Where to eat in Nottingham - Gastronomy in Nottingham

1. Tips for studying abroad in Nottingham - Study abroad in Nottingham
2. Cost of living in Nottingham
3. Save money in Nottingham - A guide to living on a student budget
4. How to get to Nottingham - Getting to Nottingham by train, plane, car or bus
5. Public transport in Nottingham - Getting around Nottingham
6. Neighbourhoods of Nottingham
7. Accommodation for students in Nottingham - Top tips and advice
8. Nightlife in Nottingham - A guide to nightclubs and going out in Nottingham (Part 1)
9. Nightlife in Nottingham - A guide to nightclubs and going out in Nottingham (Part 2)
10. Where to eat in Nottingham - Gastronomy in Nottingham
11. Top Nottingham attractions - Top things to do in Nottingham
12. Day Trips from Nottingham - Places to visit and excursions from Nottingham
13. Festivals in Nottingham - Festivities and celebrations calendar
14. Nottingham in 3 days - What to see in Nottingham in 3 days

As well as the many traditional dishes of England, Nottingham has its own! With so many independent places to eat, there are lots of interesting dishes to try.

That being said, you can eat just about any kind of cuisine in Nottingham. Indian, Thai, Traditional British… It’s up to you. Food in Britain is very multicultural.

Nottingham cuisine

Mushy peas with mint sauce

Mushy peas are eaten all over Britain but mushy peas with mint sauce are a proper Nottingham delicacy. There is a stall selling it at the Victoria marketand hundreds of stalls sell it every year at the annual Goose Fair. Mushy peas are enjoyed as an accompaniment to fish and chips but this is enjoyed just as much on its own, for a snack. It may look like green slop but mushy peas are essentially dried marrowfat peas soaked overnight, rinsed and then simmered. Mint sauce is exactly what you would expect it to be - A thin sauce made with peppermint leaves. It is fairly sweet but not overpoweringly so and often accompanies a traditional Sunday Roast.

Fish Finger sandwich

Exactly how it sounds - fish fingers in between two pieces of bread. Fish fingers are essentially processed breaded or battered white fish such as cod or haddock. This is a great comfort food.

Places to eat

With so many restaurants, there are many you have to visit if you are coming to Nottingham! There are all types of cuisine so if you do decide you’re not the biggest fan of British food or are missing home, you really have your pick. There are many, many, many, many that you need to visit but here are a few of the most important ones:

Annie’s Burger Shack

This burger restaurant is famous in Nottingham. There are often long queues so it might be a good idea to book in advance. It serves burgers, hot dogs and a selection of real ales. There is a great choice of burgers with options such asthe Elvis, which is smothered in peanut butter and jam andthe Sunday Dinner, which is basically a Sunday dinner in a burger. There are monthly specials too, which can be equally as bizarre and wonderful. It also serves breakfast, American style and is situated in the Lace market. Everything can be served vegan, vegetarian or meaty.

Burgers are from £9 - £14. Bring your student card because you can get a 10% student discount on Mondays - Fridays, from 12pm - 5pm. If you’re going to an event at the motorpoint area, you can also get a 10% discount on all house drinks in the Ocean State Tavern. What’s more, there is a happy hour which is 5pm - 7pm, Thursday - Sunday, when all house drinks are two for one.

Events

As well as serving the weirdest and most wonderful burgers of the land, Annie’s Burger Shack also runs regular events throughout the week.

• The Sunday Sound Sessions

Every Sunday from 4pm - 7pm, you can appreciate live music at Annie’s Burger Shack. Artists vary but you can check the Sunday Sound Session’s Facebook page to find out who is playing and when. Entry is free and if you are an aspiring musician and would like the opportunity to play, you can message Annie’s for your opportunity!

• Annie’s Weekly Quiz

The quiz is held in the Ocean State Tavern every Tuesday night from 7.30pm. You can enjoy good beer and good food whilst taking part with your friends. There is a theme every week which is voted on by a facebook vote. It costs £1 with a maximum of six people per team. There are prizes to be won too, such as burger vouchers and beer. What could be better?

Tamatanga

This is an Indian restaurant known for its thalis, which basically consist of a selection of curries served with rice, naan bread, etc. A standard thali includes a veg snack, salad, poppadoms and chutney, two veg dishes, daal, rice or naan and any curry of your choice costs £11.95. If you have a larger appetite, there is always the tamatanga thali, which includes salad, poppadoms and chutney, two veg dishes, daal, raita, rice and naan and two curries of your choice for £14.95. Of course there are other options if these don’t take your fancy. You can also get a variety of curries, salads, wraps and biryani bowls (pilau rice with sauce or raita, salad and a choice of protein).

It is independently owned so you won’t find it outside of Nottingham and it is well known for providing great options for both vegetarians and vegans. This doesn’t mean that meat and fish lovers should be disappointed as there are more than enough options for everyone.

For all the latest offers, make sure to check the Tamatanga site where you can find printable vouchers for deals and offers. For example, there is the early bird deal which includes a main course and a drink (from a selected menu) for £7.95 before 6pm with the exception of weekends and bank holidays.

Tamatanga is located in Trinity Square close to the Corner House and the Old Market Square in the city centre and also does delivery.

George’s Great British Kitchen

This restaurant originates in Nottingham although there are now restaurants in Leeds and Newcastle. You can eat traditional fish and chips here, as well as versions of classic British cuisine with a twist. Starters include pigs under duvets (a twist on the traditional British pigs in blankets) and regarding the main courses, there is the wild ocean hake in ocean baji batter (fish and chips, Indian style) and a range of pies, burgers and steaks as well as the healthier option of grilled fish. The puddings are legendary and very, very British. You can choose from warm Cadbury’s fudge finger rolls (a British sort of cake made by Cadbury), lemon meringue pie or a sharing board of retro classics (candyfloss, steamed golden syrup pudding, etc. ).

The traditional wild ocean cod (battered cod, twice cooked chips, mushy peas, tartare sauce and pickles and listed as their favourite dish) costs £13.25. While it may be true that you can buy fish and chips really cheaply at your local ‘chippy’, it is sure your meal will be of a much higher quality at George’s. The restaurant provides a great atmosphere and really delivers on service making George’s Great British Kitchen the perfect place to come to for a special occasion.

You can also get a 15% discount from Sunday - Wednesday with a valid student ID and happy hour is 5pm - 7pm from Monday - Friday (cocktails are 2 for £12). The restaurant is located on Queens Street, just off the Old Market Square.

Alley Cafe Bar

This is a vegetarian restaurant with many vegan options. It is a quirky place with a relaxed atmosphere. The alley breakfast has won awards and can be made either vegetarian (with scrambled eggs) or vegan (with scrambled tofu). There are also soups and pates which change weekly, a tempeh burger, falafel, a range of salads and sandwiches, weekly specials and desserts, which sometimes include raw and gluten free cakes.

It is very popular with vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The prices are affordable, which means there are always many students here. To give an example, the famous alley breakfast is £6.20. There are also several meal deal offers from Monday - Friday which include:

• Breakfast offer

From 11am until 12 noon, you can get a either a sausage sarnie (please note, all ‘meats’ are vegetarian alternatives) or BLT-not with a choice of either tea or an americano.

• Late lunch offer

This is from 3pm - 5pm. You can get any sandwich with a choice of tea, an americano or soft drink for £6.

• Beer and burger

From 5.30pm until 7.30pm, any burger with any draft pint or a 125ml glass of house wine costs just £8.75.

• Coffee and cake

You can get any vegan cake with either vegan ice cream or a garnish with a coffee or tea for just £5.25 all day every day.

Several events run during the night as there is also a bar serving cocktails and a selection of organic wines and beers. There are often drum and bass nights, reggaeton events and poetry recitals.

As it is hidden away in an alleyway, you wouldn’t notice it if you didn’t know it was there. It is located close to the Tesco on the Old Market Square. Make sure to keep your eye out! It can easily escape you.

Rub Smokehouse

If you are a big meat eater and have a huge appetite, this place is for you. Dishes include a half metre hot dog, a ‘Birthday Burger’ (a birthday cake layered with burgers and marshmallows, amongst other things) and a cheeseburger and fries inside a calzone and as if that wasn’t enough, there are also specials. For example, there has been the ‘I NEED S’More Nachos’. This consisted of ice cream, melted marshmallows, nutella, white chocolate, cream and strawberry salsa… All topping off a huge bowl of nachos. It also sells cocktails, alcoholic and non alcoholic milkshakes and desserts featuring thekitchen sink, which as its name would suggest, is basically everything sweet you could possibly imagine in a ‘kitchen sink’.

Some of the ‘epicfood’ items on the menu are a little more expensive. The half metre hotdog is £17.95 for example and the ‘tomahawk pizza’ costs £47.95! You have to keep in mind that you are paying for A LOT of food. There are also burgers, sandwiches, salads and a variety of other hot dishes, usually focused around meat. If you aren’t interested in any of the eating challenges, expect to pay around £10 for a main course.

For those of you who are interested in saving some money: classic cocktails are buy one get one free, from 11am - 7pm and from 10pm until late. If you are a regular diner, you can download the loyalty app. Just scan your receipts to earn 5% of the bill back. When you get to 100 miles, the app creates a £5 voucher for you to spend next time.

What’s more, you could win a £250 voucher in Rub Vouchers. You just have to be brave enough to take on the #burkshake challenge. Regarding the ‘burkshake’ itself, it is basically a huge freak shake including sweets, cream, waffles, chocolate sauce, strawberries and more… topped off with a humongous burger. The objective is to consume the whole thing in record time and the rules are you can’t be sick, share it, leave the table or consume any other drinks.

The restaurant is located in the Lace Market but if you’d rather eat in, you can order it to your house with deliveroo.

Homemade

This is where to get a fish finger sandwich. Everything in this cosy independently owned cafe is homemade, with plenty of cakes. Alternatively, you can also get a jacket potato (a baked potato with a filling), which are also a very British thing to eat and Sunday Roasts are served in the Pavillion restaurant every Sunday from 12.30pm. Homemade cafe is proud to have won many different awards. It was the regional winner and national runner up in the ‘best cheap eats’ in the Observer Food Monthly Awards and won ‘Nottingham’s favourite independent’ in 2012.

Prices are affordable. The fish finger sandwich costs £7.50 and you can expect to pay around £4 for a piece of cake.

There are now two Homemade cafes. The first (and original one) is situated in Hockley and the Pavillion restaurant is situated in the Forest Recreation ground, a short walk or tram ride away from the city centre. The Pavillion restaurant opens during the evening during the Summer months, so you can enjoy a nice glass of wine with views of the park.

The Kitty Cafe

Make sure to book in advance as this is a very popular choice. The cafe is designed specifically to rehome rescued cats so if you are a cat lover, this is one for you. This is in fact the biggest cat cafe in Europe! You can sit on one of the comfy arm chairs or sofas and enjoy their company. Of course, there are rules to ensure the cat’s well being.

There is a selection of freshly made food available, including cake, tea, jacket potatoes and pizza. It costs £5.95 for a sandwich, pasta or a jacket potato. pizza is £6.95 and a fresh salad is cheaper at £4.95. You can choose whatever fillings you would like.

There is an entry charge but if you really love cats, you can pay for a Kitty Cafe’s Kitty Club membership. Adult membership costs £60 and means you can visit the cafe whenever you like for an hour a day over the period of a year, without paying the entry fee. The money goes directly towards caring for the cats.

The cafe is situated just off the market square in the city centre and entry costs £5. Tables can be booked at kittycafe.co.uk.

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