Nalaas in Derby

Just visited the restaurant, the food was really bad as well as the service. The main course came really late , expected more but disappointed. Will never visit again !!!! 👍🏻

Testy food , reasonable price .👍

Visit to this place can never go wrong. It’s like a food temple for me. This is a comfort place for me. I have tried so many of their dishes and all have been just perfect! You go there once and you will go there every time. I prefer this place over any exotic restaurant. It’s a very simple restaurant with high quality food. Very decent prices and lovely atmosphere and amazing service.

Food tastes consistently good. Top notch. It's becoming busy: getting popular. I feel that it needs expansion. There is a queue to get in during the weekend always. There are a couple of tiny tables outside of one fancies alfresco dining

Staff were nice. Food taste and ambience is sub standard for the price they charge . Floor is ultra smoooth and they have metal chairs with curved foot support without proper rubber bushes, my aunt slipped and fell down as the chair skid and toppled. Be mindful.

Nice place to visit with family and friends. Food was amazing with South Indian vibes .very hygienic place .

Smell in food , didnt take card payment as well, service also not upto mark... didnt like it and didnt recommend to anybody.

meat to rice % ratio, is to heavy on the rice, £10.45 for 3 medium size pieces of lamb or chicken meat and rest just rice. I glad I tried it, as the flavour is bang on! But I was left wanting more, I will to try another dish.

We tried Dosa for the first time in life but did not particularly enjoy it, not flavourful. We tried Manchurian chicken but it was made fully dry rather than the traditional curry way and tasted very similar to the Chilli chicken we had. We had Chocolate milkshakes which were yummy and Mango lassi was a bit too thick for us. They do not accept card payments so a big inconvenience in 2025 where everywhere Card payments are preferred. I had to go around to find a cash machine and luckily I had a debit card on me. If not I couldn't dine there at all and they mostly run on reservations system so gor the food they serve it's not worth it. Lots of things which are not customer friendly and food not to my taste so will not be visiting again.

Food is good. Can enjoy for one time. Will suggest for a single visit.

Excellent staff and service. Amazing food.

Stunning food, great service and warm,100% going back

Very disappointing experience. The food was not tasty and overpriced. The service was slow and unfriendly. I expected better for the price, but it was not worth it. Not recommended

What an absolutely delightful gem! We had the very best Indian meal ever. I never wanted it to end! Thankyou to the lovely super helpful Ladies & to the Chefs. Our food was delicious. We have found our new go to. We will be back for sure. To think, we almost gave up looking for the door!

Nala's Indian Restaurant offers a truly exceptional dining experience, serving authentic Indian cuisine that caters to diverse palates. The menu boasts an impressive array of dishes, including standout appetizers like the Chicken 65. This flavorful dish features boneless chicken bites seasoned with a blend of spices that deliver a delightful kick. For main courses, Nala's presents an aromatic selection of biryanis. The Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani is a must-try, with tender chicken pieces layered with fragrant basmati rice and traditional spices. Vegetarians will appreciate the Veg Dum Biryani, which combines a medley of vegetables with perfectly cooked rice, infused with rich flavors. The restaurant also features a variety of curries, including the popular Tikka Masala, paired perfectly with freshly baked Garlic Naan. To complement your meal, consider trying the refreshing Mango Lassi, a yogurt-based drink that balances the spices of the dishes. Nala's commitment to authentic flavors and quality ingredients makes it a top choice for Indian cuisine enthusiasts.

Very popular.Need to book. Tiny venue with delicious and authentic food

Always lovely food here, especially the dosas

Great South Indian food, friendly and good value. Hidden gem!

The shop, not too shabby.. very good food. Just like a proper South Indian meal. Worth the try. Dosa is the best.

The food is really good. Authentic Indian style cooking with a taste of Tamil essence in it. Really loved the food and service. Crispiness in the food was amazing with every bite

My favourite restaurant in Derby for Tamil cuisine. The only problem is that the consistency of taste is not there. I have visited them couple of times, every time the taste changes which does not look good for the restaurant. That being said, when it hits, the taste is very good. Sometimes the delivery was better than the dine in food which is strange! Dine in: Paneer dishes didn't had the flavour inside it. It was as if the cubes were tossed in a ketchup sauce and provided. Instead the Gobi dishes were lip smacking and fantastic! We order 2 extra plate on Gobi 65 & manchurian ❤️ It's the only restaurant to have masala vadai ❤️ My favourite snack to go ! Suggestion: *The space is too small and the air conditioning is worse which makes the environment warm. Best way is to get bigger space or improve the air conditioning for better experience. *Also the Cash payment is a bummer. Cards not accepted :(

What a lovely little gem of a place. Ive been a few times now with friends and it never dissapoints. Good service Starters are always nice The Dosas are always made to perfection Great company😉

We just came first time but service and food is just lovely. We tried masala dosa and paneer butter masala and it was amazing.

Wonderful staff experience and services ..yummy tasty food if anyone craving for South Indian (tamil) food this place is for you 😋

Fantastic evening meal for 9. The food was superb and very good value. Saag Lamb highky recommended. Will be revisiting soon. Thank you

After years of eating there the meals have always been consistently amazing. The staff are always great too!

Great little hidden gem. I really need to look for it to see it. Dosa is great, and prices are good. The only downside i would say is that they need to accept card payments

A very good South Indian food especially dosa, idly , filter coffee etc

Very good food and very good service

Great place, great food! Don't let the appearance of the entrance fool you or put you off. The food is amazing and flavoursome. Please be aware....it is cash only.

Meats were all-right tried lamb and chicken and fish. Bhindi was fried and cooked so dry and not fresh. Masala Dosa was ok but the small dish that came with it were small portion. Fish Mooli was ok but with too much onions. Gobi starter was nice. Atmosphere was lively although being a small place.

This was a nice surprise as the restaurant is almost hidden away in Monk Street. It was a real pleasure to eat here. The food was excellent and the service very good. We came with a guest from southern India who was very impressed with the food. We hope to return soon.

I have to say my first experience has been poor. The lamb biryani is mostly all bone and gristle and pretty bland. The rice was very spicy, also a bit bland. Cash only It's such a shame. I was really hungry and left with basically a bowl of rice In the picture right is all bone, on the left little meat, a lot of gristle 😔

We went there for the good lady's birthday lunch. Was surprised how busy it was and was glad I had booked a table. Although their curries are excellent we opted for 'street food' - pooris and spicy potatoes, Gobi 69, chilli chicken. It really is an excellent alternative to a normal; curry house.

Don't be put off by the location and first appearance, Nalaas has amazing authentic indian food and really friendly staff. We had a great night here. Word of warning its cash only! And the nearest place to get cash is a shop down the road so come prepared!

Always satisfy your palate, really amazing food and service.

One of my favourite places to go and eat. The food is incredible and it’s relaxed and really friendly. I love the thalis and masala dosas.

Very good, Biri had good hydrabadi taste. Masala and ghee roast all tasted good. The tea was also very 😊

A Taste of Tamil Nadu I've recently had the pleasure of dining at Nalaas twice, and I'm absolutely blown away. The food is incredibly authentic, and it felt like I was transported straight back to Tamil Nadu. The four dishes I tried – kothu paratha, chettinadu chicken, paneer dosa, and ghee roast – were all absolutely top-notch. The flavors were vibrant, and the textures were perfect. The chutneys were the cherry on top, adding a delightful complexity to each dish. On top of the amazing food, the restaurant itself was clean and well-maintained. The staff was friendly and attentive, and the toilets were also spotless. If you're looking for a truly authentic Tamil Nadu dining experience in a clean and comfortable setting, I highly recommend giving Nalaas a try. You won't be disappointed! P.S they are a cash only restaurant and parking is free

The food is excellent, and the experience is amazing. Their dosa is particularly outstanding—definitely worth a visit. Highly recommended!

Don’t be put off by the view from outside. This is a hidden gem. Outstanding food and service. Highly recommend. The lamb saag was delicious, and while I didn’t have it, the dosa looked amazing. Will definitely be back 🙂

Excellent South Indian food. Good to know they have another outlet in Nottingham named Thambis kitchen.

Nice little restaurant. Bigger on the inside than what you would expect. Food was brilliant with lots of options. A little on the hot side but still great. The service staff are great. The seating area is nice. One downside I felt was that the food was brought to the table slowly and not everyone I went with received their food at the same time. Lots of waiting for everything to be brought out.

Fantastic food would recommend!

Best place for south Indian food especially DOSA

We had the pleasure of visiting this establishment during a business trip and we are convinced that it is an excellent place with very good cuisine. The food made a great impression on us.

Nothing beats Nalaas, we’ve been so many times and keep returning. There is no Indian like it. Amazing food, reasonable prices and amazing staff. We are lucky to have this restaurant!!!!

A little while since I visited, just so good. From the outside it looks like a shed, inside it’s a modern minimalist restaurant. The front of house staff were so charming and helpful, but the kitchen staff produce wonderful South Indian specialties. All 3 courses, bit greedy were cooked with care and precision. From the dosa through paneer to the semolina dessert, they were all exquisite. Wish I hadn’t waited for 2 years before I came back. Final point, value is better than anywhere else. Go there, but Dave a chair for me!!

One of the best South Indian restaurant in Derby

The food here is absolutely delicious..😋

Perfect place for contemporary south Indian food!! The taste is home like and service is quick and very professional!

Food is very excellent and atmosphere was great with good song's played out .service was good. Only issue I faced was it's cash only .

Small quaint restaurant, make sure you book to get a table. Been a couple of times. Food is excellent. Cash only

One for those who like real Indian food cooked well.Huge menu for tiny place.Charming service and usually full so book in advance.

The ambience and customer service were good. Portion sizes were just right. However , the majority of the dishes we ordered lacked authentic South Indian flavors and hence the 3 star rating. They were good, but just not what your taste buds are used to having them back home.

The best South Indian food I've ever had! Had an amazing dosa, uttapam and idli; an amazing aubergine dish and a fantastic palak paneer. We felt very welcome and the service was great :) 10/10 recommended, a must visit in Derby! All I would say is that the menu could do with being re-written to make it clearer what the differences between dishes are and split the lunch menu into sections e.g. dosa in one section and idli in another to make it easier to choose what the eat as there is a lot of choice.

One of the finest South Indian restaurant in UK. They provide both Veg and Non-veg options suitable for customers spice tolerance. Authentic and Tasty food. They have the most friendliest front staffs I've seen. The service is extremely good.

Well served and quality food!! Worth visiting. :)

An authentic South Indian culinary journey!! This is my 2nd time visiting Nalaas, I tried everything from crisp dosas to the flavorful sambar and the aromatic biriyanis. The ambiance is inviting, with a touch of traditional charm, and the service is attentive, ensuring a delightful dining experience. Whether you're a seasoned fan of South Indian cuisine or a curious newcomer, Nalaas Restaurant is a must-visit destination for a memorable adventure.

Just tried to order food to pick up and trying to speak to the woman over the phone was like speaking to a wall. Customer service 1/10 infuriating. Painful experience- avoid.

My favourite place to eat Dosa ..the best dosa ever 👌

Food tastes good 👍🏻 Only Cash 👎🏻

I take shambar just now and they charge me 4.99 and sambar test is so bad like they don't know how to cook don't buy again

One of the best South Indian restaurant in UK .We live in Edinburgh whenever we go to England we used to have food in NALAAS derby. Their taste is so yummy .Everyone must try Atleast once in their life from here

I went with my family to this restaurant, we like the variety of south Indian options, we would always dine in this restaurant whenever we are in Derby.

Authentic south indian restaurant. Very good food. Been visiting 3rd time from Cambridge.

Wow! What an amazing place. Went with friends on their recommendation. The exterior is very unassuming and the interior is quite basic- but comfortable and perfectly adequate to enjoy your meal. the staff are very welcoming and always smiling. The food- just wow!! This is a curry house with a difference. The flavours are awesome and you may find dishes you have never tried before. Those dosas are really lovely. Plain or with different fillings. The fish curry was delicious. Very busy on the Saturday we went. Cash only. Well worth a visit. Menu describes food as Southern Indian.

Amazing well priced food would 100% recommend

The best Indian food I have had in the area. The place is small and it is recommended to reserve in advance. The food is delicious and the service is great. Keep in mind that it only accepts cash payments. The mango lassi is delicious. The quality of the food is above other Indian restaurants in the city. The prices are reasonable.

The best south Indian restaurant so far. The food was incredibly delicious. We had an amazing time of foodgasm there. Tried Mysore masala dosa, chicken fried rice, chicken biryani, Malabar porotta, and lamb dum biryani. Out of these I fell in love with the lamb dum- the best ever that I've eaten in the UK - the meat was perfectly cooked with the biryani flavour proportionate throughout. I would highly recommend Nalaas to everyone who wants to taste some Tamil flavours and I can bet that you would not be disappointed...

The best south Indian restaurant so far. The food was incredibly delicious. We had an amazing time of foodgasm there. Tried Mysore masala dosa, chicken fried rice, chicken biryani, Malabar porotta, and lamb dum biryani. Out of these I fell in love with the lamb dum- the best ever that I've eaten in the UK - Every other place I went( it will taste rubbery with flavour) However at Nalaas the meat was perfectly cooked with the biryani flavour proportionate throughout. I would highly recommend this place to everyone who wants to taste some Tamil flavours and I can bet that you would not be disappointed. Ladies, you're the best...

Hidden gem, would never of come or ever seen this restaurant if it wasn't for my friend. Outside I was thinking where have you brought me too you crazy woman! But as the doors opened I was really impressed it was so cute the smell was so amazing. The staff that greeted us were super friendly . For starters we had onion pakoras..fantastic! Followed by some massive crispy pancake thing that was filled with spicy potato ..tasty then the main we shared some vegetarian dish that had a bit of everything that was 50/50 I like 50% of the dish and the rice was a bit pain but good to try, I now know what to ask for.

Excellent south Indian food. The service was awesome. We are from London and tried many south Indian restaurants here but none of them could come close to Nalaas. Thanks again for the wonderful service and food.

Overall Experience was great but they don’t accept card. Had run to ATM to get some cash.

Great food for a good price. They have the best biryani in Derby.

Good and Tasty food.Good Customer Service 👍

Best Indian food in Derby, authentic southern Indian food.

Good service and price , staff are very friendly

I ordered Masala Dosa, Chicken Biriyani, coffee and Mango Lassi. Everything were very tasty and really worth of money. Especially Masala dosa, I feel the exact taste of dosa in Uduppi Bevan in South India. Also the ambience and services was excellent.

A wonderful Derby secret. It’s a FANTASTIC restaurant. The food is the best in Derby if you want Indian / South Indian.

Derby's hidden gem. You would miss this place if you didn't know it was there. Enter through its modest entrance and you are greeted with a smiling team and colour. The menu is spicy, tasty and vibrant South Indian menu! Chicken pepper fry, chicken chettinad, gobi 65 and fish 65 are highly recommended! This is a must for authentic Indian food in Derby.

Update: since the review was first written they’ve renovated the restaurant, and it is a lot more pleasant. They still don’t have a card machine so remember to bring cash. That is the only downside. It is very hard to come across South Indian food in Derby. Taste is perfect and the price is very cheap. Atmosphere, location, cleanliness of the restaurant let it down, otherwise it would of been 5 stars.

Great service and food was good...

Absolutely stunning food. Tried the chicken 65, veg thali with a lamb side dish. Everything tasted exquisite and the staff were so friendly and helpful, we will be back for sure 😊

Excellent south Indian food. Few parking available. Must try: south indian thali Note: cash only. No cards/transfer

Great place to eat! Food delicious Service excellent Prices reasonable Can’t fault it. Hopefully they’ll either takeover the shop next door or move, so they don’t have to turn guests away. It’s always busy.

Every time i order i specifically ask for the dish to be made hot/spicy and yet 60% of the time it comes mild/standard. - updating my review to 4 star as the restaurant has taken my feedback onboard and improved 👍

The foods delicious. But, appalled at the service and the attitude! They just dumped the stack of plates rather than one per person. There were 4 of us and they gave us 3 plates expecting one of us to use the plate that the dish was served in! When questioned I got the dagger looks !!! Unbelievable.+ it’s cash only with no option to pay by card unusual approach in 2024!

Food is pretty good, wish they were closer to Sheffield

Food was really good. We ordered chicken 65, kothu porotta, Ghee roast, masala chai and some other drinks. Really loved the chicken 65. Parking is bit of a problem. Cash only

Brilliant South Indian cuisine. Recently refurbished and the prices are excellent too.

Great place for South Indian cuisine. Tali meals is good. Not spacious as others and there are limited seating available Book in advance Limited parking Cash only

I’ve eaten here three times and the food is usually good. However, the staff who are serving have poor knowledge, for example, today I ordered Gobi Manchurian which I’ve had many times as half my family are Indian and live near China town in Kolkata. However, what they served me today was sloppy and wet. This was a pity because I’ve had it at Nalaas before and it was very good. Anyway, I called to tell them. When I explained that it was sloppy and didn’t seem to have been properly fried they said Gobi Manchurian isn’t fried and that’s why it’s moist. I think they tried saying this because they I assumed from my accent that I don’t know Indian food. They did offer me a refund if I go again. I appreciate this but I would have rather they considered my feedback and not given me a nonsense answer based on their perception of my ethnicity and hence food knowledge.

It’s the only place in derby where you can experience an authentic South Indian cuisine. The staff is very friendly , accommodating and welcoming.

Very regular Customer for Nalas, food always very authentic south indian taste, every time felt like home, I never mind paying in cash or card or any other method of payment, every business has own rights of payment methods, as a customer we should not complaint about it. Nalas never fails to deliver tasty food

Food is average like any other restaurant. What is annoying is the cash business only. If someone want dine with family then make sure you carry good cash, otherwise you may struggle to find nearest cash machine. It is very inconvenience in digital world, not sure why can't they accept card?

Authentic and delicious food. The lovely ladies managing and serving make you feel at home. The fish curry is one of the best I've had since moving to the UK, we drive down from Nottingham to eat it! Would recommend the non veg thali and dosas.

Visited during a busy lunch hour weekend. - Dosas, Sambar Idly, Veg Manchurian were very good. - Kadai Paneer was very watery with no salt or flavour at all. Paneer was over fried too. Shocking quality as Chef definitely didn’t know how to make it. - Naan option wasn’t available, so we had to choose between Parotta/Chapathi. - Veg Noodles not up to the mark, quite dry. Overall, South Indian options are a safe bet than the North Indian / Chinese ones. Must mention the lovely staff !

Best place for south Indian food especially dosa amazing

One of the best South Indian restaurants I have been to. Food is amazing, so is there hospitality!