The Pepperpot Derby review: All about our five-star lunch at Derby's luxurious new restaurant

If you had told me Bridgerton and Great Gatsby vibes can be found in Derby city centre, I would have told you to stop being daft and quit getting my hopes up.

That was until I visited The Pepperpot for a spot of lunch on Monday afternoon.

It is one of the city’s newest openings which comprises a luxurious café, cocktail bar, and restaurant in a 200-year-old building on London Road.

The dining area in a stylish glass extension is where the action takes place, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are served seven days a week.

Read more: Derby food & drink

It opened on Valentine’s Day and remains the talk of the town, mainly because there is nothing quite like it in the city.

Sweeping steps leading up to the restaurant could well be part of a Bridgerton set.

The plush concierge area channels Great Gatsby vibes, where you can almost imagine Leo DiCaprio popping up from behind the midnight blue and gold scalloped bar.

Regal vibes continue inside, with deep teals and ochre-mustard-toned upholstery, and luxe cushions that wouldn’t be out of place in Harrods.

Glancing around the restaurant, there were couples on dates, ladies who lunched and even a business meeting taking place where two men referred to their laptop whilst eating.

The varied crowd showcases The Pepperpot’s diverse appeal.

There are plenty of eye-catching dishes on the menus.

One is Danish Pastry French Toast with marmalade ice-cream, the icy component whose fans include one domestic goddess and Nigel Slater.

As this was part of the breakfast menu which stopped being served at 12pm, I dined from the lunch menu instead.

There is a lunch offer on at the moment which looked so good, we couldn’t help but hunker down and take refuge from the cold.

The two-course lunch offer is £22.50, or three courses for £29.50.

I started with Waldorf, which is a take on the 19th century salad of apple, celery and walnut.

Turning the traditional salad offering on its head, humble goats cheese is elevated to star of the show in a glorious panna cotta with a slight wobble.

Pouring an emerald green, celery juice and parsley emulsion, table-side is a stroke of genius. 

I haven’t seen this amount of care lavished on a starter for a long time.

When is a salad not a salad?

I was intrigued by a fellow diner’s comment from an adjacent table who said the Mackerel 'Salad' was “big.”

How big could it be?

Rolls of silver-skinned mackerel glinting in the sun were a joy to look at.

The addition of moon-shaped beet made this a stunner of a dish, while horseradish butter packed a subtle punch to cut through the unctuous flesh.

The portion was large, which may not be easy to see as the plates are gigantic too.

I was so full from the mackerel, that I asked the kitchen to delay bringing out dessert, to give me a short break.

The Orchard dessert served up a boozy treat with a side of Calvados ice cream.

Baked apple with a bite, atop a lightly spiced cardamom sponge was a strong finish to the meal. 

The dish may appear to be on the small side, but there is a lot going on here.

I especially enjoyed the lacy tuile, whose buttery texture I am still thinking about 24 hours later.

I found food and drink from this menu competitively priced. 

There is a substantial amount of mackerel in the main, and at another table, diners were served fish and chips whose beer-battered haddock also appeared huge.

Prices of drinks were a surprise.

As this is a luxury bar, with hotel bar vibes, I was expecting to find the cost of my favourite cocktail to be in the region of £12 and upwards. 

An Old Fashioned cocktail at Cosy Club is £10.25, at Pepperpot, it is cheaper, priced at £10. 

Head Chef Joe Wood and his team are undertaking some very clever cooking in the kitchen. 

This comes from a deep respect for ingredients and a creative mind that creates avant-garde dishes with inventive plating.

That beautiful bar has pretty much guaranteed a return visit. Next time that Danish Pastry French toast will be all mine. 

The two-course lunch offer is £22.50, or three courses for £29.50. Address: The Pepperpot, Nightingale Quarter, London Road, Derby DE1 2UH

For more information visit the restaurant’s website by clicking here.