Stairway to Roast Heaven at Piccalilli Nottingham
Published On Sunday 12 Oct 2025 by Sticky Beak
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Another Sunday rolled around, and we all know what that means… time for one of the best meals: an iconic British Roast Dinner. Heading off for Nottingham city, The Man Bird was well prepped with his NCP app and, having parked up, we swaggered to the lifts like big-ballers, only to find that both lifts were out of order!! Brought down to earth pretty smartish, we trudged down the six flights of stairs – already dreading the return journey (which would be with a full tummy, too, to add insult to injury). Please get this sorted out NCP – this really isn’t good enough for those that need accessibility; no point having disabled parking bays if you can’t then get to the city!
This particular foray was to Piccalilli, at the very kind invitation of Chef Dan Coles, and we had visited the premises before, when it was Kushi-Ya. If you haven’t been, the restaurant is tucked away at the end of a narrow passage, in Cannon Court (just off Long Row), and a chic black logo on a white wall announces its location. Behind the black, latched door is the ground-floor entrance, complete with huge mirror and foliage display; go up the stairs and you’re rewarded with the stylishly open, loft-vibe restaurant and its plethora of features.
Solid Oak ceiling beams, darker rafters, exposed redbrick walls, latched side windows and grille-decorated skylights, created a cosy interior, assisted by modern, dove-grey pendant lights and swathes of dried-flower arrangements that decorated the walls. Enhancing the cosy feel were warm-toned bulbs in the lights that cast an amber glow throughout the space. A well-stocked bar takes centre-stage as you reach the top of the stairs, with the 32 dining seats being mainly to the periphery of the restaurant – including a couple of swanky banquettes. True foodies will appreciate the fact that the kitchen is open, so you can savour the theatrics of a working kitchen and make it part of your dining experience.
As we were seated, our server immediately offered water for the table and left us to peruse the drinks list and the food menu. His Nibs had a pint of Thornbridge Brewery’s Green Mountain session IPA, and I opted for a large glass of Beaujolais. Cocktails feature heavily at Piccalilli, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, and there are plenty of cordials and juices for smaller diners; yes, Piccalilli is child-friendly and there are even highchairs for teeny-tinies.
Call me bad, but I’d skipped to the dessert section of the menu and decided on my final course before I’d even looked at anything else! What this did though, was convince me to forego a snack/nibble/ small starter and dive straight in for the Topside of Beef (£18.50) for my main. The Man fancied the sound of the Braised Pork Belly (£18), swerving the ‘faux Lamb’ like a true committed carnivore. All the roasts at Piccalilli come with Roast Potatoes, Yorkshire Pudding, Hispi Cabbage, Celeriac Purée, and Gravy. There is a trio of sides as well, ranging between a fiver and £6, and we went for all three (as you do!): Davidstow Cheddar Cauliflower Cheese, Braised Red Cabbage, and Honey-glazed Carrots and Parsnips.
Diners that were ahead of us had their meals presented, and we sniffed appreciatively as the aromas hit our nostrils; my tummy rumbled embarrassingly loudly at one of the meals that went past, and I muttered “you’ll just have to wait your turn!” at it. Chef Dan and his Sous were working like proper troopers though, bless them, and it wasn’t long before our feast was with us.
I had two very generous slices of Beef on my plate, beautifully pink in the centre and with a depth of flavour that had me smiling in delight. Tender and juicy, this Beef had been cooked really skilfully to showcase its potential to the full. Equally fab was His Nibs’ rolled Pork Belly; this was rich and savoury, with ridiculously tender fibres that melted instantly in the mouth. Chef had given this morsel some extra ‘oomph’ in the form of a vibrant, herby stuffing, reminiscent of Stuffed Chine (a Lincolnshire speciality, though this is made from cured, brined Pork Shoulder). The Celeriac Purée, anchoring the meats to our plates, perfectly encapsulated autumn vibes with its sweet, earthy, nutty flavour; this makes a fab alternative to Mashed Potato and meant that the plentiful Roasties [in a separate dish] could claim all the spud glory.
I kid you not when I say that Dan’s roasties are.the.BOMB! Pleasingly large, each Potato was golden and crisp on the outside, eliciting an audible crunch when bitten into; and the flavour? Oh, be still my beating heart: expertly seasoned, there was also a hint of herb to be treasured. On each plate, there was a quarter of charred Hispi Cabbage whose inherent sweetness had been concentrated by the heat. More caramelly sweetness came via the chunks of Carrot and Parsnip in their bowl; these were comforting soft (not squidgy), and fragrantly honeyed.
A pleasant surprise came from the Braised Red Cabbage; rather than being sweet as is the usual, this gorgeously spice-pimped offering had a sharp tang at its edge – one that was absolutely sublime in its balance. Still nicely firm to the bite, this was a knock-out side dish. Regular readers of the blog will know how we worship at the altar of Cauli Cheese and will be pleased to hear that the version at Piccalilli passes muster easily. Hitting that perfect ‘comfort’ texture, the vegetable was bathed in a rich, unctuous Cheese Sauce that had us scraping every last scrap out of the metal skillet it was served in – when something is this tasty, dignity goes out of the window! All these bold elements needed a liquid partner that wouldn’t be missed and the intense Gravy swaggered over our palate with confidence.
Whilst we’d been chomping away, the serving team had checked back with us and kept an eye on our drinks, too. We were effusive in our praise as the young lady came to clear away the assortment of plates, bowls and dishes, and she smiled happily, even teasing that were we “sure you can’t finish that last, lone Roast Potato?”. Great customer care really enhances the dining experience, and it certainly is top-notch at Piccalilli.
We had thought that we’d got our dessert choices in the bag, but then came the specials board! His Nibs couldn’t resist the sound of the Treacle Tart and Ale Ice Cream (£10), and I vacillated between the Parsnip Cake, Salted Butterscotch Sauce and Cream Cheese Ice Cream (£9.50) and the Bramley Apple and Custard Mille-Feuille (£10.50). The cheeky bi*ch in me came out and I enquired if I could possibly have the Mille-Feuille to take home, hearing my dearly departed Nana saying “if you don’t ask, you don’t get”. I do just want to say, though, that we did offer to pay for this – I’m not ‘that’ girl!
Obviously, I’ve had Carrot Cake [a-plenty] over my life, and Courgette Cake, too, for that matter; I’ve never had Parsnip Cake though, and was looking forward to trying it. If there was a love-child of Carrot Cake and Sticky Toffee Pudding, this would be it…and that is no bad thing at all, let me just say. Texturally, it was akin to Carrot Cake, with that irresistible moistness and mid-density to it, and the Sticky Toffee was ably represented by an exquisite Salted Butterscotch that left me wanting more. Bringing balance, and some levity to the glee of the Cake, was a scorchingly indulgent Ice Cream that had a glorious tang at its base: props to the Cream Cheese. This dessert certainly served some heavy feels, lighting up my brains’ pleasure centre.
On this occasion, both of us had been hanging our noses for all the desserts, which calls for us to play nicely and share. His Nibs was every bit as smitten as me with the Parsnip Cake and, given his usual aversion to this strong veg, this was no mean feat! The Parsnip wasn’t particularly strong, so even if you don’t like it, I would recommend you try this pud; it provided the ‘body’ as well as the moistness, rather than putting its fragrant character centre stage.
Ever the gent, The Man reciprocated by popping a spoonful of his Treacle Tart (topped with some Ale Ice Cream) over to me. Chef wasn’t done with us yet, keeping a couple of tricks up his talented sleeve, even now; take the Tart itself: renowned for being tooth-tappingly sweet, Dan’s interpretation was blessedly less sugar-centric. The sumptuous filling was gently grainy, with the most wonderful [lightly] crisp top, rather than being predictably soft; honestly, this was amazing. Displaying his craft mastery again, Chef had partnered Vanilla Ice Cream with just a caress of malty, hoppy depth, and this was just the understated flourish that stitched the dessert together seamlessly.
Now, I bet you’re wondering about the Bramley Apple and Custard Mille-Feuille? His Nibs and I had this for our supper as we were binge-watching a TV series, and it was utterly delicious. This was an altogether more sophisticated dessert, and by that, I mean that the flavour profile and texture was subtle and delicate. For a starter, you’ve got the impossibly thin layers of puff pastry that melt on the tongue, and these are nestled between set custard that is itself cocooning and extremely moreish. Then factor in the Apple, a slighter more insistent note - but one that still remains coquettish - and you have yet another totally banging dessert!!
At lunch and in the evenings (other than Sunday), Piccalilli offer a ‘small plate’ style of dining which is perfect for groups or for when you want a ‘picky’ meal. The menus change seasonally, so that everything you eat is at its peak, and Chef champions local producers (both food and drink) where possible to offer diners a varied, eclectic choice that you maybe won’t get elsewhere.
Hot Wings more than happily given to this superb, independent restaurant in Nottingham.
Piccalilli is closed Mon-Weds, opening Thurs-Sat Noon-3pm for lunch service, and 5-9pm for dinner, Sunday (roast day), Piccalilli is open Noon-3pm. To book a table call 0115 648 6498, or visit www.piccalillinottingham.co.uk and hit the ‘reservations’ button in the right-hand corner; you can view current menus on the website, too.
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