Step through the door at Nettle and you’ll find yourself in a space that feels both timeless and fresh – a neighbourhood restaurant where vintage charm meets contemporary comfort. Antique brass lighting glows warmly over rich green banquettes, while walls adorned with still-life paintings bring a sense of quiet artistry to the room. It’s the kind of place that invites you to linger, whether over breakfast with the morning papers, a glass of wine and small plate at lunch, or a long, convivial dinner that stretches well into the evening.
Nettle is the vision of Iain, who brings nearly three decades of hospitality experience and a knack for creating food that looks as good as it tastes. The menu of modern European small plates encourages sharing, grazing, and sampling, an accessible way to eat that suits both casual drop-ins and celebratory feasts. One plate with a glass of crisp white? Perfect. Four plates shared between friends with a carafe of red? Even better.
The ethos here runs deeper than just flavour. Sustainability is stitched into every aspect of the restaurant, from sourcing to design. Ingredients are carefully chosen from trusted local suppliers: Pasture for Life accredited farmers ensure meat is 100% pasture-fed; fish comes from MSC-certified Hodgson Fish; and vegetables are sourced from nearby growers to reduce transport miles. Every part of the animal is used where possible, minimising waste while celebrating the variety of cuts and flavours.
Even the building tells a story of community and craft. Interiors have been restored and furnished using reclaimed and upcycled materials, from the old bar salvaged from a local hotel to scaffold-board tables fashioned by a nearby joiner. The dry clay plaster on the walls is completely natural and toxin-free, while the banquettes are made from natural leather, a by-product of the meat industry, hand-stitched by local makers.
This thoughtful approach creates a dining room that feels rooted in its neighbourhood while aspiring to something bigger: a restaurant that nourishes, delights, and treads lightly on the planet. Nettle may be small, but it has the kind of character and integrity that makes it feel like a place you’ll return to again and again.