Midlands - East Restaurants

879 restaurants in Midlands - East





Restaurants in Midlands - East:

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Selected Restaurant
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6B Chapel Quarter, Chapel Bar, Nottingham, NG1 6JS [Map]

Chapel Quarter has swiftly emerged as one of Nottingham's premier destinations very much thanks to places like Tonic, which can be aptly described as a welcome addition to this culinary oasis. There's plenty to explore once you're inside; the first floor restaurant is a striking combination of comfort and style with smart furnishings and atmospheric lighting. Learn more

Chapel Quarter has swiftly emerged as one of Nottingham's premier destinations very much thanks to places like Tonic, which can be aptly described as a welcome addition to this culinary oasis. There's plenty to explore once you're inside; the first floor restaurant is a striking combination of comfort and style with smart furnishings and atmospheric lighting. The impressive cinematic art installation grips your attention instantly and the open kitchen exemplifies the theatrical experience.

Tonic is certainly causing a stir on the Nottingham eating out scene, winning Best Newcomer in the Nottingham Restaurant Awards 2007 and following this up with runner up in the overall category of Nottingham Restaurant of the Year and Best Drinks and Wine List in the 2008 awards, and Young Chef of The Year in 2009.

If a steaming hot cup of Fair Trade coffee with some pastries helps you kick start the day, then just head to Tonic. What's more? Well, you could even pack a gourmet sandwich or salad for lunch. The main bar with its timber ceilings is the perfect place for an after-work drink and at weekends DJs tactfully pump up the decibels by playing an eclectic mix of funky, vocal, soul, Motown and house while ensuring that the sound levels do not disrupt conversation.

The regularly changing menu is in tune with the seasons and brings in a modern twist to formula British cooking. So there's leek and potato soup; home cured salmon, rocket, capers, lemon and rye bread, and confit and smoked duck salad, pickled walnuts, honey and glazed parsnips to be enjoyed as starters. This could be followed by roast Goosnargh turkey, apricot and sage stuffing, fondant potato and mini toad in the hole, or poached organic salmon accompanied by spinach, basil mash and fish velouté. A sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce and crème anglaise or Bailey?s cheesecake with almond tuile and chocolate sauce will delight those with a sweet tooth.

If you fancy a nibble at the bar, classics of smoked haddock fishcake, creamed wild mushroom on toast, Mr. Dooley's sausages and char-grilled chicken burger are there aplenty, and the opportunity to indulge in one of their extensive cocktail selections should not be missed. Never mind if you decide to have a burst of originality and try something different, the bartender enjoys a challenge.

With several entertainment venues nearby, Tonic's pre-theatre deals are designed to work in tandem with a diner's theatre plans and who'd not love a local game terrine or pan-fried sea bass before hitting the shows?

Whether it's soulful live music to ignite the spirit or nail-biting sporting events, it's all happening here at Tonic. For those who want to be a part of this fun-filled night out experience or are just looking to explore what this wonderful place has to offer, delving through their Website should do the trick.

Modern British, Modern European

£20.00£33.00

Selected Restaurant

Sharpley Hill, Newtown Linford, LE6 0AH [Map]

The Grey Lady provides quality eating out for those looking for something well above the average, in a setting that draws extravagantly on this delightful and scenic part of Leicestershire. Since 1988 the people of Leicestershire have come to realise this and the restaurant's reputation is now well established. Learn more

The Grey Lady provides quality eating out for those looking for something well above the average, in a setting that draws extravagantly on this delightful and scenic part of Leicestershire. Since 1988 the people of Leicestershire have come to realise this and the restaurant's reputation is now well established.

The restaurant, which was completely refurbished, is located opposite the gates of Bradgate Park, once home to Lady Jane Grey, England's shortest serving Monarch. Much of the house is thatched, mature trees abound in the four acres surrounding it, and it would be hard to find a more idyllic setting. Guests can enjoy a drink overlooking the stunning gardens or step in to the dining area for a relaxed meal.

The menus are very much market-based and Martin Gibson, the Proprietor, is no stranger to the local sources and suppliers, all of whom have a pretty accurate idea of the standards he sets. The a la carte menu could include smoked haddock kedgeree with curried risotto rice, poached haddock, pea soufflés, soft boiled quail?s eggs and milk foam, or pea soup with feta and broad bean crostini.

Main courses of seared fillet of pan-fried sea bream, and terrine of Spanish frittata serve to demonstrate the freshness of the produce which, combined with Head Chef Phillip Gibson's skills at the stoves, illustrates only too clearly the quality built up over the years. Look out for some well-tried dishes such as ploughman's and Gressingham duck breast with potato gratin, glazed beetroot, breaded duck leg, raspberry and balsamic sauce.

There is always a good choice of homemade puddings and the cheese plate, which arrives with homemade chutney. Somehow most of the meals at Grey Lady seem to end up with delicious freshly brewed coffee and Belgian Chocolates. Service is cheerful and homely.

Nibbles and finger food include smoked pork and apple flatbread, homemade fish fingers sandwiches, and warm nachos with guacamole, tomato and chilli salsa, and sour cream. Pan-fried king scallops with confit chicken leg, sweet corn fritter, puree, salsa and aerated broth leave adequate room for self-expression.

The wine list is thoughtfully compiled and includes a number of soft press wines, described as 'ideal drinking wines for fitting into modern life, wines with classic flair, happy to suit a lunch time meal'. The New World is well represented and prices do not venture much above £20, with some real value mark-ups not hard to find.

It is restaurants such as this that constitute a core of continuity and inexpensive service which in an urban location might be termed a neighbourhood restaurant. In the country they serve the same purpose, but in a more relaxed fashion. The Gibsons are not only making a living but also performing a public service, and it is places like this that help create a sense of community.

For all their current menus and information about Grey Lady, do visit their Website.


Modern British

£15.00£32.00

Selected Restaurant

134 Main Street, Woodhouse Eaves, nr Loughborough, LE12 8RZ [Map]

The Old Bull's Head is a typical village pub that has a stylish contemporary feel, a light open dining room with a striking centrepiece in the form of a wall to ceiling glass wine cellar. Its stylish interiors, spacious restaurant and large bar are much prized by the locals in the leafy village of Woodhouse Eaves and those who come from further afield to savour its appeal. Learn more

The Old Bull's Head is a typical village pub that has a stylish contemporary feel, a light open dining room with a striking centrepiece in the form of a wall to ceiling glass wine cellar. Its stylish interiors, spacious restaurant and large bar are much prized by the locals in the leafy village of Woodhouse Eaves and those who come from further afield to savour its appeal.

The bar, with its dominant fireplace makes a good spot in which to unwind or catch up with friends. It is a popular meeting place for locals who love the restaurant's attention to detail, the friendly service and warm welcome. The bar menu offers light bites throughout the day.

The Old Bull's Head stocks a wide range of beers, both well trusted draught ales and bottled from further afield. The wine list covers plenty of territory from traditional clarets to Pinot Grigio, and champagne by the glass or bottle is always available. Service is cheerful, brisk and totally in keeping with the friendly nature of a good English gastropub.

Contemporary pubs such as these usually share a number of characteristics. An important feature is space, preferably a restaurant where you are comfortable, not over-awed, and not sharing elbow space with the next table, however sociable they may be. Good, too, to have a garden, with seating for fifty on the front garden and patio and a further sixty on decking at the rear, and by no means least a roomy and well stocked bar where you can actually get served without undue delay. After all, drinking should be taken seriously.

If a pub offers all of these, and is in a good location, there is little reason in today's economic climate why it should not flourish. The Old Bull's Head provides ample evidence that this is true, having once again taken its place as the fulcrum of village life. But of course there are other factors, not least of which is the food and drink. The term 'gastropub' covers a multitude of blessings, and it is possible to see influences of brasserie, bistro, restaurant and even café at work within the great gastro umbrella. So expect to find no one single cuisine, but a blend designed to provide something for everybody, no matter what their treat may be.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, garlic pizzette with caramelised onion and rocket, a box baked camembert with stiratta romagna and homemade tomato jam and Mediterranean mezze of hummus, roasted vegetables, fregola, tzatziki, feta, spinach and ricotta pâté with flatbreads.

Amongst the starters is freshly made soup; lamb koftas with mint yoghurt, kohlrabi, cumin and carrot salad, and gambas, garlic, rocket and aioli with rustic bread. Look, too, for scallops of the day. The salads - sorry that should read 'leaves? - offer crispy duck, mouli, carrots, hoisin, watercress and spring onions with plum sauce, and for the seafood fiends some prawn, avocado, pecans, mango, bacon with orange and pomegranate vinaigrette is received with enthusiasm.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; expect to find margherita, a classic medley of pomodoro, mozzarella, oregano and basil, piccante with pepperoni, chorizo, tomato and jalapeños or rustica with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, goats? cheese and cherry tomatoes. Pastas include bucatini with salmon, chilli, almonds, red pepper pesto, pecorino and rocket, and tagliatelle with slow cooked Bolognaise and parmesan. For the big event you could try the roast rump of lamb with sauce soubise, asparagus, pancetta, button onions and baby potatoes.

The calves liver with tray baked potatoes, red onion, bacon and sage panagrattato is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating, as is the spit chicken with lemon, garlic, thyme and chips. A wide range of supporting dishes include green salad, Belgian chips and mayo, and cabbage, leeks and peas.

Desserts are some of the best you'll encounter with apple, blackcurrant crumble and vanilla custard and sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, and there is also a selection of cheeses to set the buffs alight. 

A well constructed Website enables you to keep in touch with menu changes or forthcoming events. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

English, Gastropub, Modern British

£18.00£28.00

Selected Restaurant

Cathedral Quarter Hotel, 16 St Mary's Gate, Derby, DE1 3JR [Map]

Nestled in the heart of Derby's Cathedral Quarter, this elegant and truly impressive hotel combines state of the art technology and luxury with all the magnificence of a Grade II Listed building to ensure its place right at the top of the hotels in this historic city. Learn more

Nestled in the heart of Derby's Cathedral Quarter, this elegant and truly impressive hotel combines state of the art technology and luxury with all the magnificence of a Grade II Listed building to ensure its place right at the top of the hotels in this historic city.

The building has a long and honourable history within local government and was built for Derbyshire County Council in 1894-5, designed by John Somes Story, the County Architect. Its air of stability and quiet splendour seem never to have left it and The Finesse Collection are well able to capitalise on a building that would put many a stately home in the shade.

Opened in 2008 it brings new dimension to the city. The Scaglioli staircase and mosaic floor rise to meet Italian hand blown glass chandeliers and contemporary Romo fabrics. Little wonder that when Her Majesty the Queen was in Derby on 1 April 2010 she lunched at Opulence with The Duke of Edinburgh, and afterwards made a point of personally thanking head chef Dean Crews.

As a result we more ordinary mortals may now make our reservations at Opulence for The Royal Menu at lunch or dinner, an experience that includes dining where Her Majesty dined, enjoying the same professional levels of service, and the excellent menu created specially for the occasion.

Dean Crews works to separate menus for lunch, afternoon tea, pre-theatre and dinner. A wine list of some 200 bins is housed in a former bank vault and must be some of the most securely housed wine in the land. Closer investigation reveals a collection ranging in price from around £16.50 to £68, with plenty in the £20 - £30 range, drawn from around the world, some available by the glass.

Lunch might start with cumin cured haddock with warm kedgeree salad, bacon and sea lettuce, followed by slow roasted Roma tomatoes filled with braised aubergine, onion rings and a rocket salad. A conclusion of chocolate and roasted pecan brownie with pecan, pear salsa and maple ice-cream would seem ideal.

In the evening from a choice of six dishes a promising selection could be roasted Lyme Bay scallops served with pea purée, defrosted apple, capers and bellota ham. When in Derbyshire . . . . . so it has to be Derbyshire beef sirloin with carrot and potato tubes, roast tomato and tarragon dressing, though many could be tempted by the Szechuan spiced Gloucester old spot belly with peppered apples, potato terrine, maple glazed cheek, forest seeds and root beer sauce.

Should you want to take a close interest in your meal as it is prepared, book The Chef's Table where, via an elegant viewing window you can watch your meal coming to fruition.

The Cathedral Quarter has 38 bedrooms, all refreshingly individual in shape, size and décor. Five categories are covered from single to junior, king, superior and suites, and two fully Accessible Rooms. Emphasis is on sleek and contemporary with air conditioning, baths that beckon, designer TVs, a mini-bar and satisfyingly oversized shower heads. Nothing is left to chance.

When it comes to going the extra mile Cathedral Quarter is well ahead, and in particular weddings celebrated at the hotel are a wonderful way to spend that special day in complete confidence that all will be well. A license for Civil Marriages and Partnerships is held, Clink Spa Midlands is at hand to apply the final touches then, or at any time, and the hotel's weddings co-ordinator will work with the families to ensure a happy and memorable occasion.

Conferences and other special occasions will be delighted to find 3 stylish rooms from which to choose, Bar Sixteen serves vibrant cocktails and a fine afternoon tea is served should you want to send them home on a high.

Indulgence is the name of the game at Cathedral Quarter Hotel. If this is something you enjoy click on their Website for further details, changing menus, offers such as the Early Bird Special, and enter another world.

British

£25.00£47.00

Selected Restaurant
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Standard Hill, Park Row, Nottingham, NG1 6GN [Map]

The handsome contemporary building which is home to Hart's stands amidst elegant Georgian and Victorian town houses, on the site of the ramparts of Nottingham's famous medieval castle. Located in its own traffic-free cul de sac, it is just five minutes to the city centre. Learn more

The handsome contemporary building which is home to Hart's stands amidst elegant Georgian and Victorian town houses, on the site of the ramparts of Nottingham's famous medieval castle. Located in its own traffic-free cul de sac, it is just five minutes to the city centre. It opened in November 1997 and was almost immediately awarded Restaurant of the Year 1997 by The Guardian, a tribute to the quality of its fine modern British cuisine.

Hart's was voted as Nottingham's highest rated restaurant in the Good Food Guide 2004 and winner of Restaurant of the Year at the 2008 Nottingham Restaurant awards. Hart's restaurant maintains a focus on delivering superb food and excellent personal service in a modern, chic and intimate environment, under the leadership of Head Chef, Tom Earle, and Restaurant Manager, Sally Martin.

The British cuisine is highly seasonal with the emphasis on fantastic fresh ingredients. Expect to see delicious starters such as game terrine with Cumberland jelly, raisin purée and toasted brioche, or the sublime smoked haddock risotto with poached egg and mustard foam. For main courses choose pan-fried calves? liver, crispy bacon, mash, shallot and sage sauce, or roast duck breast, plums, baby carrots and duck consommé. Desserts are to die for, chocolate brownie with milk ice cream; caramel, lime and ginger soufflé with yoghurt sorbet, or Gewürztraminer mousse with cassis poached pear.

The aesthetic for the interior of the restaurant is inspired by the Bauhaus abstract paintings of Stefa Hart's father, who trained in the famous Weimar design school in the 1920s. The very comfortable wool fabric seating, together with the crisp white linen and rich American cherry of the floor and tables, gives the main dining room both warmth and sophistication.

Hart's restaurant could be described as a bright, uncluttered stage set for the enjoyment of very good food and first class service. They have a sound wine list with plenty of choice in the £15 to £30 price bracket. More information can be gleaned from their excellent Website.

They also opened Hart's Hotel in 2003, it is Nottingham's first purpose built boutique hotel and winners of the Good Hotel Guide 'City Hotel of the Year' for the UK and Ireland in 2007. Light pours into all of the 30 bedrooms and two suites, and the majority of guest rooms boast spectacular views of the city below. Beds are decked with Egyptian cotton bed linen and goose down pillows and duvets. All rooms have en suite bathrooms and state-of-the-art communications technology offered by few hotels in London.

Modern British

£25.00£45.00

Selected Restaurant

Hambleton Rutland, Oakham, LE15 8TH [Map]

There are very few superlatives that cannot be justifiably applied to this highly successful operation, on Rutland Water near to Oakham, presided over by owners Tim and Stefa Hart. The hotel itself has won a whole fistful of accolades. Learn more

There are very few superlatives that cannot be justifiably applied to this highly successful operation, on Rutland Water near to Oakham, presided over by owners Tim and Stefa Hart. The hotel itself has won a whole fistful of accolades. The restaurant, for which the Michelin starred chef, Aaron Patterson, has been cooking since 1991, draws upon materials as local as his own kitchen garden and as wide as the rest of the country and offers exemplary modern British cusine.

While the service, presided over by restaurant director Graeme Matheson for over 26 years, is exemplary and delivered in a friendly, unintimidating fashion.

The constantly changing menu demonstrates an ongoing vigilance, which might be the envy of many a national surveillance team, with results that are unfailingly good. Like most excellence all of this comes at a price but it would be a churlish lover of fine food indeed who begrudged one penny.

This is fine dining at its best, where first courses are resplendent with superb dishes such as Hambleton's mixed salad featuring garden vegetables and a truffle oil vinaigrette, or ignite the taste buds with pan-fried foie gras with rhubarb and lime.

Main courses beckon enticingly with tastes of lamb with aubergine puree and mint jelly, and fillet of line caught sea bass with fennel and oranges. Vegetarians are a happy lot indeed with some delicious choices such as risotto of tomato and artichoke, and tagliatelle of wild mushrooms with Parmesan.

If you've got a sweet tooth, then this is the place where you can pamper it with no regard whatsoever for calories - a chocolate and olive oil truffle, served with salted caramel, pistachios and baked banana is perfectly executed and decadently delicious.
Set menus for lunch and dinner provide exceptional value and you might be tempted to try out the lunch for less option with chicken liver parfait and cherries flavoured with elderflower, followed by pan-fried fillet of salmon with escabeche of vegetables and ending with caramelised lemon tart with raspberries.

Dinner menus change daily, taking into account seasonal availability of the ingredients, but some of the dishes you could come to expect there are ballotine of rabbit with pickled vegetables and grape chutney, followed by roast breast of corn-fed chicken with tomato and artichoke risotto and onion purée, and garden currant cocktail with white currant sorbet.

The wine list, expertly compiled by sommelier Dominique Baduel, is extensive and French inclined, but not to the exclusion of other listings from Spain, California or Italy. Truly this lovely house, sumptuously furnished and looking out over the steadily maturing lakescape of Rutland Water, is a temple dedicated to eating and living par excellence.

More information on Hambleton, its food and its wonderful, highly individual bedrooms, can be obtained from their Website.

Modern British

£30.00£70.00

Selected Restaurant

Harlestone Road, Lower Harlestone, Northampton, NN7 4EW [Map]

The Fox and Hounds is an 18th century stone built pub not far from Northampton, offering all the pleasures of a quintessential English public house, with traditional values set in an attractive modern design. Learn more

The Fox and Hounds is an 18th century stone built pub not far from Northampton, offering all the pleasures of a quintessential English public house, with traditional values set in an attractive modern design. The sandstone and thatch cottages of Harlestone stand testament to the centuries of quarrying that has taken place in the area.

Their attention to detail and quality of service ensures your dining experience has to be one to remember. Relax over beers, continental pilsners, decent clarets and fruity New World Sauvignons in the garden or in the dark wood and bright leather interiors. Food is served all day, from the bar menu, containing lighter bites, through to a full set of options.

The choices are simple but up-to-the-minute, with lots of comfort appeal, homely things like pizza, steaks and pasta as well as contemporary, global touches to keep the palate lively, all delivered by friendly and cheerful staff.

To set the right note of fashionable sociability there are sharing plates, antipasti of Italian meats, dolcelatte, marinated vegetables and warm stone-baked flatbreads, or Mediterranean mezze of hummus, roasted vegetables, fregola, tzatziki, feta, spinach and ricotta pâté with warm flatbreads.

Amongst the appetisers there is freshly made soup; smoked salmon, pomegranate molasses, fennel and micro herb salad, or dolcelatte and pear tart with red onion marmalade. Look, too, for scallops in the specials section.

The salads offer chargrilled chicken, courgette, fennel, apple, asparagus, hazelnut and balsamic dressing, whilst for the seafood enthusiasts some prawn and avocado with pecans, mango, bacon, orange and pomegranate vinaigrette are well received.

These days no self-respecting gastropub can afford to be without its pizza range; expect to find a classic margherita of cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, pomodoro and basil, the rustica with roasted Mediterranean vegetables, goats' cheese and cherry tomatoes and, or the piccante with pepperoni, chorizo, tomato and jalapeños.

Pastas include linguini with tiger prawns, crab, chorizo, chilli, tomato and white wine, or tagliatelle with slow cooked Bolognaise and parmesan. For the big event there is always a spit chicken with lemon, garlic, thyme and frites.

The battered haddock, frites, tartare sauce and minted mushy peas is popular, a sign of the times and improving taste in eating. For hearty eaters there are rib eye and fillet steaks or roast rump of lamb with sauce soubise, asparagus, pancetta, button onions and baby potatoes.

A wide range of supporting dishes includes rosemary frites and mayo, and cabbage, leeks and peas. For desserts choose between an apple, blackcurrant crumble and vanilla custard and, sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream. There is also a selection of cheeses to set the buffs alight.

More information, including full menus, is available on their Website. Please note that the E-Mail Contact is for enquiries only, not for bookings.

English, Gastropub, Modern British

£18.00£28.00

Selected Restaurant

4 Wood Street, Mansfield, NG18 1QA [Map]

No 4 Wood Street is situated in a very special building, two hundred years old and listed, formerly in operation as a maltings. It was converted to a restaurant by the previous owners who, whilst keeping as many original features as possible, concentrated on converting it to a more contemporary use, making sure everything was done in a sympathetic fashion. Learn more

No 4 Wood Street is situated in a very special building, two hundred years old and listed, formerly in operation as a maltings. It was converted to a restaurant by the previous owners who, whilst keeping as many original features as possible, concentrated on converting it to a more contemporary use, making sure everything was done in a sympathetic fashion.

It is surrounded by its own car park for eight, a solicitors, doctors and the art college, enabling customers to combine several calls with a calming lunch in between. The result mixes the modern with the traditional and more unusual, which includes a magnificent stained glass window, designed by a Forest Town student, creating an eclectic frisson of appeal.

The restaurant is now owned by chef, Michael Sindall, who has been there from the outset, a local lad who was keen to come home and make a name for himself after training in such excellent London kitchens as those inhabited by the Roux Brothers and Marco Pierre White. Since returning to Mansfield he has won awards for his cooking, and has firmly hoisted Mansfield on to the gastronomic map by being included in the Michelin Guide 2006 to 2011. 

Everything he serves is freshly prepared, whenever possibly using local ingredients, to such an extent that all desserts, bread, sauces, ices, biscuits and pasta are homemade. The menus change everyday, but always remain interesting. At lunchtime a lighter theme prevails, ranging from goats cheese and beetroot terrine; soups to pasta, like linguini with tomato fondue, artichokes, garlic and spinach. The selection changes frequently, and the value at lunchtime is quite remarkable.

The à la carte is the flagship menu, with starters of ham hock and chicken terrine with piccalilli or perhaps a salad of poached duck breast with croutons, parmesan crisp, cherry tomatoes and pine nut dressing. Their steamed beef suet pudding with potato wedges, peas, root vegetables and rosemary sauce is the stuff of which dreams are made, though the confit shoulder with roasted squash, dauphinoise potatoes, mint and green peppercorn sauce is a very close contender.

A tendency to appeal to the very heart of a basically indulgent clientele manifests itself in such desserts as Pavlova, Chantilly cream with red fruit or a glazed vanilla rice pudding with tangy lemon ice cream.

They also have an exceptional wine list with many wines being imported directly. Danny, former owner of No 4, is the enthusiast in that field and has diligently sought out some special offerings, visiting the small cellars in France where many of them have their origin, or using wine merchants that specialise in the unusual.

No 4 has taken much loving care to bring it thus far, but the owners must surely feel it has been worth while. They are extremely flexible and will happily cater for every occasion, from a special meal for two, through to a large family party or celebration.

Further details are available on their Website, including the special events held there. Be amongst the first to know.

British, French, Modern European

£20.00£35.00

Selected Restaurant

8-16 Chapel Quarter, Nottingham, NG1 6JQ [Map]

At the heart of the thriving city of Nottingham is Sinatra Lounge Bar, Bistro and Restaurant, offering class cuisine for those to whom quality and excellence are paramount considerations. Sinatra is located in the Chapel Quarter of Nottingham, an area that has quickly established itself as one of Nottingham's premier destinations. Learn more

At the heart of the thriving city of Nottingham is Sinatra Lounge Bar, Bistro and Restaurant, offering class cuisine for those to whom quality and excellence are paramount considerations. Sinatra is located in the Chapel Quarter of Nottingham, an area that has quickly established itself as one of Nottingham's premier destinations.

The Bistro has its own menu starting with breakfast, through lunch, with a sparkling selection of dishes, whereas the restaurant offers more formal dining and a comprehensive choice of seasonal specials. The wine list seems to have been designed to give as wide an international coverage as possible - and succeeds - with wonderful selections, many by the glass, or bottle.

Inside, the atmosphere is stylish yet relaxing, a haven of good taste and comfort. The background music is a careful mixture of soul, jazz and blues, which enhances the restaurant's buzzing ambiance.

With a clientele drawn from office lunchers, theatre-goers, shoppers and those seeking a venue in which to socialise, there are not too many quiet moments at Sinatras. For those who do not want the formality of a dining table, if the weather is right there is an al fresco area under large umbrellas and patio heaters for you to enjoy your food.

The menu incorporates modern bistro favourites alongside a good choice of specials dictated by the seasons. Starters of smoked haddock and dill fishcakes are oven baked and served with homemade tartar sauce. At Sinatra, pan-fried king prawns with spring onions and chilli served on linguine, finished with lime zest bisque and a tomato ragoût seem to bring the warmth of the sun right on to the table.

There is a good range of salads, starting with a classic Caesar salad of roast chicken breast wrapped in bacon, romaine lettuce and tarragon croutons tossed with Caesar dressing and pancetta crisps. Pan-fried salmon comes topped with a soft herb crumb, dill potato rösti, roast chicory and a white wine and caper sauce. The pasta dishes have that distinctive trade mark of their country of origin, using sautéed chicken strips and bacon, king prawns, chorizo or roasted red peppers.

Bistro mains include slow cooked shoulder blade of beef in Guinness, served on whole grain mustard mash and topped with curly kale, and lamb tagine. Great pleasure is taken in preparing a daily selection of special main courses and your waiter could advise you about what is available.

Tempting desserts could include chocolate tart and orange mascarpone, rum and raisin cheesecake, and a selection of fine cheese, served with homemade chutney and biscuits.

Sinatra is clearly one of the most popular venues in Nottingham, and rightly so. Tight management usually makes for good results and there is every evidence of it here, however, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and their Website should provide good evidence of that.

European, International, Modern British

£18.00£33.00

Selected Restaurant

The Shire Hall, High Pavement Lace Market, Nottingham, NG1 1HN [Map]

Iberico brings together three auspicious events. One is the rapidly increasing popularity of the Spanish tapas in Britain. The second is the prosperity of Nottingham which, though like most other places has taken a knock recently, still manages to cope. Learn more

Iberico brings together three auspicious events. One is the rapidly increasing popularity of the Spanish tapas in Britain. The second is the prosperity of Nottingham which, though like most other places has taken a knock recently, still manages to cope. The third is a location that is breathtakingly beautiful, in the heart of Nottingham's Lace Market, namely the historic Galleries of Justice, a grade II Listed building that has many a story to tell.

To be more precise it's in the vaults of this lovely building, a fact that makes it even more enchanting, offering a great relaxed dining atmosphere with a cosmopolitan interior. You could even be in Spain. There's Spanish cool combined with Moorish flamboyance, and the leather seating welcomes the human frame with a soft caress and firm support.

At the time of writing they are rejoicing in their success at the 2009 Nottingham Restaurant Awards, where they walked away with 'Best Set Lunch' and 2nd 'Best Overall Restaurant'. The competition is stiff in this city of many restaurants with more than 300 places to eat and drink in the city centre alone, so these are Awards that need to be taken seriously.

Because of its city centre setting Iberico is in poll position to satisfy lunch time hunger pangs. They do this in a highly impressive manner and for £11.95 stressed out business people - anybody - can enjoy a selection of tapas and a dessert. Best Set Lunch - do you wonder?

A browse through their menu is sufficient to stoke the most recalcitrant appetite into life. Happily this is something I have never been afflicted with but if I had the slow cooked lamb, Serrano ham, chorizo sausage or wild boar salami would give me a jolt of galvanic proportions. Add to this Jamon Iberico, the 'king of hams', hotly pursued by the Soka ham, cured pork shoulder, reared deep in the not so distant Sherwood Forest and cured, smoked and air dried by another award winner, Johnny Pusztai.

On the maritime side we have smoked eel, black cod with spicy miso, not to mention lime, salt and pepper squid. Spain knows a thing or two about cheese as well and there is a choice of five amongst the tapas, including tetilla, one of the four Galician cheeses, and manchego, always a favourite. From outside Spain, but only just, is gorgonzola.

We tend to think savoury when tapas are on the table, but they lend themselves equally to desserts such as jasmine ice cream, raisin and walnut bread, churros and hot chocolate, and the Iberico dessert board will prove. Specialists will approve of the green tea and chocolate tomago.

A well chosen and fascinating wine list naturally explores Spain pretty thoroughly and when in Spain (or Rome) do as the people there do. So exciting sherries, ports, dessert wines and other wines from both New and Old backgrounds make for enjoyable reading and subsequent closer attendance.

Check out their Website for changes and other information updates.

Tapas

£20.00£36.00

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Anong Thai

By Mark and Jill 10 February 2012

Wow this remains out favourite Thai restaurant this side of Thailand! We have been many times and always have a good meal, ...

Mehfil

By paul from Cleaning contractors London 10 February 2012

We had lunch there recently. The quality of food was extremely good and service was great as well. I definitely would go ...

Special Offers

ASK - Grantham

Grantham

Valentine's Set Menu: 3 courses and a glass of Prosecco - £16.95 per person.

Prezzo - Nottingham

Nottingham

Prezzo Valentine's Menu: 3 Course for £18.95, add your first glass of prosecco for £1

ASK - Northampton

Northampton

Valentine's Set Menu: 3 courses and a glass of Prosecco - £16.95 per person.

Crown Inn

Melton Mowbray

Free Bottle of House wine or Red Wine when spending £25 or more on food (One bottle per table)

Selected Restaurant

The Grey Lady

Newtown Linford

The Grey Lady provides quality eating out for those looking for something well above the average, in a setting that draws extravagantly on this delightful and scenic part of Leicestershire. Since ...