The best restaurants in East Midlands

My daughter and I visited this week to check out her new University town. We had read the reviews and loved the concept and ethos that makes this place so special so decided to visit. We were not disappointed, what an amazing place. Located within part of the church the atmosphere was airy, calming and relaxing whilst the decor was eclectic, homely and comfortable. We ordered a Pepsi and tea for one which held 2 good cups and was served in the prettiest pot and matching tea cup, the tea was genuinely one of the nicest cups I’ve ever had. We indulged and had a red velvet cake and chocolate brownie ( served warm or cold, with or without ice cream!) and thoroughly enjoyed every delicious mouthful. The service was quick and friendly, the staff were wonderful, so cheerful and welcoming. We spoke at length with one lovely lady who explained more about the charity behind the Rising Cafe and the people they support. She spoke with my daughter who is starting University there next month and made her feel genuinely welcomed to the community. In short The Rising Cafe is an amazing oasis of positivity, good food, joyful atmosphere, genuine, kind staff and a wonderful place to come to whatever your reason for being there, it’s good for the soul. We can’t wait to visit again very soon, this will definitely be our ‘go to place’.

We recently visited Bunty’s for a friend’s Baby Shower. The room upstairs was lovely and the afternoon tea was delicious- there was plenty of food! It was so easy to book and sort it as the staff were so helpful. Would recommend Bunty’s for an event and will definitely visit again.

Cannot express our happiness enough with this place. Gorgeous English charm of the building, very friendly staff and great tasting food. We came in at 159pm and they still served us lunch. Bless them. We had the pulled pork burger...we were expecting a burger bun, with pulled pork and a sauce of some type...we got that...PLUS a burger patty. Luckily we did not also order the garlic bread we initially discussed :) junior had the chicken bites and loved them. What was only meant to be a stop to 'refuel' and then off again turned into a travel yarn of the places we had all visited and where we would go again if able to. We got to make a new friend today - all because we decided to keep off the motorway and tollways :) will visit again the next time we're in the area. Would highly recommend for families, singles and couples - pretty much everyone. If you like good food and great atmosphere then this is the place for you.

What can I say, a fantastic night out with family round the tepanyaki table! I've been to the Spalding branch many times and this is the first time visiting Grantham. The staff were absolutely amazing and the chef Santos was just fantastic! Extremely funny and very talented! Santos kept the whole table engaged whilst cooking up a fantastic meal... If you've never been before, visit as soon as you can!

Outstanding food in taster menu. Fantastic staff, knowledgeable and friendly, beautiful decor, comfortable and relaxed atmosphere.

It's an amazing place with just really nice food. Spicy and flavourful just as well as comforting! Peshwari naan and chicken tandoori curry is just too good of a combo. Salty and sweet

We went for dinner last night, with another couple. My wife had the belly pork....it was delicious and the crackling was so lovely. Our friends had sreak, cooked to perfection. I had the Mexican chicken salad.....THE best salad I have ever had. Nice staff. The owner was lovely, and came to chat. If you're in the area, you must try the Barley Mow.

A Little Gem of a restaurant, we booked an evening meal and we not disappointed. We arrived at a busy point in the evening and thought we were in for a bad experience. How wrong could we have been. The staff and owner were very friendly and welcoming. The food was extremely good and portions were wholesome. For the mains I opted for the Wagyu burger and my wife the pork ribs. You would need a huge appetite to get through both. The rack of ribs was a full rack for one. Fortunately, they did a doggie bag. Although a very busy service the attentive waiting staff was only surpassed by the level of the food from the kitchen. Another welcome surprise was the bill 2 rounds of drinks 2 starters and 2 main under £80. The same quality of food and service in a Home County restaurant would attract at least another £30-£40. Top restaurant that delivers on service/friendliness, quality of food, portion and price. I would go out of my way to have another meal here.

Fantastic food and service as usual, we have become regular diners here, the lovely Ria was very professional and was very welcoming thanks again to all the team !

We had a lovely breakfast here and the staff very accommodating for me, my friend and my daughter. This is my 5th, possibly 6th time coming here and would always highly recommend.

We celebrated my mum’s 90th birthday at the Tea house with afternoon tea for 13 people.The food was presented nicely and was delicious.Everyone enjoyed the afternoon,we were made very welcome and nothing was too much trouble for the staff.Lovely quaint tea room and the park opposite is great for a stroll to walk down your meal!

We ordered a afternoon lunch selection for 25 people at our baby shower in Lincoln. The owner Dez could not do enough to meet our requests. He delivered a fantastic spread. The selection of sandwiches were delicious and he catered for everyone’s dietary needs. His homemade sausages and his scones with cream and strawberries went down a storm. They delivered to our venue, which took away all the added stress. Thanks again for delivering us a lovely spread on our special day. We will definitely use Margaret’s Tea Rooms a again.

Man I love Ajs, food is always spot on, hotdogs are best in Leicester for sure but above all it’s the customer service that makes you go back and back and back. I’ve never seen the guy not smile, true testament to Leicester, he’s one of the few guys that reminds you why customer service is still important. Legend of the city for a reason, top food, great prices and all-round lovely guy!

A fabulous hidden gem! They have a brilliant menu, all made fresh to order. We had the most incredible lunch ever (best we’d had in years), so a week later we came back & ordered the same again. Great menu, great service, fantastic food and oh the CAKES are magnificent too!!! Best food in Lincolnshire that we’ve ever had. Superb in every way. Great staff & spotlessly clean!

We ordered the scrumptious afternoon tea for two for collection and it was incredible. Not only were the treats amazingly tasty, but the service was excellent and very friendly. Thanks you!!!