Pastries, the tastiest way to start your day
With no shortage of top coffee shops and bakeries it can be hard to choose a favourite. Award winning bread and pastries are never far, wherever you are in Nottingham. Tough Mary’s and Small Food Bakery have the city covered, with newcomer Coosh making waves in the north of the city. All deliver a diverse array of stunning pastries, sandwiches and caffeine to kick off your day in the best way possible.
MUST VISIT Tough Mary’s, for their Hazelnut Pain au Chocolat
Restock your larder (and wine rack…)
Delilah really is a Nottingham institution. For over 20 years they have been providing the city with a wide array of deli items, breakfasts, lunches and an excellent selection of wines, teas and coffees. It's a gastronomic emporium with enthusiastic, knowledgeable staff and a cheese counter to die for. If you take a short hop on a tram to Beeston you can also visit Essen General Store. A more hipster incarnation of a deli, its selection of natural wine and funky tinned fish is second to none in the local area. Look out for their collaborations and themed events too.
Experience the best value lunches in the UK
Kushi-Ya should need little introduction. When restaurant critic Jay Rayner describes somewhere as their restaurant of the year then people pay attention. Its focus is Japanese and more specifically skewers, from where it gets its name. Lunch is £18.50 for one snack, rice and two skewers. Keeping it East Asian but representing ramen is Everyday People. Award-winning street food origins led to this permanent site and a menu of classics like tonkotsu and tantan. At lunch, a bowl and a snack for £15 has always left me sated with delicious soup.
MUST VISIT Kushi-Ya, for their take on prawn toast
Destination fine dining, for the ultimate experience
For over two decades, Sat Bains has been the jewel in Nottingham’s culinary crown. Its unassuming location beneath the city ringroad belies the exceptional experience within. Recent renovations have created a spacious, stylish dining room, while the tasting menus showcase the team at the peak of their powers. Shorter menus are now available, featuring stunning dishes such as grouse agnolotti and wild cod with caviar and champagne sauce.
Nottingham’s second fine-dining star, Alchemilla, was opened in 2017 by Alex Bond, a disciple of Sat Bains. Housed in a Victorian carriage house near the historic Park Estate, its impressive dining room combines exposed brickwork, elegant arches and natural light from hidden skylights. The food is inventive and diverse, with dedicated pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan menus that never compromise on quality or flavour. During summer, the beautiful terrace is perfect for pre- or post-dinner drinks.
Take in nightlife of caves, cocktails and craft beers
The city’s caves are one of its hidden gems and can be enjoyed from the comfort of some of the many iconic pubs near the castle. Cosy vibes are certainly to be found at two of the best, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem and the Hand in Heart. If you want to move from cask to keg, then look no further than Junkyard. Tucked away down Bridlesmith Walk, this craft beer establishment is always abuzz. It not only brings together lovers of sours, porters and stouts but also boasts top options for wines and spirits. If you’ve got time, you can hightail it down to Sneinton market, one of the emerging Nottingham hotspots. A favourite destination is the Neon Raptor Brewery taproom where you can sample their impressively wide range. A more urbane setting is the cocktail bar, Pogo. Sip from classics to exciting new creations alongside a pile of gordal olives.
MUST VISIT Pogo, for their rotating takes on the Negroni (blood orange & vanilla at time of writing!)
Always evolving, the new kids on the block
Nottingham’s food scene never stands still, and recent years have welcomed a host of exciting establishments. Pici has fulfilled the city’s appetite for great Italian food, serving sublime cacio e pepe alongside excellent small plates. Its zucchini fritti with hot honey is particularly moreish. Piccalilli occupies a unique niche, championing British cooking and local ingredients, with one of Nottingham’s finest Sunday lunches.
Little Brickhouse is perhaps the city’s most characterful spot. This delightful, bijou restaurant attracts Nottingham’s creative crowd, particularly during its ‘lates’, when evenings continue into the small hours. The soulful, generous cooking draws inspiration from Northern Europe, the homeland of its two owners, balancing flair with culinary talent.
Raymond's has cemented its place as the go-to restaurant since it opened two years ago. Not only does it have one of the most stylish dining rooms in town it boasts a top wine list too. Dishes here manage to turn everything up to 11 while remaining seasonal and balanced.
MUST VISIT Raymond’s for the salt-aged pork chop, cider & trotter jus, Dijon mustard
Alec has been a restaurant reviewer in Nottingham for 12 years and has spent over two decades living in the city. He has appeared as a judge on Channel 4’s Beat the Chef and is also the chairman of Nottingham Wine Circle, an independent wine tasting group that has been running since the 1990s.
