Fancy a lunchtime bite in style?
Sat Bains has just been named as Number One in The Sunday Times Top 100 Restaurants in the UK 2015. As you can imagine it isn't cheap, but for a special treat it's breathtaking and well worth making a reservation. We are very proud, in Nottingham, of our home grown Sat Bains (pronounced as it is read not with a French accent as Sat is from Nottingham). They even do "Kitchen Workshops" for those amongst us who are keen to learn some new skills.
Yumacha is a popular all day and evening venue on West Bridgford's favourite Central Avenue. It serves coffee and cake in the morning as well as delicious and inexpensive Oriental Tapas with my personal lunchtime favourite The Bento Box. The cocktails are fabulous and there's a little known tiny garden space out the back where they have patio heaters and blankets and enough table space for just a few guests - shhhh don't tell anyone, that's my secret.
If you like elegant, stylish, thoughtful World Tapas served by great staff with a good knowledge of their tasteful wine list - say no more, just go straight to Iberico.
The surroundings are wrought iron and vaulted, barrelled brick ceilings in the cellars underneath the Galleries of Justice in The Lacemarket. They do an exceptional value lunchtime menu and the evening menu is a bit more expensive but worth the booking - one of my favourite hidden foodie finds in Nottingham.
If you a fan of the light and airy glass, modern feel you'll like Mud Crab a lot. The staff are very friendly and the burgers are seriously good. It's a great family lunchtime or evening out with the music and atmosphere ramping up as the evening goes on, especially at the weekend. Another hit for Central Avenue, West Bridgford.
Just a short walk from Nottingham Castle, The Japanese Garden at World Service is one of my lunchtime favourites in the summer when they do a good value lunchtime menu. In the winter, on the other hand, eat inside with the same delicious menu and you can have drinks by the roaring fire if it's cold enough to light it - a real treat.
You can eat there in the evening too, a sister restaurant to Iberico, it is equally sophisticated but with a little more of a "posh" feel, so head there if you like that, and go straight to Iberico if you like to be more relaxed (in my humble opinion). The Japanese Garden on a balmy summer night has a marvellous atmosphere.
Delilahs is a fabulous deli with a few tables to eat at. Just up from Market Square, near French Connection, it is set in a sumptuous large room with a beautiful high ceiling and a mezzanine gallery. You can eat round the "bar" area or on the mezzanine but get there quick as it fills up fast. You will certainly want to buy some delicious nibbles on the way out to take home with you.
For value for money on Central Avenue, West Bridgford, I'm not sure that you can beat Cote - it is French food at its best, it's consistent good quality, with welcoming staff, great for breakfast, lunch and dinner at a very modest price for what you get. Turn up before 7pm and they have a crazy good value Prix Fixe Menu.
Famously flavoursome coffee from our local roaster in a modern, no fuss Granola style way with nibbles and salads from a deli style counter if you're hungry. When it's gone it's gone in terms of the food, so don't leave it too late or you'll miss out. If you go without your MacBook Air or your hipster beard, you'll be the only one! They also run a Barista School upstairs for that growing army or our coffee culture economy.
Just opposite the opening to our hidden gem of independent stores called "Cobden Chambers", is another favourite independent coffee shop called Wired. Great coffee, fast WiFi and delicious snacks from cake to salads will not disappoint. It's another Hipster Haunt that we love.
The plethora of lunchtime gems on West Bridgford's Central Avenue continues with Cured. At first glance we were not quite sure what it really was trying to be, but if you're after a platter of cheese or meats and a coffee or craft beer, head here and you won't be disappointed. Weekend evenings turn it into a nice wine bar, as do summer afternoons when it spills out onto street tables in a very European way.
Just another of the marvellous Edin's fabulous eateries in Hockley, this place will transport you to a chic Paris, where the food is fresh and delicious and the accordion music oddly works marvels to add to the already French feel. Do not miss out on this one or his original restaurant "Edin's" just around the corner opposite our Art House Cinema gem The Broadway. On proofreading my partner is questioning whether this is French or rustic charm – but either way we think that the food is great.
You know what you are getting with this Italian family favourite. It's usually busy and hustly in a good way, the service can be a bit slow, but in an Italian way, and the food is hearty in a bit of a warming way, so we love it really. Great for breakfast after West Bridgford's Farmers Market on the second and fourth Saturday mornings every month.
Coming before Christmas...Cocktail Crawl of West Bridgford... I know, we're selfless, we're going to try them all out for you and take pictures for you too! Keep your eye out for our next blog.