Best Restaurants & Places to Eat in Nottingham 2025

Nottingham is a popular cultural and historic hub. The best food places in Nottingham offer a spectrum of diverse cuisines, delectable dishes and a cordial ambience. From your favourite drinks and local specialities to mouth-watering main courses followed by palatable deserts, Nottingham’s best restaurants will never fail to please and delight the locals as well as the visitors. Here’s our list of the ten best restaurants in Nottingham that define the city’s dining scene right now! 

Alchemilla 

Chef Alex Bond’s Alchemilla is a lavish restaurant located underground in a cryptic space which used to be a deserted coaching house on Derby Road. For more than a century, the site was rotting and filled with trash until Alex Bond decided to renovate the premises and turn it into one of the best food places in Nottingham and in the world. The restaurant has a mysterious charm to it. The stone floors, gorgeous wooden furniture and exposed brick arches bring a sense of warmth and comfort and are sure to give you some Game of Thrones vibes.  

Alchemilla offers a range of diverse menus including a 5-course, 7-course and 10-course meal. The menu here keeps changing very often depending upon the seasonal produce. The restaurant extends a whole new yet a mid-century-like experience for all the foodies out there.  It is one of the good places to eat in Nottingham.

Location: 192 Derby Rd, Nottingham, United Kingdom 

Opening Hours:  

• Wed-Sat 12:00 to 1:30 pm and 7:00-9:00 pm 
• Sun to Tue- Closed 

Special Features: The vintage architecture is surely a great attraction.

Special Dish – The divine Apple Pie dessert is a must-try.

Restaurant Sat Bains 

Located on the outskirts of the city, Restaurant Sat Bains is a two-Michelin-starred restaurant that opened almost two decades ago. It is easily one of the good places to eat in Nottingham. The seven-course tasting menu here is an impressive blend of skilful techniques with intense flavours. The stone floors and dark, wooden tables give the restaurant a serious but captivating appeal. 

An interesting fact about the restaurant is that it has a space called ‘the Nucleus’ where chefs and culinary experts generate ideas, and create and taste new dishes which later become a part of the menu. The delectable desserts on the menu are certainly the main highlight of the restaurant. 

Location: Lenton Ln, Nottingham NG7 2SA, UK 

Opening Hours: 

• Wed-Sat 9 am -9:30 pm 
• Sun-Tue- Closed 

Special Dish: Warm Crab with turnip/butter curry

Transport: One can take a cab from the Nottingham City Station 

Nearby: Student Accommodation Nottingham

MemSaab 

Nottingham is home to a number of Indian Restaurants but MemSaab stands out from the crowd by all means. Located in the heart of the city, this restaurant has garnered several awards and is considered to be among the top three Indian restaurants in the country. With its enjoyable yet affordable dining experience, MemSaab has raised the bar for the other Indian restaurants in the vicinity.  It is the best restaurant in Nottingham for Indian cuisine.

 The flavoursome traditional Indian curries cooked with a modern twist and the interior architecture of Nottingham’s best restaurants, which captures the very soul of the Indian culture provide an unforgettable fine dining experience. 

Location: 12-14 Maid Marian Way, Nottingham NG1 6HS, UK 

Special Feature: The menu here enables the guests to easily understand if any dairy products are used in a dish 

Opening Hours: 

• Mon-Thurs 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm 
• Fri-Sun 5:30 pm to 11 pm 

Special Dishes: Reshmi Kebab, Amritsari Machli and Butter Chicken are truly appetizing, especially for the non-Indians.

Transport: 

• Bus – The two, Indigo, Rainbow one 
• Train – East Midlands Train 

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Hart’s Restaurant 

One of the best Nottingham restaurants, this modern British restaurant is established in the Hart’s Hotel which is not only a luxury boutique hotel but is also known to be Nottingham’s highest-rated hotel. Widely branded as an upmarket and stylish place to eat, the restaurant delivers an intimate fine dining experience.  

The contemporary and voguish interiors are pleasing to the eyes. Just like a few other top restaurants in Nottingham, Hart’s restaurant aims at constantly reinventing its menu and serving only the best dishes to its valuable guests. From wines and cocktails to afternoon teas, this restaurant has it all! 

Location: Standard Hill, Park Row, Nottingham NG1 6GN, UK 

Opening Hours:  

• Monday to Thursday 7 am – 9.30 pm  
• Friday & Saturday 7.30 am – 10 pm 
• Sunday 7.30 am – 9 pm 

Special dish:  Roasted Lamb and pan-fried fillet are the Sunday-specials 

The Pudding Pantry 

Pudding Pantry is the first name that comes to mind if you have a craving for desserts. It is a dessert restaurant in Nottingham’s Trinity Square, handled by a small team of dedicated pastry chefs. The restaurant specialises in homemade cakes, pastries, milkshakes, puddings and other sweet courses. One of the best features of this restaurant is that it lets you buy gift vouchers for others starting from a small amount of £10.  The pudding pastry should certainly be on the bucket list of anyone visiting Nottingham for the first time.  They host unique events every once in a while such as the ‘movie nights’ where they offer a movie-themed menu!

The Pudding Pantry is also quite popular for its ‘Freakshakes’ and delectable salted caramel brownies.  It is among Nottingham’s best restaurants for dessert. 

Location: 27-29 Trinity Square, Burton St, Nottingham NG1 4AF, United Kingdom 

Opening Hours:  

• Mon-Thurs 8 am to 6 pm 
• Fri and Sat- 9:00 am to 10:30 pm 

Special Dish: Red velvet pastry with a red velvet milkshake is a must-try! 

Special Feature: Home-delivery 

The Cod’s Scallops 

Located in a small suburb of Nottingham, Cod’s Scallops is one of the award-winning seafood restaurants in Nottingham! The staff is comprised of several gourmet chefs and culinary experts who specialize in everything from prawns and oysters to crabs and smoked salmons.  

The Cod’s Scallops was the winner of the National Fish and Chips Awards and since then all the fish and chips lovers flock there quite often. The fish served to the customers is caught on the very same day maintaining the freshness of the food.  It is one of the most popular seafood restaurants in Nottingham specifically because of the great taste their food has and the courtesy and politeness shown by its staff members. 

Location – 311-313 Mansfield Rd, Carrington, Nottingham NG5 2DA 

Opening Hours – 9:30 am to 9:00 pm on all days except Sundays 

Transport:  

• Bus- 30, L10, 35 
• Train- East Midlands, CrossCountry Trains 

Special Dish – Scallops and dressed crabs are full of appetizing flavours 

Kushi-ya 

Kushi-ya is an excellent Japanese food restaurant which customers visit again and again because they can never get over the exceptionally flavourful Japanese dishes on the menu among all the restaurants in Nottingham. The staff here is very cooperative and polite which will guide you through the menu and help you in selecting the best dishes according to your taste and preferences. Must-orders here include Prawn toast, black garlic skewer and the showstopper-black sugar parfait! Eating at Kushi-ya will give you a memorable experience that you’d want to relive over and over. 

Location: 1A Cannon Ct, Long Row W, Nottingham NG1 6JE 

Opening Hours:  

• Mon -Fri 12;30pm to 3:30 pm  
• Closed on Saturdays and Sundays 

Special Dish: Chicken meatball skewers with a glossy egg yolk on the side 

Junkyard 

Situated in the Lace Market-Nottingham, Junkyard is one of the few pet-friendly places to eat in Nottingham. Unlike some fine dining restaurants, the atmosphere here has a very chill and relaxing vibe to it.  This café-bar has been awarded ‘The best place to drink’ and has found a place in the list of ‘the best budget places to eat’. The Junkyard is a modern pub for not only the younger crowd but also the older generation. The restaurant features a menu comprising of perfect pairs of selective drinks and modern food. It is among the best Nottingham restaurants cum cafes.

Location: 12 Bridlesmith Walk, Nottingham NG12FZ, UK 

Opening Hours: 10 am to 1 am 

Special Dish: Togarashi Kale Chips and Salt and Vinegar pork rinds are well known to be finger-licking good 

Jamcafe 

Jamcafe is popular for its fine beer from the best independent breweries. It is a funky European bar with live music, DJ sets, gigs, open mic and Jam sessions going on and is also available for private functions. Roast Pork & Lamb Pot, Beef in Capital Sauce, Vegan Szechuan Noodles, Meat or Veggie Spring Rolls and Roast Spare Ribs are some of our personal favourite dishes from the restaurant. It is among Nottingham’s best restaurants for the younger generation.

Location: 12 Heathcoat St, Nottingham NG1 3AA, UK 

Opening Hours: 5 PM to 12:00 am 

Special Dishes: Sea Spice Aubergine for vegetarians and Pork Chop with onions for non-vegetarians 

Transport:  

• Bus -Rainbow one, the Calverton, Indigo 
• Trains – East midlands trains 

Iberico World Tapas 

A list of the best places to eat in Nottingham can never be complete without mentioning Iberico World Tapas. Opened in 2007, Iberico World Tapas has gained national recognition for its dishes. It is a Michelin Star recognised restaurant which serves some world-famous Spanish tapas complemented by a selective range of wines. A delightful feature of this restaurant is that it lets you buy gift vouchers for your loved ones. There are four menus to choose from: the Main menu, Express menu, Vegan menu and Party menu. The must-try dishes from the Express menu, are inside-out chicken wings and smoked beef Carpaccio. It is regarded by many as the best restaurant in Nottingham.

Location: High Pavement, Nottingham NG1 1HN, UK 

Opening Hours: 

• Tue – Fri – 5:30 to 10:00 pm 
• Sat – 12:00-2:00 pm and 5:30 to 10:00 pm 

Special Features: A special menu for vegan

FAQs

Q1. What types of restaurants are available in Nottingham?

Ans: In Nottingham, there are many different types of restaurants, including vegetarian and vegan selections as well as British, Italian, Indian, Chinese, and Thai cuisines.

Q2. Are there any vegetarian or vegan restaurants in Nottingham that cater to international students?

Ans: Yes, Nottingham has a number of vegetarian and vegan eateries that serve overseas students, including The Greenhouse and The Peacock.

Q3. Are there any affordable restaurants in Nottingham that cater to international students?

Ans: Yes, Nottingham has a number of reasonably priced eateries that serve international students, including Pho, Wok&Go, and The Hungry Bear. Some of them even offer student discounts so it is always advisable to check with the restaurant when making the payment.

Q4. Which are the top Nottingham restaurants that are good for a group of friends?

Ans: Yes, several restaurants in Nottingham, such as The Hockley Arts Club, The Bunk Room, and The Old Angel, are excellent for groups of friends.