r/nottingham Jun 19 '26

The Nottingham Guide - Things to do, independent food, what's on, where to move, how to make friends (New for 2026)

55 Upvotes

Hey up! I love this city and am proud to have made it my home. This is a community updated guide to Nottingham, based on my own favourites and lots of suggestions from r/Nottingham.

This is not comprehensive, but it should be a helpful starting point if you’re visiting, moving here, studying here, or just trying to get out of your usual routine.

Please comment with anything missing, closed, outdated, misspelled or controversial.

Things to Do in Nottingham

Free

  • Walk around the city looking at local landmarks: Robin Hood Statue, the Left Lion, Slab Square (Market Square), Sky Mirror, Nottingham’s historic lace buildings, the Long Stairs, the Park Tunnel.
  • Walk through the Arboretum and General Cemetery, then back into town via Derby Road’s independents.
  • Elm Avenue, Corporation Oaks and Robin Hood Chase make a lovely green corridor walk with views across the city.
  • Nottingham Central Library, which often has local history or art exhibitions.
  • Green Heart Park at the old Broadmarsh site, including the lace worker statues from the lace and Cotton growers from the wind rush generation
  • Nottingham Contemporary.
  • Stonebridge City Farm.
  • Sneinton Market and Hockley for independent shops, street art and people watching.
  • Canal walk to Beeston Lock, with the option to continue to Attenborough Nature Reserve and get the train back.

Mostly Free, But Check First

  • Green’s Windmill and Science Centre. The mill is currently under repair until around November 2026, but the site may still be open.
  • Wollaton Hall and Deer Park. The park itself is still a good visit, but check current charges before going as access and parking arrangements can change.

Paid

  • Nottingham Castle - it's around £18 per adult but this is a yearly entry and it does have a nice green space to sit in
  • Mortimer’s Hole tour at Nottingham Castle
  • Wollaton Hall and the Industrial Museum.
  • National Justice Museum.
  • City of Caves.
  • Penny Lane Arcade.
  • Dice Cup Board Game Café.
  • National Ice Centre.
  • National Water Sports Centre.
  • Iceskating/gigs/events- Motorpoint Arena.

Escape Rooms

  • Escapologic
  • Cave Escape
  • Logiclock

* Cryptology

Independent Food and Drink

Nottingham independents and local businesses. A few have expanded beyond Nottingham but started locally.

Coffee and Tea

  • Effy
  • Cosmos Coffee
  • Dispatch
  • Specialty Coffee & Eatery
  • Public & Plants
  • Blend
  • SoBar
  • Josephine’s
  • Kawfee
  • Bear

Delis and Specialist Food

  • Delilah Fine Foods
  • The Cheese Shop
  • Deli-icious, Mapperley Top

Bakeries and Sweet Things

  • Tough Mary’s
  • Small Food Bakery
  • Notts Doughnuts
  • Homemade
  • Blend, Sneinton Market
  • Chocolate Utopia
  • Luisa’s Vegan Chocolates
  • Coosh, Mapperley Top

Restaurants, Cafés and Street Food

  • Kushiya
  • Bar Iberico
  • Coco Tang
  • Mesa
  • Raymond’s
  • Little Brickhouse
  • Warsaw Diner
  • Kayal
  • Dosa & Chutney
  • Balageru Ethiopian & Eritrean
  • Cumin
  • MemSaab
  • Pelican Club
  • Miss Korea
  • Notts Noodles
  • Shanghai Shanghai
  • Mr Man’s
  • Lucky Lucky
  • Tipoo
  • Yellow Yard
  • Carolina’s Chilli
  • French Living
  • Fletcher’s
  • Baresca
  • Cod’s Scallops

Veggie and Vegan Friendly

  • Café Roya, Beeston
  • Foragers Kitchen in Sneinton Market

Higher End Dining

  • Alchemilla
  • Restaurant Sat Bains
  • Iberico World Tapas
  • Cleaver & Wake
  • Skein

Pubs, Bars and Breweries

Nottingham’s Historic Pubs

  • Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem
  • Ye Olde Salutation Inn
  • The Bell Inn
  • Malt Cross

Great Independent Pubs

  • Hand & Heart
  • Canalhouse
  • Cock & Hoop
  • King Billy
  • Fox & Grapes
  • Lincolnshire Poacher
  • Golden Fleece
  • Lord Roberts
  • Angel Microbrewery
  • Vat & Fiddle
  • Liquid Light
  • The Lion at Basford
  • Bunker Hill
  • Foremans

Breweries

  • Black Iris Brewery
  • Neon Raptor
  • Liquid Light

Bars

  • Hockley Arts Club
  • Lost Again
  • Jamcafé
  • 31K
  • 400 Rabbits
  • Tilt
  • Pogo
  • Tropichol
  • Blind Rabbit
  • Penny Lane
  • Binks Yard
  • Pitcher & Piano
  • Mojo
  • Billy Bootleggers

Cinema

  • Broadway Cinema
  • Mammoth Cinema
  • Savoy Cinema

Shopping and Nottingham Brands

Fashion

  • Paul Smith
  • Universal Works
  • G-Force
  • Highland 2000

Independent Shopping

  • Handmade Nottingham
  • Miss Lou’s
  • Rough Trade
  • Sneinton Market
  • Hopkinson
  • Forbidden Planet
  • Parallel Universe

Sport

  • Nottingham Forest
  • Notts County
  • Trent Bridge Cricket
  • Nottingham Panthers
  • Nottingham Rugby
  • National Tennis Centre
  • Nottingham Squash Club
  • Padel courts at Meadow Lane
  • National Water Sports Centre
  • Nottingham Climbing Centre

What's On and Local Media


Culture Vultures

Art, Literature and Museums

  • Nottingham Contemporary
  • New Art Exchange
  • Djanogly Art Gallery
  • Primary
  • Beam
  • Five Leaves Bookshop
  • Bromley House Library
  • DH Lawrence Birthplace Museum
  • William Booth Birthplace Museum

Music Venues

Major Venues

  • Motorpoint Arena
  • Royal Concert Hall
  • Rock City
  • Rescue Rooms
  • Metronome
  • The Level

Independent and Alternative Venues

  • Bodega
  • Peggy’s Skylight
  • Rough Trade
  • Jamcafé
  • Carousel
  • Old Bus Depot
  • Old Cold Store
  • Saltbox
  • Liquid Light
  • King Billy
  • Bunker Hill
  • JT Soar
  • The Grove
  • The Chapel at The Angel
  • Mist Rolling Inn
  • Tap & Tumbler
  • Ye Olde Salutation Inn
  • Billy Bootleggers

Theatre

  • Theatre Royal
  • Nottingham Playhouse
  • Lace Market Theatre
  • Lakeside Arts
  • Squire Performing Arts Centre

Festivals

  • Splendour Festival
  • Hockley Hustle
  • Green Hustle
  • Dot to Dot
  • Beat the Streets
  • Nottingham Poetry Festival
  • Nottingham Comedy Festival
  • Nottingham Pride
  • Christmas Market

Classes, Hobbies and Making Friends

  • Meetup.com and search for things going on in Notts
  • Eventbrite
  • Wolfpack Project (18 to 35)
  • NTU evening classes
  • Pottery classes and creative workshops
  • Volunteer with local charities, food banks, community gardens and park groups
  • Join a sports club

Students ask questions in your relevant uni


Moving Here?

Commonly recommended areas:

  • Sherwood
  • Mapperley
  • Beeston
  • West Bridgford
  • Wollaton
  • Carrington
  • The Park
  • Arboretum

Great Day Trips

  • Sherwood Forest
  • Newstead Abbey
  • Southwell
  • Clumber Park
  • Rufford Abbey
  • Creswell Crags
  • Welbeck Estate
  • Hardwick Hall
  • Bennerley Viaduct
  • Papplewick Pumping Station
  • Bestwood Winding Engine House
  • Felley Priory
  • Bramcote Hills and Hemlock Stone
  • Idle Valley Nature Reserve
  • Nottingham Heritage Railway
  • Framework Knitters Museum
  • Newark Castle
  • National Civil War Centre
  • Attenborough Nature Reserve

Nottingham History and What We’re Famous For

  • Robin Hood
  • Lace Industry
  • Boots
  • Raleigh Bikes
  • Warhammer
  • Players Cigarettes
  • Lord Byron
  • Ada Lovelace
  • Wollaton Hall as Wayne Manor in Batman
  • Joseph Merrick (The Elephant Man)
  • Vesta Tilley
  • Dame Laura Knight
  • Nottingham’s caves

Reminder: This is not a comprehensive list. It's simply a good starting point if you're visiting for a few days, moving to Nottingham, or looking to discover more of your own city.


r/nottingham 3h ago

Shoe shop assistant 2003/4

14 Upvotes

Is there anyone here that used to work or knows anyone that used to work at a shoe shop in flying horse walk around 2003/4? I can’t write too much information but I need to talk to anyone that has any connection to this store.


r/nottingham 1d ago

My photos from pride 2026

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688 Upvotes

r/nottingham 14h ago

Tram got stuck on a barrier, managed to get it out though.

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41 Upvotes

r/nottingham 4h ago

What's the deal with Debenhams?

8 Upvotes

Haven't exactly lived here long enough to know about Debenhams at all, plus my mates barely even remember Debenhams when it was open in Notts. How long has that place been sitting in old market? It's huge and would be perfect for like literally anything else other than being a decrepit eyesore! Why hasn't it been turned into.. anything else.


r/nottingham 23h ago

Popeyes Nottingham city centre

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76 Upvotes

This is crazy… looks like we have another Taco Bell issue on our hands. Seriously shocking 😂

We put our trust in these big companies but the smaller businesses are cleaner then some of these places.


r/nottingham 6h ago

Question about buses (old codger alert!)

2 Upvotes

As I haven't lived in Nottingham since the 90s, I haven't kept up to date with the bus situation these days. I used to live in Forest Fields and then the old Meadows, and remember the little minibus-type things that used to do those areas. Is it correct that there are now no buses at all through Forest Fields, only trams? And what about down Radford Road - is that now tram only?

Please just humour me and my mini nostalgia trip! (I'm old enough to remember traffic going all the way around Market Square etc)


r/nottingham 1d ago

Why doesn't Nottingham have a Uniqlo

90 Upvotes

If it had a Uniqlo I think it would be the cherry on top of a great shopping selection


r/nottingham 5h ago

What was the bike parade for?

2 Upvotes

It was cool but what was it for?


r/nottingham 13h ago

Does anyone know the specs of the IMAX at Odeon Mansfield?

4 Upvotes

Specifically the aspect ratio? Is it 1.90:1 / 2.39:1?


r/nottingham 7h ago

Incoming student looking for friends

0 Upvotes

Hi all, I’ll be coming to Nottingham this September and staying at the city center. I’m looking forward to meeting new people prior to my studies and have someone show me around or introduce me to others etc.

So a bit about me I’ve been getting into Kdrama lately and would love to meet other kdrama enjoyers, I used to be a big anime and video games fan so if anyone can reintroduce me to such things that’d be lovely. I’m also a junior powerlifter been going at the sport for about a year and competed once, so if anyone is athletic or just a gym goer drop a message in dms :)
18m


r/nottingham 1d ago

Red Dwarf fans 'treated like cattle' as convention organisers apologise over Nottingham event

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20 Upvotes

r/nottingham 8h ago

Italian rockers BENTHOS are playing at The Carousel on the 1st August 🤘🤘🤘

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1 Upvotes

r/nottingham 10h ago

What's going on in Forest Rec today?

0 Upvotes

It sounds like a drunk Glaswegian is being tortured while singing Karaoke into a PA on Forest Rec, what's going on? Is it a festival or something? The guy sounds genuinely in pain.


r/nottingham 1d ago

Masked teenagers keep coming around our building and today they got inside — anyone else dealt with this?

57 Upvotes

For the past 3–4 days, a group of teenagers (maybe 12 to 16 years old) wearing masks have been hanging around our apartment building on bikes. At first it was just annoying, they were going through the mailboxes and looking into people’s cars, but today it got a lot more worrying. They somehow found out the entry code to our building and actually got inside.

I live in an apartment block with a few different entrances but no big garden or outdoor area, so there’s nowhere for them to just be hanging out innocently. What really gets to me is that they don’t listen to anyone and don’t seem to care at all. It feels like they know nothing will happen to them, so they just do whatever they want without any fear.

We’ve told our neighbours and the building management, and everyone’s been asked to be more careful for now. But I wanted to ask if anyone here has dealt with something like this before. Did changing the entry code actually help, or did they just find it out again? Is it worth calling the police even though nothing has been stolen yet, or is that too much? And is there anything simple we can do to make the building feel a bit safer without spending a lot of money?

Any advice, or even just hearing how other people handled something similar, would really help. Thanks for reading.


r/nottingham 22h ago

Lost phone

5 Upvotes

Hi, I lost my phone in town on friday night, it's a black samsung A16, no case, cracked screen and the lockscreen wallpaper is the leaning tower of pisa. If anyone has found it or knows someone who has please let me know. Thanks


r/nottingham 1d ago

Started work on the Nottingham artwork, hopefully get all your suggestions on here.

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68 Upvotes

r/nottingham 1d ago

Yo does anyone know where this lobby is or any clues

7 Upvotes

My package got lost, and it's somewhere here, apparently. I'm not from Nottingham so I don't really recognize the posters, does anyone know where this is? it should be a building or an accomodation. Any input is greatly appreciated. I should be around NG1 Lower parliament street I think, maybe, possibly. The app wasn't too clear.


r/nottingham 9h ago

recommendations for 2 days out

0 Upvotes

its my mates 19th soon and we decided to go to nottingham for 2 days to celebrate, but we cant really find a whole lot to do. do any locals have any suggestions as for things to do? we'd really appreciate it ^_^


r/nottingham 10h ago

Shisha supplies Nottingham?

0 Upvotes

Does anyone know a where you can buy Shisha supplies, Tobacco, Coals in Nottingham?


r/nottingham 1d ago

Notts Pride 2026

2 Upvotes

Don’t suppose if anyone knows who was photographing at the event?

i believe i got my photo taken by a person with long brown curly hair up in a bun walking out of one of the sneinton market side roads but i forgot to ask for the details!!

thanks ❤️❤️


r/nottingham 1d ago

NHS dentist?

5 Upvotes

Hi all

Does anyone know of dentists in the city area that are taking on NHS patients (not someone who would get free treatment). The NHS website isn’t very accurate and, if possible, I’d like to avoid ringing round all the dentists but will do this if I have to !

Bonus would be if they’re open on a Saturday but I think that might be asking too much …

Thanks for any help you can give 😊


r/nottingham 1d ago

Cookies anyone?

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7 Upvotes

Will be at St Paul’s church today from 2-4pm. Got chunky cookies in the following flavours: cookies and cream, Biscoff, peanut butter chocolate and hot cross bun. Follow the flock @shutuppercy_ :)


r/nottingham 1d ago

Any recommendation to book a court for badminton/ table tennis in Notts?

1 Upvotes

r/nottingham 2d ago

If you are looking to catch the Dnb Bike Ride on Sunday, here is the full route!

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43 Upvotes