The Top 10 Restaurants In Derby UK

Located in the center of England, Derby has the The Peak District around the corner and a beautiful cathedral and charming markets on its doorstep. It’s also got a solid dining scene, with everything from gourmet burgers to haute Indian cuisine. We pick the best 10 places for a pitstop.

1. The Exeter Arms

Pub, Pub Grub

The Exeter Arms is one of the top-rated pubs in the area. Set in an old building that’s full of character, it has a friendly and rustic feel. Sit down with a glass of authentic ale and relax in this pub, which has won Best Derby Pub for four years running. Try the Shepherdless Pie, a vegetarian version of the classic dish, or the British Tapas Board, which comes with small selections of traditional British dishes like sausage rolls, black pudding, pickled onions, and more. The menu is not huge, but the eclectic options show a wide range of skill in the kitchen.

2. Zest

Restaurant, British

Located in the heart of the city, Zest serves fine British cuisine with generous portions and a relaxing atmosphere. The charming restaurant’s menu is updated frequently to provide the freshest, most seasonal food available. Enjoy a Guinea fowl breast, served with baby leeks and shiitake mushrooms, or a Scottish salmon fillet, served with lemon and thyme confit potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and purple stem broccoli.

3. Anoki

Restaurant, Indian

Anoki is a favorite fine dining spot for locals. Located in the refurbished Old Picture Hall, Anoki Derby was the start of a successful chain of Indian restaurants; there are two other locations in the UK. Enjoy a decadent meal made with the finest ingredients and spices, from the classic chicken tikka to the more extravagant lamb Desi. The gilded vaulting of the venue, situated in the center of town, gives the restaurant an incredible atmosphere.

5. Masa

Restaurant, British

Masa is located in a charming, refurbished chapel that is more than 200 years old, and it has established a reputation as one of Derby’s most atmospheric fine dining restaurants. The restaurant was awarded two AA rosettes and is the current placeholder for Derby’s top restaurant. Masa is dedicated to made-from-scratch dishes filled with fresh, local ingredients. The menu changes frequently, but Masa is known for its bistro-cut rump of Derbyshire beef (served with haricot blanc purée, pressed potato, red cabbage, girolles, and madeira jus) and its blue cheese and red lentil Wellington (served with red wine poached pears, baby beetroot, walnuts, and chicory).

6. The Bookcafé

Cafe, British, Contemporary

The quirky Bookcafé bar and restaurant is located in a Grade-2 listed Victorian bank. Established in 2000, the Bookcafé started as a bookshop in York, but it has been in its Derby location for more than ten years and now focuses on food and drink. Come to the Bookcafé to enjoy a glass of coffee or wine in a family-owned restaurant and shop, or try one of the café’s meals at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, serving a simple menu that ranges from artisan pizzas to sandwiches and burgers.

7. The Spice Lounge

Restaurant, Indian

Enjoy the flavors of Bangladeshi and Southern Asian dishes with a fresh twist at The Spice Lounge. The chefs have based their menu on authentic Asian dishes and the restaurant is the perfect place to relax and enjoy a new, spicy dish made with ingredients sourced from local vendors. The specialty dish is Jalpati: fresh chicken or lean lamb tikka pieces cooked in spicy jalfrezi and pathia sauces, green chilies, and red peppers.

8. The Brooklyn Social

Cocktail Bar, Pub Grub

The Brooklyn Social is a casual restaurant built from American bar and diner influences and specializing in rustic burgers, cocktails, and beer. The bar and restaurant’s location in a Grade-II listed building brings an innate charm and history to the dining space, which in turn is filled with bright, neon signs and vintage furniture.

9. The Docks Eatery

The Docks Eatery

The Docks Eatery is situated in a Grade-II listed Art Deco building and brews delicious coffee. Turn up for breakfast or brunch, and try the club sandwich served with skinny fries, French toast with marshmallows and chocolate sauce, or whatever decadent creations are on special at the café that day.

The Docks Eatery, Riverside Chambers, Old Magistrates Court Building, Full Street, Derby, UK +44 1332 742 705

Brunch | © stevepb/Pixabay

10. The Wonky Table

Restaurant, European

The Wonky Table serves fresh dishes inspired by European bistros from its delightful and cosy location on Sadler Gate. The restaurant’s menu changes frequently to take advantage of seasonal ingredients, and vegetarians can celebrate, because The Wonky Table offers a monthly vegetarian evening. On the everyday menu try the gnudi; roast cauliflower, toasted almonds, lemon, and chili and caper dressing. Meat eaters will enjoy the haunch of venison steak marinated in juniper and thyme with roast pear and blackberry sauce.

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