and local artists and creators, including notebooks, tote bags, earrings, pronoun badges, flags, and art.

They run an online queer sci-fi and fantasy book club with Tubby and Coo’s bookshop in New Orleans, and are building up a regular programme of in-person events. Pay-it-forward schemes are in place, to which anyone can donate, and anyone in need of financial help or a pick-me-up can draw from them to get a book or accessories for social transition (such as a chest binder to help achieve a more androgynous or masculine look). They will soon have a Discord and a newsletter (pop in and ask Lali for the invite).

Over the Rainbow Café

Small but perfectly formed, this café stocks a surprising range of food and drink including vegan and gluten free options. The café is up a flight of stairs but there is a small table in the bookshop downstairs (which has a portable wheelchair ramp that can be put out at any time), and all staff are very accommodating to any access needs.

Just let them know what you need and every effort will be made, or email them on otrcafeyork@gmail.com before your visit to discuss in greater depth. The café hosts lots of events including social drop ins, a trans and non-binary support group run by the LGBT Forum, music events, craft evenings, and more.

They also have their own social media where you can find out whats going on also! Instagram @portal.bookshop

Opening times:

Bookshop:

Monday – Saturday: 10am to 5.30pm

Sunday: 11am to 5.30pm

Café:

Every day: 11am to 5:30pm

Location

Address

5 Patrick Pool, York YO1 8BB