Nalaas in Derby

Authentic south indian restaurant. Very good food. Been visiting 3rd time from Cambridge.

Amazing well priced food would 100% recommend

The best Indian food I have had in the area. The place is small and it is recommended to reserve in advance. The food is delicious and the service is great. Keep in mind that it only accepts cash payments. The mango lassi is delicious. The quality of the food is above other Indian restaurants in the city. The prices are reasonable.

The best south Indian restaurant so far. The food was incredibly delicious. We had an amazing time of foodgasm there. Tried Mysore masala dosa, chicken fried rice, chicken biryani, Malabar porotta, and lamb dum biryani. Out of these I fell in love with the lamb dum- the best ever that I've eaten in the UK - Every other place I went( it will taste rubbery with flavour) However at Nalaas the meat was perfectly cooked with the biryani flavour proportionate throughout. I would highly recommend this place to everyone who wants to taste some Tamil flavours and I can bet that you would not be disappointed. Ladies, you're the best...

Hidden gem, would never of come or ever seen this restaurant if it wasn't for my friend. Outside I was thinking where have you brought me too you crazy woman! But as the doors opened I was really impressed it was so cute the smell was so amazing. The staff that greeted us were super friendly . For starters we had onion pakoras..fantastic! Followed by some massive crispy pancake thing that was filled with spicy potato ..tasty then the main we shared some vegetarian dish that had a bit of everything that was 50/50 I like 50% of the dish and the rice was a bit pain but good to try, I now know what to ask for.

Excellent south Indian food. The service was awesome. We are from London and tried many south Indian restaurants here but none of them could come close to Nalaas. Thanks again for the wonderful service and food.

Overall Experience was great but they don’t accept card. Had run to ATM to get some cash.

Great food for a good price. They have the best biryani in Derby.

Good and Tasty food.Good Customer Service 👍

Best Indian food in Derby, authentic southern Indian food.

Good service and price , staff are very friendly

I ordered Masala Dosa, Chicken Biriyani, coffee and Mango Lassi. Everything were very tasty and really worth of money. Especially Masala dosa, I feel the exact taste of dosa in Uduppi Bevan in South India. Also the ambience and services was excellent.

Wonderful staff experience and services ..yummy tasty food if anyone craving for South Indian (tamil) food this place is for you 😋

A wonderful Derby secret. It’s a FANTASTIC restaurant. The food is the best in Derby if you want Indian / South Indian.

Derby's hidden gem. You would miss this place if you didn't know it was there. Enter through its modest entrance and you are greeted with a smiling team and colour. The menu is spicy, tasty and vibrant South Indian menu! Chicken pepper fry, chicken chettinad, gobi 65 and fish 65 are highly recommended! This is a must for authentic Indian food in Derby.

Update: since the review was first written they’ve renovated the restaurant, and it is a lot more pleasant. They still don’t have a card machine so remember to bring cash. That is the only downside. It is very hard to come across South Indian food in Derby. Taste is perfect and the price is very cheap. Atmosphere, location, cleanliness of the restaurant let it down, otherwise it would of been 5 stars.

Great service and food was good...

Absolutely stunning food. Tried the chicken 65, veg thali with a lamb side dish. Everything tasted exquisite and the staff were so friendly and helpful, we will be back for sure 😊

Excellent south Indian food. Few parking available. Must try: south indian thali Note: cash only. No cards/transfer

Every time i order i specifically ask for the dish to be made hot/spicy and yet 60% of the time it comes mild/standard. - updating my review to 4 star as the restaurant has taken my feedback onboard and improved 👍

Great place to eat! Food delicious Service excellent Prices reasonable Can’t fault it. Hopefully they’ll either takeover the shop next door or move, so they don’t have to turn guests away. It’s always busy.

The foods delicious. But, appalled at the service and the attitude! They just dumped the stack of plates rather than one per person. There were 4 of us and they gave us 3 plates expecting one of us to use the plate that the dish was served in! When questioned I got the dagger looks !!! Unbelievable.+ it’s cash only with no option to pay by card unusual approach in 2024!

Food is pretty good, wish they were closer to Sheffield

Food was really good. We ordered chicken 65, kothu porotta, Ghee roast, masala chai and some other drinks. Really loved the chicken 65. Parking is bit of a problem. Cash only

Brilliant South Indian cuisine. Recently refurbished and the prices are excellent too.

Great place for South Indian cuisine. Tali meals is good. Not spacious as others and there are limited seating available Book in advance Limited parking Cash only

I’ve eaten here three times and the food is usually good. However, the staff who are serving have poor knowledge, for example, today I ordered Gobi Manchurian which I’ve had many times as half my family are Indian and live near China town in Kolkata. However, what they served me today was sloppy and wet. This was a pity because I’ve had it at Nalaas before and it was very good. Anyway, I called to tell them. When I explained that it was sloppy and didn’t seem to have been properly fried they said Gobi Manchurian isn’t fried and that’s why it’s moist. I think they tried saying this because they I assumed from my accent that I don’t know Indian food. They did offer me a refund if I go again. I appreciate this but I would have rather they considered my feedback and not given me a nonsense answer based on their perception of my ethnicity and hence food knowledge.

It’s the only place in derby where you can experience an authentic South Indian cuisine. The staff is very friendly , accommodating and welcoming.

Very regular Customer for Nalas, food always very authentic south indian taste, every time felt like home, I never mind paying in cash or card or any other method of payment, every business has own rights of payment methods, as a customer we should not complaint about it. Nalas never fails to deliver tasty food

Food is average like any other restaurant. What is annoying is the cash business only. If someone want dine with family then make sure you carry good cash, otherwise you may struggle to find nearest cash machine. It is very inconvenience in digital world, not sure why can't they accept card?

Authentic and delicious food. The lovely ladies managing and serving make you feel at home. The fish curry is one of the best I've had since moving to the UK, we drive down from Nottingham to eat it! Would recommend the non veg thali and dosas.

Visited during a busy lunch hour weekend. - Dosas, Sambar Idly, Veg Manchurian were very good. - Kadai Paneer was very watery with no salt or flavour at all. Paneer was over fried too. Shocking quality as Chef definitely didn’t know how to make it. - Naan option wasn’t available, so we had to choose between Parotta/Chapathi. - Veg Noodles not up to the mark, quite dry. Overall, South Indian options are a safe bet than the North Indian / Chinese ones. Must mention the lovely staff !

Best place for south Indian food especially dosa amazing

One of the best South Indian restaurants I have been to. Food is amazing, so is there hospitality!

Immaculate vibe, staff and quality of ingredients

From customer service to Food , everything is good. The only disappointment is that they only ACCEPT CASH. They have a small parking lot too.

Nice intimate setting, it gives the impression of being in someone's home and so the food has that home-made feel to it.

It was really a great experience,for the best masala dosa,vada items ,biryani please visit nalaaas.....and finally there pan is just awesome ..we all enjoyed ☺️

OMG! Where do I even start. A couple we know highly recommended Nalaas as somewhere we can get authentic, tasty Indian food. And boy were they right! The majority of the dishes I haven't seen in your usual western style Indian before. There are some recognised dishes like Biriyani. But the appeal of Nalaas for us is the fact we're eating more authentic food. Stuff I haven't necessarily tasted before. That said....I have fallen in love with the Chicken Chilli dish. Which is supposed to be a starter but you get so much I might next time just have it with some rice as a main! I honestly cannot recommend it enough though part of me wants to tell everyone not to go or I won't get a spot next time! lol. Joking obviously! Do go! Cash only so be prepared for that.

I will give more than 5 stars..lovely Indian food..@ Derby

Wow little gem hidden in derby, amazing food and amazing staff will deffo come back every week 😀

I like everything about this restaurant, starting from the lovely ladies to the drinks, to the starters till the main... just all, the food was really delicious pure Indian 😋 👌 😍 I'd love to go there again and really recommend this

I am wordless to explain the service , food quality and taste of this restaurant...very lovely ladies service team managing the restaurant,very welcoming and very polite to the customers. This is my second visit, actually the taste and service bring me back here again. Taste of the food was above my expectations and i do really appreciate the chef and team for serving tasty food in time,even if the restaurant is full. Highly recommended for proper Indian cuisine in Derby. Parking limited infront of the restaurant,other parking options available near by and restaurant deal with only cash please keep that in mind.. after all really enjoyed ❤️🙏

Really fantastic authentic food

Bit cramped but overall very good

Best South Indian food i have had in the longest time. Set back a little from the road with a small sign, easy to miss. Plenty of comfortable seating inside. Very nice , typically Indian ambience. High chair available. Had the Idli Sambhar and the masala dosa and it was amazing. Asked for extra Sambhar, it was sooo delicious and some curd for the baby and they didn’t charge us for them. Cash only so go prepared. Lovely staff. Would definitely visit again.

We were taken here by friends who had been before, you may drive past because it’s tucked away in a corner. Once inside the staff are very friendly ,service is quick , the food is very fresh and full of flavour . The food is southern Indian so a lot of vegetables ,but I have to say I really didn’t miss not having any meat . Can not recommend this place enough. Thank you for your service 🇬🇧

The thali, masala Dosa, and service were all excellent.

Amazing place those who loves South Indian food must visit here. Small cozy , neat and warm place. Staff are very friendly and helpful.

Amazing place for authentic South Indian food. This was my first visit but surely not the last. We ordered paneer dosa and non veg thali. Thali can be spicy if you are not used to spice of indian food but surely very delicious. It was the best dosa we have aten so far in UK. Definitely recommended. Jusy to add they served with desi ghee and gun powder separately which was plus point. Only downside was they don't accept debit/credit card but still very nice place to visit and worth for money.

Bright, cheerful eatery with outstanding South Indian food - do try the tea-tray sized masala dosas with mouth tingling chutneys. If you think UK curry-house fare can be a bit samey, Nalaas will be a revelation. We went early and just walked in but by 1pm it was getting pretty full. Service was fast and friendly and prices extremely reasonable. Only thing to watch out for is that it is cash only, although a short walk to a nearby cashpoint solved that problem. Highly recommended.

Unless you know a out this place you'll never find it. It's a hidden gem. When we walked upto it my 15 year old daughter said it looks like someones house and do they have chairs and tables!!! Thank god I made her go in. Great food and decent prices. No frills but worth it, and being from Leicester we have a massive choice of south indian food. Stay as you are. Brilliant

Most authentic south indian in UK. Would highly recommend. Space is less so best to book in advance and they only accept cash. Everything in the menu is great! The staff is very friendly as well.

Being fond of South Indian cousins I’m very picky and can easily get offended by ‘non South Indian food’ served under South Indian banner. My experience at Nalaas was extremely enjoyable in terms of both food, service and atmosphere. Truly authentic South Indian cousins at very reasonable prices with top notch service. 5 stars for both Food and Service, 4 stars for environment as you feel bit of squeezed in being in a very small place with people eating all around you with distance not more than 35cm. They definitely need to upsize their place. Tips: 1. on weekends always book your table by calling them and avoid waiting for a table to be vacant. 2. There’s very limited car parking space in front of the restaurant which is busy most of the time but you can park on the side road and the road exactly opposite the restaurant (next to the chippys) free for 2 hours after 6pm. 3. If you’re planning to go there before 6pm you can park on side roads without restriction which are like 10 minutes walk from Nalaas, I don’t remember Road name but you’ll easily find them once you’re in the area. 4. Try their South Indian Chicken Chattender (or similar called) too notch yummy 😋

We love curry but get a bit sick of the tasteless curries usually on offer at the local takeaway. We heard about naalas and have been wanting to go for a long time. Wow we weren't disappointed. Stunning flavoursome food with layers of flavours. Highly recommend. We had the chilli and coriander dossa prawn garlic curry and the thali. Blown away. We will be returning.

Good and nice people’s, feels like home. If possible kindly expand with more tables

If you like authentic food this is the best place in derby

Clean and welcoming atmosphere, friendly staff and delicious food that is neatly presented. My wife and I went for a casual lunch and really enjoyed our time there. We had a Thali each, which had a nice variety of spices, heats and flavours. We left happy and full and now understand why the parking area outside is regularly packed in the evenings. You can view their menu online if you are unsure and want to do some research on the dishes they have before going.

Time to taste South Indian authentic food in Derby ....Had a great experience with the variety of dishes and it's taste

We went for a meal with friends last night. Amazing food. Lively atmosphere and wonderful service. Highly recommended

Wonderful, aramatic, tasty food and friendly staff. Reasonably priced and very filling. Our second visit and our new favourite. Can't wait to go again.

Excellent authentic cuisine with a touch of homeliness. Taste-Awesome Staff-Very friendly Quality- Excellent Thank you ❣️

Great food, good prices, friendly, quick service. Get into the Dosas!!

Best south Indian food in derby..

By far the best dosa place in North England. 🔝🔝🔝

Highly recommend. Lovely place. Amazing food, great service, very well priced too.

Amazing food. Over the moon with their ever smiling staff and their hospitality. I don't have more than 5 stars to give otherwise I would have definitely selected that.

Food is so tasty, excellent value for money, staff really friendly

Absolutely the best Indian food we have had for ages. Tiny little out of the way place that you could blink and miss yet it's Sunday night and it's rammed. They still found us a table outside and I'm so glad they did. Every dish so tasty and different. No one sauce for all here

Very authentic south Indian food. Saw a mixed variety of customers and they seemed to enjoy the meal. The staff are friendly, but the space is a little congested - could do with a bigger seating area.

This is one of the best south Indian food I have had in UK. The taste is authentic and highly recommend the Gobi Manchurian

Yummy and authentic. But cash only

A pleasant full evening I spent there ,it was an amazing experience to me in my life time which I never had,must visit once again and I love their customer service ❣️

Very good south indian restaurant. They have really come long way...Good job guys

We visited this place on a recommendation from neighbours. Never would have found it otherwise. Food was very tasty, aromatic with a bit of a spicy kick just what you want! Waitress was helpful suggesting what to order. Everyone in my group was pleased. Will have to visit again!

Fresh good authentic South indian food.

The food is absolutely amazing. Staff always extremely pleasant. Just don't go there for a korma or madras, enjoy the great dosa or else they specialise in!

You'd probably walk right past this place - only a door and sign is visible from the street. Inside, they're serving excellent southern Indian food at great prices. Very friendly staff. Best to book though - it's not a very big place and it was full when we went.

We went to this restaurant a few weeks ago with no booking, but the owners were kind enough to fit us a table. The food was good and so was the service. Absolutely loved the dinner experience and highly recommended it to try.

Amazing food and great service (attentive and helpful but never overbearing). The Thali was great across the board and every other dish our party ordered was so tasty (big shout out to the Idli Vada). Definitely high on the list of Derby restaurants that serve good food at good prices. Will definitely come back.

Delicious and authentic indian dish

No, it's not in a salubrious location; no, it's not pretty on the outside; but wow is the food great. Nalaas serves some of the most authentic tasting southern Indian food that you'll find in this country served promptly by friendly ladies running front of house. Inside is clean and comfortable but it really is all about the food. The toilets need investment, but other than that 10/10.

Absolutely brilliant, authentic Indian cuisine. One of the best curries out I have had in a long time. Although this place is unassuming from the outside, in a quite rough area of Derby, you have to try the food produced in these kitchens - it is absolutely delicious. The inside could do with re-decorating (especially the loos) but it is comfortable and clean.

Bit crowdy and too Compaq...no place for movement..dosa is good but biriyani is ok.

First time brilliant food I'll be back

Amazing south Indian cuisine.. I wish they expand the space of the restaurant. Sambhar can be served in bigger bowl.

Book! It's great...family friendly and fantastic food. Vegetarians will love this place. We did. Thank you.

The food is ok but the service is hapless. We collected a meal from there, drove home and were told they'd forgotten part of the order. Order finally collected thirty minutes after we were told. If they took card like most legitimate businesses in the 21st century they could have partially refunded over the phone. Not recommended.

Best South Indian food in Derby But hospitality is not up to mark, Main issue is they don’t accept any cards Only cash

Had a wonderful dinner of masala dosa, chicken and lamb curry. Fantastic. Loved it and looking forward to a return visit when in Nottinham on work as I live in Hampshire.

Fantastic South Indian veg and non veg thali. Gets really busy on weekends. Friendly staffs.

It has been a while since we last visited Nalaas but the food here last week was absolutely fantastic. Staff are lovely and helpful and every single dish is cooked with such care and attention, even the pilau rice is "special". The food here is different from every other run of the mill curry house. Dosas and vada to start are fabulous with all the homemade chutneys. 10/10 recomend!

Good taste Good service And clean

Lovely curries and a good price

The best Indian food... Great Service with smile on face... Most recommended Indian restaurant in Derby. Specially if you need to taste an authentic South indian food its a must visit restaurant...

So excited to find dosas and the tarka daal is to die for!

Food is good the only option for eating south Indian food in Derby Vadas are ok Curd vada is hard Dosas are great especially the rava dosa Not too many dessert options We are vegetarians so can't comment on non-veg food but I assume it's good as the place is full most of the time we have visited The only negative issue is that they take only cash which is a big problem and the nearest ATM is .3 miles I wish desi restaurants start taking care like any other place which makes life easy for customers Friendly staff mostly women driven which is a very positive keeping in mind diversity employment opportunities Pricing is ok a bit pricey for the Thali Enjoy your meal !!

An absolute gem! The dosas are exceptional, the puris beatifully puffed etc. It's more cafe atmosphere than restaurant but that in no way detracts from the joy of eating here. If only it wasn't 150 miles from my home I'd eat here most weeks.

Cozy little restaurant serving authentic best quality South Indian food at reasonable pricing. Some parking is available outside the restaurant. The restaurant is tucked away in a corner with a grocery store being prominent in the building to identify. Worth the visit. Friendly and receptive staff. Very satisfied overall.

Highly recommended for South Indian food...