At my time in Nottingham, I have certainly made (or rather, ate) my way around the city centre. Luckily, it turns out that my boyfriend and I are massive foodies, meaning we have tried enough restaurants to create, and rate, a whole list of places to try! Although we have been to the popular chain restaurants like Nando’s, Zizzi’s, Bills etc., Notts has so many more unique places than that. From Indian, Japanese, Caribbean, Thai, Vietnamese to Spanish tapas, Italian, chicken and steak, there is something for everyone!
Rating: 10/10
This is my favourite restaurant in Notts. I could talk about this forever, but all you need to know is that the food is amazing. As someone who pretty much wants to try EVERYTHING on the menu, tapas foods are perfect because it means you are not limited! With a jug of sangria alongside your dinner, Baresca makes for a perfect girl’s night.
Rating: 10/10
For all those steak lovers, this restaurant is for you. Their food is cooked to absolute perfection and will only leave you wanting more. They have a choice of burgers, chicken, steaks, and lots of sides. My personal favourite is the mac and cheese. Although it is only a side, the stuff is so good I ask for two portions in one bowl to have as my main! DO NOT come here if you have no self-control…
Top Tips: Sunday-Thursday they offer student discount. On a Friday and Saturday, I would recommend booking as they get super busy!
Rating: 9/10
Bar and Block steaks are to die for! Although it is on the pricier side, it is worth it for celebrating a special occasion. They even have their own steak sauce, alongside peppercorn, blue cheese, béarnaise, and mushroom and red wine. If I were to recommend any sides, it would be the truffle mac & cheese and garlic mushrooms.
Rating: 9/10
Although Mowgli is dotted around the UK, I HAD to mention this one! As someone who loves curry but prefers a healthier option, Mowgli’s is perfect. The menu is mostly gluten and dairy-free as well which makes the ordering process a whole lot easier. My personal favourite is the mother butter chicken with roti bread! The restaurant is also super aesthetic which makes it the perfect place to take cute photos.
Rating: 9/10
The home of Caribbean tapas! This restaurant is new to Nottingham but has been popular since it opened. As for the food, it is extremely flavoursome and well-priced. My boyfriend and I tried the jerk wings, the curried goat, prawn & mango curry, fried dumplings, and the macaroni & cheese. It was insane! I had never tried Caribbean cuisine before, and as a first time, this has left me wanting to try more. The staff were extremely personable and welcoming, and the music and vibes made for a perfect date night.
Rating: 9/10
This is my favourite pizza place in Notts! Their pizzas are 14 inches so I would recommend getting one to share between two and getting a side. By this point, it might not be a surprise that my favourite side on the menu is their mac and cheese. They have it in classic, roast butternut squash and bacon, goat’s cheese and basil, fresh ham hock, AND roast flat mushrooms. Who knew you could have so many different mac and cheese?!
Rating: 9/10
Another restaurant new to Notts! Wingstop is perfect for lunchtime. They have a variety of different flavours for your chicken of choice (10, to be specific!) These include: Louisiana rub, lemon pepper, garlic parmesan, original, spicy Korean q, Brazilian citrus pepper, atomic, Hawaiian, mango habanero, and hickory smoked bbq! My favourite is the garlic parmesan.
Rating: 8/10
Calling all sushi lovers! Sushimania has so much variety and it all tastes delicious. They often have a lot of deals on too, which is perfect for students.
Top Tip: Up until March, they have introduced a 50% off Food deal in the A La Carte Menu!
Rating: 8/10
Pho is a restaurant that specialises in Vietnamese street food. For starters, they have seafood spring rolls, crispy baby squid, lotus stems, Vietnamese pancakes and more. In terms of main dishes, the options are endless. Of course, you have pho – a Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and a meat of your choice. They also have curry and rice, wok-fried noodles, and vermicelli noodles – it makes my mouth water just thinking about it! If you are vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, or gluten-free, there is also lots of choice.
Top tip: Students get 15% off food when they sign up!
Rating 7/10
If you are looking for authentic Thai food, Zaap is the place. They do a variety of pad Thai, soups, noodles, curries, starters, and sides! Although it was busy, our food came quickly, and the service was great. The cocktails are also super tasty.
Top tip: They don’t have a booking policy, so just walk straight in!
Hopefully this review of restaurants in Notts has given you some inspiration for the next time you go out for dinner – Happy eating!