Derby? Seriously, Derby? Derby is an absolute hole of a place – OK, statistically speaking you’re probably slightly less likely to get shot, but you might die of boredom.
First things first – you won’t get shot unless you’re actually involved in the drugs trade.
Breakfast – depends on where you are. Franky and Benny’s do an OK fry up / american style pancakes / eggs benedict. TBH I’m not normally up and about early enough in the morning to be dining out for breakfast.
For lunch, Petit Paris do a good set menu. Avoid the all you can eat places on Parliament street. Rank. Desi Downtown and Chennai are both pretty solid for a curry in the evening.
As for drinking, there’s basically a rough 100 yard crap pub zone around the main square. That’s where the Walkabout, Wetherspoons, Yates etc. are.
Decent places are – any pub or bar from the Bell inn onwards, just up the road from Burton’s, heading towards Las Iguanas etc. etc. There’s also a nice Chinese restaurant (Man’s I think) on the side street just before you get to Las Iquanas. There’s also a nice pub up by the castle, and obviously the Olde Trip.
On the other side of town (ie, heading away from the Bell, or as you head into town from the NIC / Capital FM arena) there’s Tilt, which does decent cocktails, and a few good pubs up in Hockley – the Angel tends to eitehr have something good on or be a bit flat. There’s also the Pitcher and Piano which does cocktails, but it’s pricier and has a higher density of arrogant flash harrys. There are also a few half decent real aley pubs down by the canal, but it’s a bit of a mission from town.
As for Bridgford, there are the bars around Trent Bridge as mentioned, plus the Stratford Haven and Monkey Tree. I’d sooner be in town though.
Places I would dodge:
Bar Circle as there’s always a bit of an atmosphere in there.
Any pub that’s next to the station.
Dogma.
No idea which clubs are decent as I’m normally well oiled by the time I land in them…
