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Why we’re telling youwhere to goLet’s share some local knowledge. We’ve spent years of our working lives trying out restaurants, bars, shops, theatres and all the other good venues in Nottingham. It’s been hell. Here’s a pick of the places we like, including those that accept the Heath Reid card, plus others we just thought you should know about. Tell us where to goIf you’ve got a favourite place you’d like to share then we’d love to hear from you.
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The Sir John has got it all. A romantic garden retreat for summer, with fairy-lit trees and staggered decking, and a perfect roaring log fire and sumptuous leather sofa for cosy winter afternoons. Great wine, quiet music, and Park-dwelling locals aplenty. Pure class. Phone 0115 9474247. |
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Recommended restaurants and bars
Alley Café / Cannon Court 
Up Angel Row; past Hurts Yard on your right and up the next alley; then left and up the stairs: Welcome to Alley Café. This little venue blends the buzz of a European café, the glow of wholesome vegetarian food and the friendliness of your best friend’s lounge. Much of this is thanks to cheery main man Ben Rose. It’s a real hub for artistic souls and a good place for music, often with a dj politely playing rare vinyl at talking volume. Alley Café is fully licensed, serving food and drinks into the night. Phone 0115 9551013.
Aqua & Café L / Lakeside Arts Centre
There are two great eateries at Lakeside Arts Centre. For quick, wholesome lunches with plenty of couscous and salad there’s the Café L at the Djanogly Art Gallery. Over the road and up the market is Aqua, which serves the kind of uplifting lunches and evening meals (warmed goats cheese salad etc.) you find at cafés of big London arts venues. But without the London prices. In summer you can sit out next to the lake. Get yourself organised and combine a meal with a show. Phone 8467179 for Aqua, 0115 9513101 for Café L.
Ben Bowers / Canning Circus
Ben Bowers restaurant is a reassuring landmark on the city-side of Canning Circus. It has the same friendly feel inside; great food, dependable service and very reasonable prices. There's a function room for your parties too. It's a staple eatery for the kind of bohemians (you know who you are) that come from their park garrets, before retreating to the John Borlaise pub.
Bluu / Broadway
Bluu got it just right first time round and five years on remains one of the most popular restaurant & bar in town. Like your favourite jeans, the ‘distressed modern’ interior of the old Lacemarket building looks and feels as good as ever: a fitting environment for a meal or a drink. The menu is imaginative and the service slick. Book early if you want to eat at the weekend. Phone 0115 9505359. HR card welcome at Bluu
Broadway New Café Bar / Broad Street
The place to discuss Kierkegaardian despair in Bergman’s Seventh Seal and the recurrent theme of the blind swordsman in Japanese cinema. The all-new café-bar at Nottingham’s largest independent cinema has Wagamama-style bench seats that give a really communal feel. The drinks choice is as global as Broadway’s playbill and the light menu’s ideal for pre-film snacks. Phone 0115 9526611.
Brown Betty’s / St. James's Street
Famous for some of the best, fattest (and most difficult to eat nicely) sandwiches in NG1. This deli-sandwich shop has been causing queues along St. James's Street for many years now. You should try the toasted bagels. Brown Betty's opens around 7am – one of the few times you might get a place at the very small sit-down area. Reward yourself with a Brown Betty’s breakfast. Phone 0115 9413464.
Cast / Wellington Circus
Don’t be afraid of the glass, steel and stern modernist lines: Cast restaurant is a great place to enjoy a globally broad menu of dishes using seasonal and locally sourced produce. And the amenities are great: a big bar, a deli, lovely outdoor space with landmark water feature, and above all the Playhouse – one of the UK’s top working theatres. And why the orange sofas? It’s just another part of the painstaking restoration of this Grade II listed venue to its original 1960s grooviness. Phone 0115 8523898.
China China / Mount Street
China China’s not, as its name suggests, just another Chinese restaurant. The food is a fusion of Chinese and south east Asian: you won’t find Udon noodles in Bejing and you don’t get soggy prawn crackers in China China. There’s a formidable champagne and cocktail bar covering the whole price range, from Tuesday and Thursday night cocktail offers (with table service) to connoisseur champagne. Bottle of Chateau Lifille 1980, anyone? And Mr Man’s second Nottingham restaurant’s left nothing out: there’s even a private function room. Phone 0115 9506638.
Chino Latino / Maid Marian Way
Chino Latino is a culinary first for the UK, offering modern pan-asian cuisine: Japanese, Thai, Chinese and South East Asian food, with a fiery Latin twist. There are many spectacular dishes to try and some of the best sushi around. Phone 0115 9477444 or click.
Chutney / Maid Marian Way
Maid Marian way is turning into Nottingham’s (superior) answer to Bradford’s curry mile. Chutney’s one of its fixtures, offering an experience that aims halfway between local Indian and fine-dining. A lively and changeable specials menu and a personal service have contributed to a successful restaurant that’s just increased its capacity to a not-too-cavernous 100 seats. Phone 0115 9241743.
Cock & Hoop / High Pavement
Polite company and only well-trimmed beards at this beautifully appointed 'traditional' pub, which offers welcome respite from the bawdier side of trendy High Pavement... and great old fashioned food. New for 2007, the Cock & Hoop will no longer be the place you wished was still serving late dinner. There's a hearty menu to enjoy from noon right through to 10pm on Sunday to Thursday and noon to 8pm Friday and Saturday. Phone 0115 8523231.
Curry Lounge / Upper Parliament Street
Cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg – and that’s just the colour scheme. With its water feature and fibre-optics (designed by the creators of China China), Curry Lounge is a suitably dramatic setting for Indian food with panache. These are dishes that won awards for Curry Lounge’s sister restaurant East is East in Bradford. We’ve heard only good things since the Heath Reid launch party back in January 2007. And it's stayed busy. Particularly popular are the large booths for your own private party. Phone 0845 6860786.
HR card welcome at Curry Lounge
Delilah / Middle Pavement
Not just a delicatessen bursting at the seams with over 200 cheeses, 50 salamis and meats, an exclusive wine selection and 1000's more treats. Delilah is also a tapas-style food bar, where you can pass a great deal of time enjoying very good coffee. Voted ‘Best Café/Deli' at the 2006 Nottingham Restaurant Awards and 'Best New Café' in the Midlands and Wales Theme Awards - not bad for the first year. Phone 0115 9484461.
Dogma / Byard Lane
Dogma has three levels: ground floor bar, downstairs dancing and a consistently good upstairs restaurant, which makes it most convenient for a full night under one roof. The perennial appeal of Dogma has much to do with the way cool is combined with friendly; and this in turn has much to do with the enlightened management of Scott Whittaker. The ‘one cover per table’ policy means that, after you’ve finished eating you can keep your place and continue to enjoy table service all night. Phone 0115 9886830.
Fashion / Middle Pavement
Super dishes, dishy supermodels. Abundant portraits of beautiful fashion icons make for a seductive atmosphere, while the bar makes a welcome retreat from the cares of the day and a savvy environment to eat out at night. Phone0115 9505850.
Fat Cat Café Bar / Chapel Bar
The new Fat Cat Café Bar has been purring along with a big Cheshire grin for over a year now. The spacious, no-nonsense interior has been quickly adopted by a cosmopolitan crowd, while the winning touch of Matt Saunders has helped ensure high standards of food and service. Phone 0115 9475044.
Fade & the Hard to Find Cafe / Mansfield Road
Just out of the city centre, Fade’s not so hard to find after all. Just walk up Mansfield road. And it’s worth the hunt: bottled continental beers and an eclectic selection on draught. While simple, the food’s as varied as the drinks selection. Get there early enough and you’ll be able to take your pick of tables at the back, hidden deep in the (real and growing) foliage. Then slump in the voluminous sofas in the back lounge. Phone 0115 9104025.
The Ferry Inn / Wilford
A proper food pub and a surprisingly rustic little haven, huddled within Wilford village across the Trent from Nottingham’s ring road & retail park belt. Excellent Sunday roasts and some good sea food dishes. Plenty of cosy corners for a dinner date, and a big beer garden for summer time. It’s also supposed to be Nottingham’s most haunted pub, but we’ve all heard that before. Get on your bike and cycle there via Wilford Footbridge – it’s less than 15 minutes from the Broadmarsh Centre. Phone 0115 9811441.
Hambleton Hall / Rutland Water
Hambleton Hall is the beautiful old house on the peninsular at Rutland Water. This is old fashioned hunting country and Hambleton makes an art of cooking game. Hambleton is also one of the best country house hotels in the UK. It’s the older country cousin of Hart’s in Nottingham, with a first rate standard of service to match. Tim Hart takes a big personal interest in the food at Hambleton. And he keeps a sensational cellar. Phone 01572 756 991
Hart's / Standard Hill
The city sister of Tim Hart's renowned Hambleton Hall is Nottingham's only restaurant with an Egon Ronay Star, and was named Restaurant of the Year in the 2006 Nottingham Restaurant Awards. The setting is simple, contemporary and very pleasant on a sunny day. The standard of service is exceptional. Phone 0115 9110666.
Kean’s Head / St. Mary’s Walk
The St. Mary’s Walk pub was originally inspired by a mind-blowing performance of Hamlet, delivered by Edmund Kean at the old Theatre Royal round the corner in 1861. In the intervening hundred and fifty years it’s come under the management of the Tynemill group, those real-ale fuelled champions of localized pub culture responsible for The Poacher, Forest Tavern, Stratford Haven and Broadway Cafe Bar. The food’s the real draw, from the simplest of Shepherd’s pies to the most varied of antipasti. The kitchen team come armed with local secrets, like the WI market for cakes and other homemade stuff (every Friday at the YMCA at 8am - be prompt: everything goes fast). Phone 0115 9414400.
Laguna / Mount Street
A long established bastion of best Indian cuisine, with an enviable reputation built on word of mouth. Old regulars insist this is Nottingham's best Indian, and it has the no-nonsense feel of a purists' eatery. One taste of dishes like the tandoori paneer cheese and it all makes sense. Phone 0115 9411632.
HR card welcome at Laguna
La Tasca / 9 Weekday Cross
Cleanse your palate with the lightness and fresh bright tastes of Tapas. La Tasca began in Manchester 13 years ago - but it's got a true Spanish heart. Inside it's simple and colourful - handpainted tiles and bunches of stuff hanging from the rafters. Everything is prepared fresh, with many imported ingredients. There are special wines and beers; and of course, Sangria. Phone
0115 959 9456.
Lee Rosy's Tea Shop / Broad Street
A perfect Nottingham would bristle with places like this. Lee Rosy serves a vast range of exotic teas in a mug or a pot. It's all imported directly and you can buy a packet to take away. There's fine coffee too, plus smoothies, sandwiches, cakes more nourishing than your dinner and (my weakness) ice cream cones. The relaxed feel of subdued colours and distressed surfaces, high ceiling and big windows make this a favourite place to meet or pass the daytime. See you there. (They don’t have a daytime phone that gets answered, but if you want to leave a message call 0115 9598890.)
Le Mistral / Eldon Chambers
Le Mistral has long been one of the best things about Sherwood, but now we’ve got one in the city centre, behind Café Nero on Wheeler Gate. It’s not fast food so don’t expect a fast feed. But you should get more than a whiff of all that’s good about the French bistro tradition here. Try the baked camembert for two to share; with wine of course – the wine list is excellent. Phone 0115 9410401.
Living Room / High Pavement
Cosmopolitan and instantly attractive; a look described as ‘Manhattan loft with a colonial twist' with lots of dark stained wood and careful lighting. It's well run by the successful Living Ventures chain. The service is good and the menu enticing. The downstairs bar is a popular meeting place day and night, with regular live music nights. Phone 0115 9886870.
HR card welcome at Living Room
Malt Cross / St. James Street
An old Music Hall - with split Mezzanine, glass atrium and ornate Victorian ironwork - restored and re-opened by the Malt Cross Trust as a haven of respite from the worldly woes of boozy NG1. There's a good selection of light nibbling food if you don't want to knock yourself out at lunchtime. And a lively entertainment scene, with regular music nights put on by Left Lion and various worthy local groups. Phone 0115 9411048.
HR card welcome at The Malt Cross
Martins Arms / Colston Bassett
Although a long haul out of the city, what better justification for mounting an expedition to the Vale of Belvoir than dinner at the Martin’s Arms? The food costs a bit more than your usual pub grub – because it’s nothing like your usual pub-grub. Visit on a cold winter’s evening for the full experience: open fires, a warm glow from the windows and comfortable sofas to lose yourself in. Phone 01949 81361.
Mem Saab / Maid Marian Way
Mem Saab was about the first of the 'modern minimalist' Indian restaurants. It underwent a dramatic refit two years ago and has since risen steadily to greatness. It was voted best Indian Restaurant at the 2006 Nottingham Restaurant awards and frequently attracts national praise for the range, scope and quality of the dishes. Phone 0115 9570009.
Merchants / Lace Market Hotel
From the start (1998), Merchants has always looked beyond NG1 to the cosmopolitan salons of major world cities. This is reflected in the David Collins interior, Conran-trained staff and very comprehensive wine cellar. Merchants serves first-rate brasserie style food, with a very good value lunchtime menu. Start next door with a drink at Saint Bar. Phone 0115 9589898.
Mr. Mans / Wollaton Road
Where else in Nottingham can you chow down on Peking duck while a grand piano plays - next to a deer park? The answer is Mr. Mans - a charming old place beside Wollaton Park. Still the Chinese restaurant by which others are judged in Nottingham, Mr Man’s offers a subtle fusion of Malaysian and Cantonese cuisine and a break from city-centre dining. Phone 0115 9287788.
Park Bar at Harts Hotel / Standard Hill
It's hard to imagine being in a bad mood at Park Bar. This calm and airy space breezes with the sweet air of Harts hotel hospitality, the certainty of being spoilt and the curious feeling that you may no longer be in Nottingham. Hart's cooking also comes into play here. There's a great selection of light bar food, and now proper meals too, with an excellent value hearty dish of the day. Phone 0115 9110666.
The Peacock Inn / Redmile
Old country inns… stagecoaches and highwaymen … Smollet and Fielding. Complete the fantasy with a journey to the eighteenth century Peacock out in the Vale of Belvoir. If you’re thirsty, there’s a bar serving draughts of fine ale. If you’re hungry, you can sup from the a la carte restaurant or the bar menu. And if the travelling has left you weary (it’s at least half an hour’s drive from Nottingham) then you can pass the night in one of the ten rooms and resume your journey on the morrow. Phone 01949 842 554.
Perkins Restaurant / The Old Station House, Plumtree
Over the last 20 years the Perkins family have become a fixture in national restaurant guides, as an example of first rate service and great no-nonsense cooking. The restaurant is now run by the Perkins sons David and Jonathan. The big armchairs, rural setting, short drive from the city and assurance of great food all makes Perkins a compelling option for an unhurried weekend lunch. Phone 0115 9373695.
Punchinello / Forman Street
Nottingham’s oldest restaurant flaunts the 'shabby chic' that is generally lacking in this often brash city. The atmosphere is homely and relaxed, with hearty provincial cooking. Punchinello's is traditionally a pre-theatre venue, but don't let this stop you going anytime. Particularly well suited to couples and small groups. Phone 0115 9411965.
Saint Bar / The Lacemarket Hotel
To make a confident entrance at Saint Bar, apply firm pressure on the heavy gauze door, making sure all's clear behind. Look smart (to match the David Collins interior), know which gin you prefer in your g & t, take a seat; and congratulate yourself. Phone 0115 8523232.
Saltwater Restaurant & Bar / The Corner House
Now under the management of Nick Revill, Saltwater offers dishes to meet the sense of expectation you get on entering this dramatic rooftop venue. Particularly good are the char-grilled steaks and seafood. The stunning tactile interior is a prime place to be seen with a drink and if it's warm you can venture onto the roof terrace. Phone 0115 9242664.
HR card welcome at Saltwater
Restaurant Sat Bains / Lenton Lane
Named Restaurant of the Year for England in the 2007 AA Restaurant Guide. Sat Bain’s restaurant is tucked away with the hotel at an unlikely spot off the ring road. It’s a place for special occasions. And of course the food is sublime. If you want to experience the scope of what Sat Bains can do with food then opt for the tasting menu; and standby for a procession of extraordinary delicacies. And if you’ve got something particular in mind (and a decent budget) Sat Bains will create a bespoke dish for you. Phone 0115 9866566.
Scruffy's / Derby Road and Stoney Street
These two eateries look good, have the right attitude and serve big wholesome plates of food. Of special note: the curtained snug area (Stoney Street), dime bar cheesecake, cocktails that involve fire and the Lace Market's 'Sunday Service' medley of big breakfast, roast lunch, board games and newspapers. Phone 0115 9116333 for the Lace Market and 0115 9470471 for Derby Road.
HR card welcome at Scruffy's
Siam Thani / Carlton Road, Hockley
Thai food = spicy Indian + fragrant Chinese = joy. There's a superb selection of dishes on offer, including traditional Thai courses (prepared by Thai chefs) and seafood as well as a great vegetarian selection. The wine and beer lists are also extensive. And it’s all great value. Phone 0115 9582222.
HR card welcome at Siam Thani
Sinatra's / Chapel Bar
The film star sister to Fashion restaurant, Sinatra's has all the charm of its namesake, plus friendly service and excellent, reasonably priced food (try the salmon en papillote). The countless old framed photos of film stars give a mildly eccentric feel to the interior, while the heated outside area on the refurbished Chapel Bar is a prime choice for al fresco dining. Phone 0115 9411050.
HR card welcome at Sinatra’s
The Orange Tree / Shakespeare Street
Peer through the big oval windows of the Orange Tree and you're likely to see a full house of happy people, lounging in fat leather sofas, gathered round at the enormous table or spilling out into the ingenious little garden. It’s a proper pub with a busy programme of live music and entertainments, as well as plenty of corners for a quiet drink. The food has always been excellent when we've visited: giant sandwiches and perfectly done steaks. Phone 0115 9473239.
The Pearl / West Bridgford
Food technologists love arguing about the existence of a fifth basic taste after bitter, salty, sweet and sour. It’s called umami and is intriguingly described as the meaty taste of ‘deliciousness’. Umami is prevalent in oriental cooking and positively bursting out at this fantastic Cantonese Restaurant. An imaginative menu of striking dishes with wonderfully fresh flavours can be enjoyed properly in the calm contemporary setting. Phone 0115 9455048.
HR card welcome at The Pearl
The Queen's Head / Belton
First rate dining in the picturesque village of Belton, less than half an hour from Nottingham city centre. The historic inn has been beautifully refitted to create light open spaces, where country air mingles with the sweet smell of wood smoke and wonderful cooking. Each time we have visited the food has been sublime, with no trick missed in any aspect of the service. Phone 01530 222359.
HR card welcome at The Queen’s Head
The Red House / Nether Broughton
20 minutes south of the city in Nether Broughton, The Red House has a thoroughly rustic quality that belies its urban roots (it started out as the country cousin of Nottingham's Bluu Bar). City loft dwellers unused to the sticks will be reassured by friendly service, great wholesome food, a pleasant courtyard and no parking wardens. Phone 01664 822429.
HR card welcome at The Red House
Tonic Restaurant Bar & Deli / 6 Chapel Quarter, Chapel Bar
It's new, sleek and versatile. Tonic offers fresh pastries and Fairtrade coffee in the morning, deli-sandwiches for lunch and later, smart dining or dress-up drinking in the large bar area. In-between, you can pass far too much time with a drink and newspaper, gazing through the vast windows at Chapel Quarter life (just watch how passers-by react to that bronze statue of everyday people). The menu - like the interior - could be described as British Modern. Everything is very fresh and you'll get good value from £25 for three courses. Phone 0115 9414770.
Royal Thai / 189 Mansfield Rd
Instead of heading into town have a drink at The Poacher or Hard to Find then head a few doors up Mansfield Road to the Royal Thai for an unhurried evening of fragrant food and spicy flavours. The Royal has been offering superb Thai dishes (prepared by Thai chefs) for 20 years. Phone 0115 9483001.
HR card welcome at The Royal Thai
Wagamama / The Cornerhouse
Wagamama is one of the few franchises we recommend in Nottingham. They might have 46 branches in Britain and plenty more worldwide. You may be able to buy t-shirts and recipe books. But it’s got character. You eat your wholesome, unpretentious and super-fresh noodle dish at long benches and there’s no booking system: just turn up. Udon, Soba, Ramen or Mee pok - there’s a full range of affordable noodly fare. Phone 0115 9241797.
World Service / Castle Gate
A regular award winner at the luxury end of the market. World Service offers a dramatic range of dishes in an unusual setting. The ‘colonial-modernist’ style works beautifully in this modern annexe to the old United Services Club building of Newdigate House. Phone 0115 8475587.
