'Fabulous’ new East Midlands' Indian restaurant with swanky cocktail lounge thrills locals on opening weekend

Nottingham’s newest eatery Passan’s has opened its doors this weekend at a well-attended soft-launch.

It is owner Rahul Passan’s fourth eatery which welcomed diners at the Carrington Street venue on Saturday, May 31, 2025.

Passan’s, located on the first floor of Bombay Deli, is a bar and tea room serving high tea with a twist.

By day the space will serve Indian afternoon tea.

By night, the eatery will be magically transformed into a bar specialising in small plates, Indian whiskies and cocktails infused with spices.

Passan’s is the latest in a string of eateries launched by the Passan family who opened Bombay Deli back in 1995 then known as Bombay Sweet Centre.

Now under the stewardship of son Rahul, the 30th anniversary also sees the expansion of the brand, into a cool new bar called Passan’s Tea Room and Cocktail Bar.

The offering and vibe will be very different to the hustle and bustle of the fast-paced deli, on the corner of Carrington Street.

Upstairs, the space has been transformed with richly-coloured and luxurious Indian themed décor.

It will be unveiled to show a seven-metre dark wood bar as the centrepiece, and an array of dining tables and sofas with seating for larger groups.

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The walls will be adorned with beautiful artwork featuring jungle cats and mythical elephants.

Reflecting on what diners can expect, owner Rahul Passan said: "The idea of this room is for something really different for Nottingham.

“It will have an Indian theme, traditional, royal, mixed with a bit of heritage, beautifully decorated.

"There will be drapes and soft lighting. We want it to be an area where customers can feel relaxed and chilled in a comfortable, eclectic environment with quilted textured furniture and ornaments imported from India.”

Diners at the soft-launch were already thrilled by the Passan’s offerings.

@lizziej.s said Passan’s was ‘fabulous’, @glamvegan and @katiemariaaaa said the place looked ‘amazing’, @lucieinnotts was wowed and ‘couldn’t wait to get booked in ASAP’.

Dishes on the menu include Calamari Pakora, Tandoori Duck Breast with Hash Browns alongside the Passan’s Bottomless Brunch and Passan’s High Chai.

Staying on trend, is the offering of Pistachio-Stuffed French Toast, plus Spinach Florentine, and Heritage Celeriac.

Jaldi Jaldi, is the Hindi word for ‘quickly quickly’ and these are the small plates for those in a rush, served from Tuesday to Thursday from 12pm to 4pm.

Enjoy dishes such Tandoori chicken salad, Bang Bang chilli cauliflower, Chapli Kebab and Rajasthani tofu bites.

Location: Passan’s Tea Lounge, 1st floor, 22-26 Carrington Street Nottingham NG1 7FF

For more information click here: passans.com