Lotus Indian Kitchen in South Derbyshire

Great location and ambiance. Service was ok, but had to ask few times for water to be replenished. Lamb beliram was excellent, sweet chilli chicken too sweet, cauliflower ie Gobi Machurian was excellent. Naans not as fluffy as expected. Bhindi and Chole were mediocre. Will have to try again next time i come to Derby

Simple menu, super quick service and a nice atmosphere and location

A Memorable Evening at Lotus I recently had an amazing dining experience at Lotus From the moment I walked in, the warm ambiance and friendly staff set the perfect tone. The vegetarian dishes were bursting with flavor and beautifully presented, showcasing the rich spices of Indian cuisine. The service was attentive without being intrusive, ensuring everything was perfect throughout my meal. The highlight was the dessert, which was simply divine and the perfect sweet ending to my evening. Overall, Lotus exceeded my expectations, and I can’t wait to return for another fantastic meal! Highly recommended!

Celebrated my 50th birthday & the staff were amazing. Really attentive & the food was so tasty & came out hot. Special thanks to Sim & Callum for looking after us. Also Beth for helping to organise the table. Keep up the good work ❤️❤️

I'm a regular at the Lotus. The food is absolutely beautiful food and the restaurant is in a lovely relaxing setting. There is attentive service from the friendly staff. I highly recommend you pay this place a visit. I've introduced a number of friends to the restaurant, and they've all loved it and been back multiple times.

Lotus Kitchen: A restaurant that’s been on our list probably since it’s opened!!! Located proudly at Mercia Marina, boasting with confidence, it’s food and service, with its inviting aromas. You CAN NOT go to the Marina and not be enticed or indulged into the Lotus Kitchen. An absolute Gem! Parking is Free at the Marina, including the restaurant, which is always a Bonus. You’re warmly welcomed by staff and a bar, to start your evening. There are a good number of seats whilst you wait for your party to arrive. The restaurant has ample places to sit and is utilised well with the tables and chairs spaced out well, not invading the privacy of tables. The Service is great, professional and friendly. Our waiter was Fraser. A fantastic young man. He knew his menu well. Advised on what was available and what additional items were available that weren’t on the menu. His customer service was excellent. Thank you Fraser. The Menu. Wow! The Menu had some amazing choices, leaving you either wanting to order it ALL or return to try out another dish. Either way a great menu. We were all really pleased with our food. It was cooked well, traditionally. The Tandoori naans we’re done very well and in a proper Tandoori oven. (This was impressive). The Kitchen is open so you can see you’re food being prepared. Prepare yourself for it being served. It is Divine! and you will not be disappointed. A definite must!!! We will most definitely be returning to try another dish. The only (pedantic) improvement I’d say, is the ambiance and the vibe. This could be improved. The staff could also be given a uniform. But other than this, it was fantastic!!! Thank you for the Lotus Experience. 💫 - Second Visit - We returned to Lotus Kitchen again tonight. We never really like to go back to a restaurant once we’ve tried it, but Lotus Kitchen has you coming back, again and again. It really is a brilliant option. The service was great, the food was divine, parking is ample and free, the atmosphere was much better. Just another great Lotus Experience. Thank you to Kevin for looking after us. Very much appreciated. Great service. Friendly and professional. Thank you for another Lotus experience. 💫

Wow, we are staying at a Lodge on the marina and decided to go here last night. We welcomed on arrival and we could pick our seat, sat looking out on the marina, very nice setting. The restaurant is decorated very nicely too. Ordered our drinks and food, which wasn't too long before it all arrived. Wow, the flavours are amazing. All the food was great, but my favourite was the honey glazed king prawns. We had a great experience here, the staff were amazing too, and they made the whole experience. Can't wait to come back again and try the different dishes.

Great food, freshly prepared and good atmosphere.

Wonderful atmosphere, bustling and friendly. Staff were very helpful, food was delicious, and the marina is a nice place to have a walk after a big meal. Portions generous and extremely tasty. It blows Anoki out of the water and is great value too.

Absolutely wonderful food. Highly recommend the lamb in particular.

Food was lovely, however your managers ruined our whole experience, we asked if we could move tables as the sun was directly in our eyes during our meal to which the polite waiting staff member went to ask, we were approached by a male manager to be told they couldn’t do this as to sum it up it would disrupt his database to move us as other tables were booked in, I did tell him I wasn’t interested in his database but it was causing issues to ourselves who was sitting in it (appreciate staff can’t control the weather). However we were then approached by the female manager who to be honest was completely rude - never once said sorry we can’t move you as we’re fully booked and did absolutely nothing to help the situation apart from made it 100% worse than the original situation was, it wasn’t a big deal when we original asked but the way the situation was handled was utterly appalling. The female member of staff then continued to linger around our table and made our table feel completely uncomfortable as she continued to be visibly annoyed with us and to be seen complaining to other staff members about us. I’ve visited your sister branch several times and never ever had experiences like this. It’s a shame she conducted herself in this manner and ruined our friends birthday meal (we did bring a cake with us to celebrate but actually chose not to bring this out after all of this had happened) as I said previously it wasn’t a big thing at the time but your manager made it so much worse than it was and just added fuel to the fire rather than using any management skills to defuse the situation. Off the back of this I wouldn’t return to your lotus restaurant sadly. I didn’t catch the name of our waiting team member but he was absolutely incredible and could clearly see we were shocked and annoyed by the handling of this situation by his managers

Consistently good food Good atmosphere This time, I just had a few different starters..... Just wish the service staff were a bit cheerier.... and maybe even in a uniform..... some of them great, a young asian girl, dress smartly, smilling and even if she didn't, she looked happy to be there... whilst others... well, let's just say they need a bit more engagement. But don't let that put you off. Food is very flavoursome and moreish!

Great food with great service in a great atmosphere. The live music was very good but just the right volume where you can hear it but still chat at the table. Looking forward to our next visit.

Excellent service, food was superb 👌

We recently had the absolute pleasure of hosting our family wedding ceremony at The Lotus Kitchen, and we cannot express enough gratitude for the incredible experience provided by the owner, Sunny, and the wonderful manager, Callum, along with their outstanding staff. From the moment we inquired about renting the space, Sunny was incredibly generous and accommodating, and Callum ensured that every detail was taken care of with the utmost professionalism and care.The staff at The Lotus Kitchen were truly exceptional. They were attentive, kind, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire event. Their warmth and care made us feel like family, and they seamlessly handled every aspect of the day, allowing us to fully enjoy the moment. The level of service we received was outstanding—every member of the team worked tirelessly to make sure everything ran smoothly, and their attention to detail was impeccable.We are so grateful for the generosity and hospitality we experienced at The Lotus Kitchen. Sunny’s vision, combined with Callum’s dedication and the team's hard work, made our day truly memorable. If you're looking for a venue that combines a beautiful setting with outstanding service, look no further. We highly recommend The Lotus Kitchen for any special occasion—you will not be disappointed!Thank you once again to Sunny, Callum, and the incredible team at The Lotus Kitchen for making our wedding day truly unforgettable.

Great food as always. Love a good mix of street food. Lovely views to the marina too.

Great food needs vegan option, staff freindly it gets busy I recommend to book

What a great restaurant! The food here is fantastic, not your average local Indian restaurant where you get a variety of different dishes, the menu is fairly small, portions are average, flavor is definitely not like the others- absolutely fantastic! Our favorite is the dosa which is like a savory crepe with potatoes inside wrapped up, and a variety types of chutneys, and the grilled lamb chops, divine! We always try to come once a month. The service is slow, and practically have to jump up and down for them to take notice of us when the bill is due- maybe offer some dessert? Nope- but I come here for food not the servers- it is what it is- I love it-

Took the kids to Mercia for a quick bite and a wee drink. However, we was never acknowledge by any of the front house staff (although the chef gave us a wave). We waited, and then decided to walk out disappointed.

Haven't enjoyed the food,had dosa,kheema roti and chicken biryani. Masala potato fries was good. Good Ambience but didn't like the food.

Food is acceptable The amount of food is small The prices seem high, possibly because of the location

Excellent food and service. Very busy.

I have been here many times over the last few years, at least a dozen times. It’s quite casual in some ways, no table cloths, staff don’t wear uniforms, cutlery in a pot but this all adds to the charm of the place. I have always found the staff delightful young people. The food is excellent and the prices are very reasonable. I recommend the set menu which you have to ask for. I won’t go anywhere else now.

Food was average however the customer service was appalling….They really don’t care. Many better options close by, won’t be coming back

Fabulous food, great location and attentive staff. Really enjoyed our visit, will definitely be back

A different take (for me at least) on Indian food. Very tasty with excellent service from friendly, helpful staff. Will definitely go again.

We recently visited Lotus for a birthday meal, and unfortunately, our experience was far from satisfactory. The quality of the food was extremely disappointing. The tandoori chicken was soggy, the curry was excessively watery, and the lamb was of poor quality. Overall, we were extremely dissatisfied and disappointed with our visit. We cannot recommend Lotus based on this experience.

Been a regular visitor here for some time now and always found the food and staff great and never had reason to complain. I am quite a fussy eater and at my previous visit I asked for recommendations, which I was extremely grateful for and paid a good tip in recognition of this. However, when visiting this evening and asking for the same Curry, which is on the Takeaway Menu, I was told there would be an additional charge for, which was quite disappointing. Edit - Many thanks for your response. I have seen on your Takeaway Menu the cost of the Lamb Bhuna is £8.50, I totally understand that prices have increased, but I was charged £16. I had been charged additional charges on my previous visit, which I accepted, but almost double is to much.

Great food Only a choice of 4 cocktails .... just means having more of the one you like. Will be back

Very nice ambience and views of the harbour. Not too crowded.

Been here a few times food and drink amazing great location and friendly staff

Absolutely incredible food and very reasonably priced. Highly recommended

First time visiting, and I wasn't disappointed. The food was wonderful (I had the lamb curry), and a good selection of drinks is on offer. The staff are friendly and welcoming. Can't complain about the price either, £112 for four people without tip.

Excellent lively restaurant, the food is excellent and the choices are very good, would highly recommend.

Fabulous in every way! Can’t get enough of it! We live on the marina and pop round on our dog walk for a drink and nibbles! The mushrooms are amazing!

Was turned away today. Was told they was no walk ins available. No explanation at all. The place was practically empty.

My number one favourite Indian restaurant, the menu is slightly different from the norm but every dish is fantastic! The food is so consistently good every time I visit.

Good food, good decor, lovely service. Could improve quantity for the price paid for some items.

There is a great selection to choose from for both vegetarians and non vegetarian. The service is quick and efficient. With the food being hot and really tasty.

Fabulous street food that was tasty and all arrived hot at the same time. Wonderful service from Kevin who was attentive and friendly

Find me a better Indian restaurant 😋

Faultless on every count, have never had a visit to Lotus that's been anything less than 10/10. The food was fantastic as always, as was the service, and the live entertainment was at the perfect volume level to create atmosphere without stopping you from enjoying conversations at your table. Cannot recommend enough.

Starters: Loved the portion size and variety! Gobi Manchurian and Mushroom Kurkure were absolutely delicious - highly recommend the Kurkure! Paneer Tikka was slightly bland, could use a touch more spice or stronger marinade. Mains: Paneer Butter Masala was good, consistent quality expected from a classic dish. Garlic Naan was excellent - light, fluffy, and flavorful. Pilau rice paired well with the mains. Dessert: Chocolate Brownie was a nice sweet ending to the meal. Atmosphere & Service: Great atmosphere for dining - upbeat and enjoyable. Live music was a lovely touch! Overall: I had a very pleasant experience at Lotus Kitchen with a great location. The starters and atmosphere were amazing, and the mains and dessert were good. Would definitely recommend trying the Mushroom Kurkure and Garlic Naan!

Starters: Loved the portion size and variety! Gobi Manchurian and Mushroom Kurkure were absolutely delicious - highly recommend the Kurkure! Paneer Tikka was slightly bland, could use a touch more spice or stronger marinade. Mains: Paneer Butter Masala was good, consistent quality expected from a classic dish. Garlic Naan was excellent - light, fluffy, and flavorful. Pilau rice paired well with the mains. Dessert: Chocolate Brownie was a nice sweet ending to the meal. Atmosphere & Service: Great atmosphere for dining - upbeat and enjoyable. Live music was a lovely touch! Overall: I had a very pleasant experience at Lotus Kitchen. It has a great location. The starters and atmosphere were amazing, and the mains and dessert were good. Would definitely recommend trying the Mushroom Kurkure and Garlic Naan!

It is such a lovely relaxing place to eat. Fantastic food , great service with friendly helpful staff. Would highly recommend

I came with my friends first time visit on Saturday for a birthday meal, I must say I have never came across such a rude staff, service was very poor. Upon arrival I was told there's no tables, after I have explained I've pre booked my table week in advanced, they told me to wait in the waiting area for over 40 min until a table is available. The drinks we ordered came wrong, not once but twice. The food came almost hour late. And we were still missing few of the dishes. The staff weren't accommodating or friendly at all. I understand its busy but a smile and asking if our food is okey should not be too difficult to do. The palak and aloo was very salty, and the lamb chops came raw. After we asked for replacement of the lamb chops it took forever, we had to cancel pay and go. Verry disappointed evening.

A cold welcome upon arrival. One of those places where multiple staff totally ignored us whilst we waited at the entrance. Always a sign of poor staff training. On the way to our table I noticed my shoes were sticking to the floor. 🤮 Our table was rocking like a seesaw and the table top was seemingly unattached to the base. All these things add up to an uncomfortable experience. Starters were excellent and I was hoping the initial impression was wrong. However the main course was bland. ‘How momma would make it’ they said. Not my Momma! It was dull as dishwater. The service was attentive but charmless. The runners had all the charm of a mass grave, and the waitresses were not much better. Nothing that a little staff training couldn’t resolve. Judging by the snotty response below, it's clear the owner doesn't understand good customer service. I wasn't expecting 'immediate attention' from the staff. It's simply courteous for staff to acknowledge the existence of a customer when entering a restaurant and say 'I'll be with you in a moment' rather than walking past us multiple times and ignoring us. And I don't care where your mum was raised and born, the fact remains your curry was bland and uninteresting. Sticky floors and table-tops too. Yuck!

Very good food and service, they willingly managed to do a dish to accommodate one of our party with dietary needs. Relaxed but attentive service.

Delicious food. Highly recommend for vegetarians

We have eaten in and had takeaways and never been disappointed. The most beautiful Indian food we've ever tasted. Every dish is full a flavour, but the cauliflower is our favourite dish. The tapas menu is brilliant for sharing and allowing you to try new dishes. We will continue to keep coming back and highly recommend this place to anybody.

Great all round experience. I had the taster menu which was very tasty and varied, will definitely be going back.

Brilliant night on New Years Eve. Food was delicious. Great atmosphere. Robbie Williams Tribute was fantastic!

Lotus Indian Kitchen is set in a very nice location. The food is all cooked in the kitchen that is on view for all to see. The food is very nice it is all cooked to a medium heat so if you would like it hotter or milder just ask and they are more than happy to oblige. I can recommend the fig and coriander naan (see the picture). Nice atmosphere with a live musician on the night we were there. Very friendly staff which made the whole experience a great evening.

The food was okay, but there were a couple of hiccups. One staff member kept mixing up our sharing platter, saying it’s our individual bowls when it was not, which was very frustrating. Plus, they only gave us a small jug of water for a group of nine people, which wasn't enough. The service could definitely use some improvement. Overall, it was an okay experience, but I hope they work on these issues.

Superb food and hospitality. Highly recommended for quality tasty food

Food was exceptional , service was very attentive.

Food was good: absolutely delicious curries, gorgeous creamy kulfi. Starter of chaat was just ok but lacked a bit of substance and flavour. Chicken tikka was amazingly tender. Service is what really let the experience down. Nobody actually greets you when you arrive or asks if you're ok or are enjoying the food or anything. I appreciate we went on a busy night in the run up to Christmas but we were a couple on a birthday meal and was hoping for a bit more of an all round experience. It's like they can't wait for you to eat and leave. Please put masala chai on the menu!

Deliciously different food, served with a smile.

We visited Lotus kitchen to try out the new brunch menu that’s available on weekends 12-4pm Wow! Such incredible food for such good value! Lotus Thali was £15 and comes with 5 dishes and rice and naan! Totally delicious. We also had Paratha - aloo stuffed flatbread with yoghurt and pickles. Can’t wait to go back! Check out our Instagram @derby_diners for full review. Ad

Absolutely amazing food in the midlands! Made by authentic Indian chef’s 🙌🏼 (unlike other restaurants that claim they’re Indian but are are cooked by Pakistani or Bangladeshi chefs and catered to the British taste) This is the food I grew up eating at home. 100% recommended (but not the nimbu pani 😄 - they lost that one)

Soooo good for a nice sit down meal. And prices are great too!

First time we (group of 4) have been and it was lovely. Although a slightly limited menu all dishes chosen were great, not just a run of the mill currys. Polite helpful staff. Pictures on the website of inside the restaurant don't do it justice. Good atmosphere. We will definitely be going back.

Food was good and made up for the lack lustre service staff. Very young and inexperienced staff chatting and showing each other videos on their phones whilst we were waiting for the bill. We felt ignored and had to get up from the table to get our waiters attention, he was unbothered and unapologetic! Felt like they were on school break time. Also one of the service staff dropped some plates of food on the floor and didn’t bother to clean up properly, just brushing it up leaving sauce and remains ont he floor!! It also smelt of sewage on the right of the restaurant. Don’t think we’ll be returning thanks.

Best Indian place in Derby. Wonderful as usual and service very attentive.

Food and service was fantastic as usual. This place never disappoints! Our waitress Beth was exceptional.

Went here for my mum’s birthday, amazing staff and the food is absolutely fantastic, really enjoyed the evening and would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantastic tasting Indian food.

Really great food, the staff were lovely and atmosphere was great. Will definitely be returning!

Visited yesterday, and 3 of us had a great time. Food was flavoursome and drinks always tasty. Will visit again defo, once lock down is over

Poor service. Slow service. No one cares if you enjoy i or don’t. Food sub standard bartered cauliflower soggy and mushy. Fish finger frozen rubbish Staff rude and unfriendly. We asked fir advice and they nafe us feel stupid

Very noisy a big group of men bad atmosphere

DO NOT BOTHER! The food is mediocre at best, we will NOT be eating at Lotus again and I highly suggest you don’t either. They don’t deserve your money!! They messed up our booking for 9 people, even though we paid a deposit for 9, so there was a delay to be seated. When we asked to order desert and more drinks we were told very rudely they we needed to pay and leave the table as it was only booked for 2 hours. We booked the table on the phone as is it not possible to book online for over 8 people, we were NOT told that we had only booked the table for 2 hours. We were late to be seated at the table by 20 minutes due to their incompetence, which meant we only had 1 hour 40 mins for 9 us of us to eat - how is that even possible? ‘Supervisor’ lacked customer service skills and was very rude. We were celebrating a special birthday and I have to say they completely spoiled our evening.

Great taste, Food was awesome ever tested in UK, Indian hotel outside Derby in place surrounded by lake, nice ambience, free car park.... I will recommend the place for taste and cost wise also not so expensive which I thought. Quick service available and baby dishes also available. Love to dine in again

Amazing food and lovely views of the marina, perfect combination

Delicious food Great atmosphere Friendly staff

Zeer leuk restaurant, heerlijke bediening en uitgebreide uitleg. En natuurlijk lekker eten, met goede prijzen en lekkere vegetarische opties met goede prijzen!!

Absolutely divine food, and exceptional service. We've been to many amazing Indian restaurants in London and this was far better than any of them. Highly recommend!

Another great meal, love this restaurant 😋

Food was amazing as it is everytime I have been

Everything is awesome here no complaints first class enjoyed many thanks

Great food with great vegetarian options.

Quality service and food lovely relaxed atmosphere

We popped in on the off chance on a Sunday evening and were not disappointed! Great food, attentive service, we’ll be back!

Really like it here, tasty food, highly recommend the chilli chicken! Also really nice cocktails, would recommend the top one on the menu. They actually went above and beyond and emailed me to say that they’d moved us from an outside table to indoor due to the weather forecast which I really appreciated. Prompt service, only criticism would be that you don’t get very long to eat, our table was 6:45 and they needed it back for 8 so felt very rushed

Visited on 11.07.23 for a special occasion. We had a lovely table next to the window overlooking the water's edge, really lovely surroundings. Restaurant is large, spacious, fresh and clean, with a big open kitchen so you can see everything being prepared. The staff were all lovely, friendly and polite without being intrusive, the perfect balance. The food was great!! Every single dish was delicious! We went tapas-style so we could try a bit of everything, between three hungry adults we ordered 5 small plates/streetfood plus one rice, one naan, one chips and some raita. This was ample, we were all very satisfied. The tikka dishes (paneer and chicken) were lovely and smoky and flavoursome, the prawns were delicately flavoured and you could taste the individual herbs in the dish (although a few more prawns would have been nice). The highlights were definitely the crunchy chilli chicken which came in a sticky Szechuan-type sauce and the seekh kebab, which was honestly the best i've ever had. Everything was hot and fresh and the ingredients were the best quality. We also had desserts, the chai brownie was apparently nice and gingery, good quality ice cream came with all and the eastern mess was nice and refreshing (although a little less cream and more fruitiness would have been better). Drinks were reasonably priced and there's a good selection of non-alcoholic, highlights being the very herby and slightly spicy Indian lemonade, and the unusual but moorish lychee cooler. Can't wait to go again in the future.

Located in Mercia Marina, this is our favourite place to dine at Sunset, and the food is always delicious. This is Halal btw.

A fantastic afternoon listening to live music by Pancake Boy and Miss Shapen at the band stand at Mercia Marina topped off with a great meal at Lotus Indian restaurant. Good selection of Indian street food and curries. A cut above your standard Indian restaurant menu. We particularly liked the garlic honey prawns and the fig and coriander naan bread. Also if you are not drinking alcohol give the Indian lemonade a try. We will be going back to try some more of the dishes on their menu. Staff very friendly and accommodating and a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

Had a really nice and enjoyable meal with starter main and dessert and drinks. Food was excellent. Service however very poor. Girls were pleasant but service waiting for each course and a long time to get the bill. Also seems as though the menu choices do not change very often at all. Lovely food but the rest no thank you.

Been going to Lotus for quite some time, always been good, service can be slow, as not enough staff! However normally enjoy our visits. Went last Wednesday 21.06.2023, walked in at 6 restaurant quite empty(we normally book but didn't on this occasion. Spoke to a lovely young man, who had to check with his manager if they were accepting walk ins, considering the emptiness of the restaurant inside and outside we thought this would not be an issue especially as we normally only stay for an hour! He came back and advised he had been told to say we are not accepting walk ins tonight!! So we left, however from our car I went online and it allowed me to book a table!! Husband was far from happy, we drove to another more local restaurant and ate elsewhere!!

Amazing food, fabulous service, beautiful setting.

Fabulous food and great service, would thoroughly recommend. The only really minor complaint was that the Eastern mess dessert didn’t have much fruit in it. Really enjoyed the street food though and would definitely book again. Thanks to all

Food was delicious and decor pleasant. We had Briyani and Coconut Chicken which was cooked very well and was very tasty. Definitely worth eating here. The service and staff can improve however. Did not feel welcome as staff are not particularly friendly no service with a smile. The bathrooms were very nice and clean.

Sat outside to eat, what a place. The views are beautiful. Drink orders were taken swiftly, and starters brought out quickly. There was a long wait for mains due to an error in the kitchen, but the staff came over, apologised, and then provided a free drink. Staff were very attentive. Food was sublime and well priced. Will definitely come again

Fully recommend coming here for food.

There were five in our party and some had small plates and some the full Indian dish, both were outstanding. Staff were helpful and very knowledgeable the service was excellent. We sampled the cocktails also excellent. I don't live in the local area but when we visit again I would make this my first choice. I also have to mention Pria (sorry not sure how to spell the name) who went above and beyond in terms of service. Would highly recommend the small plates to anyone visiting so you can sample more of the deliciopus food on offer.

Amazing service amazing food, couldnt get any better service from all of them

Really enjoyed this meal.. Medium sized portions, main is enough to share with a rice & Nan bread for 2 people in a lunchtime..

Fantastic food, and fantastic service, we went on a busy day and still managed to get us a table and the service was incredible.. high recommended!! Ambiance was great too near the marina..

I personally liked my meal. My wife was not impressed with the lamb chops. I don’t like it too spicy but the menu doesn’t say what’s hot and what’s not. Service was a bit slow but friendly. Our party of 6 enjoyed the atmosphere. Good place for meeting with friends who like Indian food.

Fabulous food and great service we will definitely be coming back.

A very nice place to dine, the menu is quite small but better to cook 8 things well rather than 30 poorly.