12 must visit Nottinghamshire restaurants, pubs and cafés that have opened this year

We all have our favourites - that restaurant with special memories, or the pub serving your top tipple. But if you ever fancy a change there's a never-ending list of new spots to eat and drink whether you want to spend a fiver on breakfast or £50 on food and cocktails.

We're halfway through 2024 and there's a wealth of new restaurants, cafes and pubs that have opened across the county. Local neighbourhoods are booming with openings in Sherwood, Mapperley and Beeston.

Here's a round-up of just some of places of note that we've visited and would recommend that you check them out too.

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Biscuit & Brew

If you're a tea lover and you've never visited this charming family-run tea house, you're missing out. With so many different flavoured loose leaf teas, it's a reason to return again and again.

The signature Biscuit Brew combines tea with the taste of a chocolate digestive. Other flavours include Caramel Apple Betty, Rhubarb and Custard, Jaffa Cake, Watermelon Sugar and Lull, a blueberry, almond, and cinnamon purple tea. All properly served too in a teapot.

The food is delicious, and different, too. The Spice Girl is my personal recommendation. Toasted eggy sourdough, chicken, streaky bacon, chilli jam, cheese and maple syrup with a scrambled egg on top is one of the tastiest brunches you'll find in the city centre.

Spread over two floors, it's almost like two venues, with a café environment upstairs and more homely and relaxing setting with armchairs downstairs.

You say: "Fabulous experience. Amazing array of home blended teas with genuinely good flavours. Accompanied by a delicious selection of cakes and scones. All set in a great café with attentive and informative staff. Thoroughly recommended."

Location: 5 Victoria Street, Nottingham NG1 2EW

Nissi's American Diner

The cabin makes an ideal setting for the US diner deep in the heart of... Mapperley. The neighbourhood is really up and coming on the food scene with a rush of new places to eat in addition to the old favourites.

Nissi's is the place for mighty burgers, hot dogs and breakfasts - and don't even get us started on the size of those pancakes, as big as dinner plates. Make sure you have a big appetite when you visit, you certainly won't leave hungry.

The decor with a black and white chequered floor, funky artwork and American-style red booths and chairs really sets the scene.

You say: "We visited as a family for breakfast. The atmosphere was relaxed and easy going, and who doesn't love a jukebox! The staff were friendly, the menu varied and they had plenty of non-meat options. We loved the food - the kids breakfasts were HUGE, which they absolutely loved. The banana milkshake was a big hit too, along with the refillable tea! We will definitely be back."

Location: 21B Plains Road, Mapperley NG3 5LG

Brew Tavern

The location - right next to Nottingham Railway Station - couldn't be better for a quick pint when arriving or leaving the city by train. The micropub is in the unusual setting of a Grade II listed former cabman's shelter.

Matt Hinton, the owner of Brew Cavern, the shop in Flying Horse Walk, is behind the new drinking spot, which offers weary travellers (and everyone else) refreshment by way of craft beers, ciders and natural wines.

The house lager is brewed by Camerons Brewery in the north east and there's an ever changing line-up of ales. Right now you'll find Beak's Cushy IPA and Emperor Brewery's stout, Scoundrel.

You say: "First time at this micropub since it reopened as Brew Tavern and very enjoyable visit. I came for the flat ciders and they had three on draught as well as two bottled. This is a brill micropub if you've missed your train, either accidentally or deliberately LOL."

Location: 1A Queen's Road, Nottingham NG2 3AS

The Bagel Project

If bagels are your bag, this is the place to visit. Locals in Sherwood now have this on their doorstep, with a slightly different menu to the shop in Hockley.

Handmade New York-style bagels, focaccia sandwiches and sweet treats are all from their own bakery just around the corner. It's hard to pick a favourite filling - I love the salt beef with chimichurri sauce but the smoked salmon and cream cheese is a strong contender.

Then you have to decide whether you want a plain, poppy seed or "everything" bagel - the classic New York bagel - seasoned with garlic, rosemary, thyme, onion granules and sesame seeds.

You say: Great addition to Sherwood. I had the halloumi and coffee. Delicious and filling. It was busy but friendly and well worth the short wait. A great alternative for breakfast/brunch/lunch!"

Location: 631 Mansfield Rd, Sherwood NG5 2FX

Bombay Delicatessen

Previously branded as the Bombay Sweet Centre, the business has evolved and grown to three sites. As well as the original in Hyson Green, there's now West Bridgford and the newest in Nottingham city centre, which has the option to take away or eat in.

The decor makes it a very pleasant environment to sit in but there's a lot to be said for grabbing a bhaji on the way to catch your train home. With breakfast, curries, snacks, street food, sweet treats and cocktails there's something for all times of the day.

Having recently reviewed the Nottingham site, I can highly recommend the chilli cheese omelette parantha, mutter paneer and the chocolate samosas. As for the cocktails, the Chai Martini puts an Indian twist on the typical Espresso Martini.

You say: "It was a must to visit after frequently visiting the other locations and they’re always on par. The seating area was nicely decorated, many places to sit. The vibe was very relaxed and modern. The food was flavourful as usual. When visiting I ordered the pani puri, papri chaat, gobi manchurian and garlic coriander naan. They were top notch. Nothing was lacking flavour."

Location: 22-26 Carrington Street, Nottingham NG1 7FF

Pig Out Cob Shop

When it comes to value for money, this new cob shop is quite unbeatable. The popular takeaway has breakfast trays and humungous cobs packed with two bacon, two sausages, hash brown, egg, black pudding, mushrooms, beans and tomatoes for just a fiver.

As well as breakfast, the shop sells cold cobs with fillings such as cheese, ham and tuna crunch, starting at £3 for a medium cob. Alternatively, the fillings can be turned into pasta boxes.

Jacket potatoes and paninis are also sold and hot pork cobs with stuffing, apple sauce and gravy come in three prices, from small at £4 to a baguette for £6. There's no seating inside but there are tables and chairs outside.

You say: "Wow. Just wow. £5 for the best breakfast I’ve ever had. These guys are the real deal, did a £50 order to our business and the food was perfection. Not greasy, big portions, bacon wasn’t fatty just perfect. Wow wow wow."

Location: 8 Bagnall Road, Old Basford NG6 0JX

Alora

Notts' newest restaurant, opening just last week in a former TSB, wowed diners from the off. The menu is tapas but with a global influence, served from an open kitchen.

Head chef and co-owner Kieran Haugh has previously cooked at prestigious eateries including Maze by Gordon Ramsay and Tom Kerridge’s two Michelin-starred Hand and Flowers pub in Marlow, before five years at Nottingham's World Service.

Diners can sit on stools overlooking the kitchen or tuck themselves away in one of the cosy corners for a flavour rush, from the subtlety and freshness of the white crab and rose XO flatbread to the banging Korean fried chicken with fermented pineapple hot sauce.

You say: "Came for lunch today with hubby and I can't recommend it enough. The food was delicious, all staff were so friendly and very efficient. The decor is stunning, very modern and high spec. We will definitely be back."

Location: 31 Plains Road, Mapperley NG3 5JU

Knoops

Heaven for chocoholics - but it comes at a price. Many who have visited the new Nottingham store are full of praise for the chocolate drinks - iced, hot and milkshakes - but they make the point that it will be a rare treat as some of the drinks are costly.

The chocolates comes in different percentages and there's an enormous number of ways to customise drinks with spices, fruits, roots and herbs such as Maldon sea salt, black pepper, chilli, orange, mint, matcha and ginger. Throw in one of the massive marshmallows and it's even more luxurious.

Prices range from £3.75 to £7.65, with 50p for some of the add-ons, cream an extra 50p and marshmallows, including a vegan version, for £1.30.

You say: "Absolutely distraught. These prices are outrageous but it was the best hot chocolate I've ever had."

Location: 9 Clumber Street, Nottingham NG1 3ED

* A spokesperson for Knoops said: "As with everything, there’s been lots of rising costs in the cocoa industry because of the weather’s effect on crop yields, and as such Knoops has carefully considered some of the prices on the menu to ensure the drinks still remain of the highest quality whilst offering a wide range of options across different price points. The variation in price across the chocolate percentages is due to the cost of each chocolate being different depending on where the cocoa beans are grown and whether it’s a cocoa blend or a single origin, much like wine."

Delicious Dim Sum

Living up to its name, this tiny eatery in Beeston is beautifully authentic - right down to the chicken feet in a Chinese five spice and rice vinegar sauce. The concise menu includes steamed dumplings filled with cheese and onion, pork or Chinese sausage, as well as turnip cake and pork and prawn beancurd rolls.

Bigger plates with ground beef rice, beef brisket and congee with beef and chicken are served - but look out for the specials written on a silver tray. The Hong Kong style egg tart is simply gorgeous and quite possibly the lightest pastry you'll ever eat.

A good turnout from the town's Asian community is always a good sign. There's only around 20 seats and the decor is quite simple but the owner and chef KC, or Mr Chan's cheery personality makes it a real gem.

You say: "Absolutely a glorious welcome at Delicious Dim Sum. The food was fabulous and so delicious. The beef stew had been lovingly cooked for fifteen hours and was absolutely delicious. The owners take so much pride in the food being served, waking at 2am each day to prepare the amazing delights. We will definitely be visiting again soon. Myself, my partner and our two girls loved this little place."

Location: 105 High Road, Beeston NG9 2JT

Destination 105

It's not a restaurant in the traditional sense but a destination with foodie events as and when. The new venture started with two nights of tasting menus cooked by resident chef Louisa Ellis, who has made a real name for herself since appearing on MasterChef: The Professionals.

The unusual setting, a renovated 123-year-old church, compete with an eye-catching stained glass window, combined with Louisa's cooking, should make this a winner.

Future events are likely to include three course menus, Sunday roasts and collaborations with some of the UK's best chefs. Keep your eyes peeled on the website destination105.uk where upcoming events will be announced.

Location: 105 Trent Boulevard, Lady Bay NG2 5BN

Somewhere Beerhouse

There's a very homely feel to the quirky 30-seater micropub which opened in Beeston in April. The former plant shop has two floors of seating. Downstairs is bright and airy, while upstairs has a more chilled, cosy vibe with comfy chairs, posters, plants, table lamps and books.

Outside is like a mini oasis, with the tables shielded by greenery. Beers, wine and soft drinks are served at the table so there's no queuing at the bar. In fact, there is no bar - just a central counter.

A simple menu is laid out with four options for beer, wine, cocktails, soft drinks, cobs and snacks, plus cans and bottles of Black Iris and Bavarian beers in the fridges. White, red, orange and rose wines are available by the glass or the bottle.

You say: "Lovey quirky place really enjoyed it here. They have a good selection of different drinks, most I've never seen before and definitely a lot of thought has gone into this place. They only have four beers on tap unfortunately but they have a massive selection of cans and bottles of wine. They do table service here which is nice and the gentleman who was serving us was a delight. Highly recommend going in if you're passing."

Location: 154 High Road, Beeston NG9 2LN