Derby restaurant hits milestone 1,000th customer at prime city centre location

Derby’s South Indian restaurant House Boat in the city centre has welcomed its 1,000th customer - and the owner is keen to thank the people of Derby for the warm welcome.

House Boat is one of Derby’s newest additions to the dining scene.

It opened its doors on St Peter’s Street at the former site of Swiss Cottage café in August 2024.

Since then the restaurant has thrilled diners with South Indian cuisine showcasing seafood, thalis, dosas and more.

Johns Geo and his friends are the brains behind the South Indian tapas-style restaurant.

Since opening, Johns says the restaurant has been “regularly packed” and weekend business is “wonderful”.

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He said: "We’re thrilled by the warm welcome in Derby and grateful to everyone who’s visited us.

“Many have said we should have opened here years ago, and we’re humbled by the positive Google and Tripadvisor reviews.

“It’s encouraging to be busy every day and we appreciate Derby’s kindness as we establish ourselves in the city.”

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Reflecting on the big diner milestone, Johns said: “It feels great to have welcomed 1,000 guests to our new restaurant.

“We’re on a journey and want to offer Derby customers a warm welcome.

“We are touched to have had such a great response from the public.”

Speaking about why he thinks House Boat restaurant is becoming a beloved part of Derby's dining industry, Johns said: “Derby city centre has a great welcoming culture.

“This new concept in Derby city centre will bring more options to the diners who want to try different cuisines.”

It may be just a few months since opening, however the House Boat team have worked hard to make Derby a home. They scoured the UK to find the perfect place to open their restaurant and eventually decided on Derby.

Johns said: “We can’t actually believe that we have had a thousand people through the door.

“I thought business would be very slow at the beginning - but that has not been the case.

“There are a couple of north Indian restaurants in Derby but no south Indian ones and we think this could be the reason for diners coming through the door.”

Johns added: “Derby has a culture of welcoming new businesses, and we are very grateful.

“We know that the public are looking for new activities and eateries to visit – and we want to help get the city vibrant and flowing again.

“The council and organisations like Marketing Derby are trying their best to bring in more people to the city centre. Hence, we thought it would be ideal to start our new venture in the heart of Derby city.”

House Boat is still offering diners a lunch and dinner menu. Right now, the lunch deal price is £10.99 with a pint, and £8.99 with a soft drink.

House Boat restaurant is open seven days a week, from 12 noon to 10pm.

Location: House Boat, 89-91 St Peters Street, Derby DE1 2AB

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