Must-Visit Spots in Nottingham (from a Notts Local)

Must-Visit Spots in Nottingham (from a Notts Local)

by Cara Thompson

• For breakfast: Yolk

My favourite spot in the city centre for some breakfast is Yolk: a cosy cafe and kitchen at the heart of the Lace Market that offers great coffee, lovely staff, and a delicious breakfast menu. My personal go-tos are their ‘Royale’ and the Caramelised Banana French Toast!

• For lunch: Dolce / Kayal

If you’re a bit peckish after breakfast at Yolk, Dolce and Kayal are just around the corner, offering super affordable and tasty lunch deals right across the road from each other. If you’re in the mood for something Italian, Dolce offers a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine for just over a tenner, or if you’re in the mood for Indian food, Kayal offers delicious lunch platters and salads starting at just under a fiver.

• For dinner: Mandarin / Rakki Rakkas

If you love Chinese food, Mandarin is a gem of a restaurant that’s been in operation for over 30 years. Nestled on a hill between the Lace Market at Sneinton Market, they offer delicious, authentic meals and a pretty extensive dim sum menu too.

For those feeling brave enough to voyage out of the City Centre, a 10-15 minute ride on the bus will drop you right outside Rakki Rakkas in Sherwood, a Turkish restaurant and meze bar that will leave you spoiled for choice with their delicious menu and generous portions.

• For “the gram”: Coco Tang

Looking for somewhere social media worthy on your Nottingham visit? It doesn’t get much more Instagram-able than Coco Tang. In the daytime, Coco Tang operates as an Asian Cafe, featuring amazing coffee, Vietnamese dishes and an indoor tropical tree garden. At night, they transform into an underground cocktail bar, with old-style Hong Kong decor, and pop culture inspired cocktails (I personally love their ‘Regina George’).

• For a coffee (with canalside views): Cured Cafe and Bar

Daytime or nighttime, Cured Cafe and Bar is one of my favourite places to pop in for a coffee (or something stronger) thanks to their cosy canalside terrace and lounge. Just around the corner from the train station, Cured floats above Nottingham’s waterways, offering a unique view of the city from below (and the occasional wave from a friendly Notts local on their canalboat!).

• For a pint: The Angel Microbrewery & Chapel

The Angel Microbrewery has been a staple pub in Nottingham city centre for decades, and its long reign is well earned. They offer a solid selection of local and classic beers, a great atmosphere, friendly staff, and a banging vegan friendly food menu. They also have a really cool converted Chapel space upstairs where live music is sometimes performed.

• For music lovers: Peggy’s Skylight / Mimm

One of my favourite things about Nottingham is the diversity of the local music scene, and both Peggy’s Skylight and Mimm are venues that exemplify this. Peggy’s Skylight is an independent live jazz club located in (you guessed it) the Lace Market! They bring in incredible musicians from around the world (and locally) for an intimate gig experience, boosted by retro decor and a unique Mediterranean/Middle Eastern fusion menu.

If you’re interested in the amazing DJs, rappers and vocalists Notts has to offer (and in need of somewhere to shake a leg), Mimm is the place for you. Tucked away on the upper floors of a renovated industrial building, Mimm’s pop up events champion music from across the globe, from house music to Sound System culture.

• For book lovers: Five Leaves Bookshop

Hidden in an alleyway just a hop from The Old Market Square, Five Leaves Bookshop is Nottingham’s staple indie book store. Specialising in genres such as Politics, Fiction, Poetry, LGBTQ+, international writing and local studies, Five Leaves champions independent writers and publishers locally and beyond. They also host special book launches and events throughout the year, so be sure to keep an eye on their socials.

• For film lovers: Broadway Cinema

Another amazing independent business Nottingham has to offer is Broadway Cinema. Whether you want to watch a new blockbuster or a black and white classic, Broadway’s listings have something for everyone. Broadway also has a Cafe Bar downstairs and a Mezz Bar upstairs, so you can pair your popcorn with a glass of wine if you’re feeling fancy.

• For history lovers: National Justice Museum / City of Caves

The National Justice Museum is the place to go for any history fanatics, offering the perfect combo of impressive Grade II Listed Victorian architecture, period-accurate court rooms, thought-provoking exhibitions, and even ghost tours if you’re feeling brave.

The museum is also connected to the City of Caves, offering tours of the man-made underground cave system Nottingham is actually built on top of!

• For art lovers: Nottingham Contemporary / New Art Exchange

Just a hop and a skip from the Justice Museum, you’ll find Nottingham Contemporary, one of the UK’s largest contemporary art galleries. Nottingham Contemporary always has on interesting (and usually free) exhibitions for you to explore, as well as special talks, concerts and workshops throughout the week. They also have a great gift shop full of work from local artists and their delicious in house coffee shop Blend on their underground floor.

For those willing to venture out of the City Centre in pursuit of some quality art, a short hop on the tram will take you to New Art Exchange (NAE) in Hyson Green, a contemporary visual arts gallery with a focus on spotlighting artists from Global Majority backgrounds. The range of NAE’s exhibitions, artist residencies and live events are truly vast, and they’ve also recently launched their super cosy Corner Cafe.

• For a hidden gem: Bromley House Library

Finally, to consider yourself a real Nottingham pro, book yourself in for a visit at Bromley House Library, a 200 year old library hidden in plain sight just off The Old Market Square. Bromley House is a member’s only library, so you will need to book a tour in advance to pay them a visit, but I promise that it’s stunning spiral shelves, hidden passageways and secret garden make the extra effort worth it.