Normanton Restaurant Guide

“Worth a visit” for its “high-quality food from the Indian subcontinent” – Naveed Khaliq’s 21-year-old flagship occupies a grand former picture palace whose plush decor and lavishly uniformed staff bring a sense of occasion to the meal. There are spinoffs in Nottingham and Burton.

“Absolutely spectacular sushi” (sashimi, tempura and more) is the pay-off at this “no-frills, hole-in-the-wall” venue, in a “nondescript ’burb of Derby”. What can explain this “peerless” and “spot-on” example of “authentic Japanese cooking” in the unlikeliest of settings? There’s a Toyota car factory just up the road, whose expat staff need a taste of home!

The kitchen at this Peak District pub – with six bedrooms – is overseen by Cornish-born Nathan Senior, and it shows through in the emphasis on fresh fish sourced from the West Country. “They like to promote the hotel aspect, but in fact this is a very good fish-oriented restaurant, with the freshest of supplies from Devon and Cornwall and the menu reflecting what is best on the day, all served by a friendly, enthusiastic team”.

“Pleasant old pub, with a modern dining room at the rear, in the Derbyshire countryside near Ashbourne”. “Very competent” cooking emerges from the kitchen of chef Gareth Ward, “including top-class fish (from the same source as sister establishment The Cow at Dalbury) – not often do you find both turbot and halibut on offer alongside good-quality local beef and lamb”.

“What a stunner” – this “hidden gem in an old brick building on an unlikely side street” near the M1 serves “fabulous, beautifully composed” dishes in a “slightly playful style – a simple description defies the complexity of the cooking” – from chef-patron Nick Gillespie which “rivals and beats better-known names”. His very individual meals are complemented by an “extraordinary drinks list” and an interior which mixes untreated oak table tops with black granite.

2022 Review: Over a decade on, this fine dining spot “sitting at the back of the Rose and Crown plum in the middle of nowhere” is “a revelation” to some reporters, “trying too hard” for others. The “regularly changing tasting menu” (the only option, coming with or without wine flights) is “getting even better, if anything”.

2024 Review: “About as good as fish ’n’ chips gets” – some 20 varieties of catch come ‘baked, battered or naked’ at John Molnar’s award-winning restaurant and takeaway, now with five outposts across Nottingham and Birmingham; nor is the venue, launched in 2011, just a mere chippie either: alongside sashimi-grade tuna, the menu offers the vegetarian ‘Momma Bains’ menu of samosas and curries, conceived by local Michelin hero Sat Bains plus his ma (hence its name).

“A staple in the area for vegetarian and vegan options” run by Roya Bishop, who honed her knowledge of Gujarati cuisine at Leeds icon Hansa’s (RIP); finessed her flair alongside no less than Sat Bains; and then struck out on her own here in 2010. The “incredibly creative” food picks and mixes influences from right around the world – Cuba, Persia, Sri Lanka – and the results are “always delicious”.

2022 Review: A “long-standing favourite”, this “brisk and friendly” red-brick late-Victorian boozer serves a “splendid range of beers” and a solid food menu[e]. One great fan and regular, though, feels “the dining room feels utilitarian and a little underwhelming compared to the bar”.

“A truly world-class restaurant at the top of its game” – Sat & Amanda Bains create a “wonderful and truly memorable experience” for most visitors to their remarkable city-fringe hideaway, which is improbably located down a lane amidst the jumble of pylons, small industrial units, flyovers and concrete banks that announce your near-arrival at this converted motel, by the River Trent, on the outer fringes of Nottingham. In the evening, the choice is between the ‘Prelude’ or ‘Overture’ menus for £199 or £249 per person respectively for a multi-course tasting experience that’s “innovative and complex but richly fulfilling and not faddish”. That’s not to say that absolutely everyone loves it, and this year saw ratings dented a bit by a few more complaints than usual (e.g. “overly rich saucing…”, “unbelievable prices for the style…”). Still more common, however, are converts, such as a repeat visitor who noted “the second visit was even better than the first… if that’s possible… the food was perfection and the service pure class”. Top Tips – “the potato is always a standout”; “the winter offer complete with a stay in one of their rooms is an incredible bargain”.

“Consistently top of the list for fine dining in Nottingham” – Alex Bond gives his former boss Sat Bains a good run for his money in this intriguing, subterranean Victorian brick-vaulted space, which sits just outside the centre in the desirable Park Estate, for which it was built as a coach house. All reports attest to a “hugely enjoyable" experience all round – “service is efficient but also with real style and joy de vivre” and the food is “stunning all-round” from either a three-course menu for £85 per person, or a seven-course menu at £140 per person. Top Menu Tip – “seafood and fish offerings are always top notch!”

2023 Review: This “simply amazing” and decidedly upmarket Indian (which opened in 2014) recreates the atmosphere of polo clubs under the Raj, with “delicious food” that is “not overpowering”, and “friendly, knowledgeable staff”.

Amita Sawhney’s “excellent Indian restaurant in the centre of Nottingham” celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and lives up to its reputation as one of the city’s more reliable destinations for a good night out – “the food is reasonable value as well”.

“As good a biryani as you’ll find” is among the star dishes at this family-run Punjabi specialist, which was founded in 2007. “Monika is a fabulous host” alongside her husband Sunny Anand, whose brother Shelley runs the kitchen.

Inspired by Bangkok street-food markets, “with a great atmosphere, authentic Thai cuisine (often with plenty of spice), plus tuk-tuks for good measure” – this “buzzy” and “good-value” chain now has eight branches scattered across northern university towns. It’s a funkier spinoff from founder Ban Kaewkraikhot’s Yorkshire-based Sukhothai group.

2024 Review: “Always a real treat to visit” – this well-established local institution is to be found near the castle in the atmospheric surrounds of the seventeenth century Newdigate House (also home to networking haunt the Nottingham Club), and – especially in summer when its terrace comes into its own – provides “a calm escape from the city streets”. Its rather ambitious food has proved “consistently good” over many years (and even “fabulous” on a good night) and reports this year suggest that it has attained a more consistent standard of late.