We really haven’t had the opportunity to make the most of what’s in Nottingham this year. With lockdown 2.0 coming to an end, we can all be hopeful that there will still be some traces of how we knew Nottingham before. Please say that those memories of Ocean Fridays are not truly lost! It’s been so long since everything was open how it used to be but, here are the things that I’ve missed the most and where I’ll be going first!
1. Christmas Market and Nottingham Winter Wonderland
Fingers crossed that next year, we will see the return of the famous Nottingham Christmas market. The ice rink in Old Market Square is an ideal place to see your friends flailing about on the ice and to embarrass yourself too. There are a ton of food stalls selling all the Christmas foods you can think of. I think last year there were even a few festive German-themed ones which looked amazing! I’m most looking forward to the Yorkshire pudding wraps they had last year that I didn’t get to try but have been thinking about ever since.
2. National Ice Centre
I became obsessed with ice skating over lockdown, and I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to go and actually learn how to skate properly for so long. This is one of the best places to skate, and the rink is amazing! They also have ice hockey matches on, and Disney On Ice made an appearance there last year too.
3. Pudding Pantry
These pancakes are the best I’ve ever had. Not being a fan of thick American ones, I was surprised by how good the bacon pancakes were. Even without the Eat Out to Help Out scheme, you won’t be breaking the bank and its an essential place to go in Nottingham. Their milkshakes are also very impressive – even just looking at them I feel like I’ve eaten all the chocolate in the city.
4. Malt Cross
This is one of those traditional pubs hidden away down a narrow street off Old Market Square, that is so worth the trip. It reminded me of one of those pubs that you see in films, where the atmosphere is so friendly, and everyone seems to know each other. Even if you don’t drink, their hot chocolates are incredible, so there’s definitely something for everyone.
5. Tier
There are few things I love more in this world than mac & cheese and espresso martinis. Tier combines the two! It’s a cocktail bar in the centre of Nottingham serving all things cheese. All the possible cheese toastie combinations and concoctions are made in this bar. The interior is also stunning, offering some of the best jungle vibes, which are a perfect background for your next Instagram post. They also have a great deal on at happy hour, which is ideal for me because I’m convinced that they do the best espresso martinis I have ever had.
6. Ocean
I was surprised at how many of my friends said they didn’t actually miss clubbing. Staying in with friends or going out to cocktail bars seems to be the new night out but, you can’t deny that Fridays aren’t the same without Ocean. The cheesy music on repeat each week is an essential Nottingham experience and, my friends and I will be going the first chance we get.
At the time of publishing Nottingham is in Tier 3