The Engine Room

Featured reviews

• P

  Paula Hanopol Atilano

  ·2 months ago

  “We dined at The Engine Room Derby on July 24, 2026, to celebrate a new chapter in our lives, and we had an absolute blast! The staff were very welcoming and accommodating, especially Freya and Amrit. A big kudos to the chef as well—the food was absolutely incredible! Everything was perfect, from the food to the service. Thank you, The Engine Room Derby, for making our celebration extra special. We’ll definitely be back!”

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• K

  KIERON BAILEY

  ·2 months ago

  “Our server Sarah was cracking, she was funny, and engaging. A natural hospitalitarian. The gluten free pizza base was great, the sauce lacked any depth of flavour but as bases go, it was good.”

• R

  Rich Deerdog

  ·3 months ago

  “Last time I stayed at the Holiday Inn Derby the restaurant facilities were awful – a strange echoing space up on the 4th floor, with feral children fighting over bowls of grapes and tatty old sofas dotted around. That was a few years ago though and, on this visit, I was pleasantly surprised to find the hotel mid-refurbishment, as it transitions towards the Voco brand. The first stages of this include a full refurbishment of the public realm, with a smart new reception, bar and restaurant in what was previously a vacant ground floor space. Nice to see. Vast improvement. Two paws up to that. Because this place is new, the bar and restaurant both feel very fresh and clean – the space itself trades at the ‘Engine Room’, which is apparently a nod to Derby’s own history with car industry. The bar space is bright, with interesting décor and there is coffee table made out of an old engine (well, styled on that certainly). Visited on a Monday when it wasn’t very busy – the choice of beers is decent and so I opted for a Corona, which seems to be everywhere these days. Little bit of lime in the top, which is a bit pointless, but the standard. Good range of spirits suggests an extensive cocktail menu. The restaurant itself is next door, with entrance from the bar – looked to be about 60 covers in total, good range of bench and table seating. It was empty when we go there so had the pick of tables. Menu is a mix of hotel staples and a few more adventurous dishes – opted for a couple of the small plates to start: some halloumi and some duck gyoza. These were both good, would have again. Gyoza deep fried I think, but I like them that way. Sauce with a good hint of plum to it. Plummy. The halloumi was covered in some sort of honey and there were fresh slices of chilli. For a main, the classic fish and chips – the fish was rather tasty, with crispy batter and a good flavour. Served on top of the chips though, so some deconstruction was necessary. This practice of stacking food is a weird modern phenomenon in restaurants – I get that it makes it look interesting (and big), but it makes the food underneath the stack sweaty and less crispy. Must be something that’s taught these days. A couple of little bowls of mushy peas and tartare sauce to seal the deal. Tasty food. I would have had that again. That or the burger. No pudding on this occasion as I was very tired, and it was a Monday. There was a brownie of some sort with an orange sauce that sounded nice though. The staff do a good job here, keeping an eye on restaurant and bar area. As we were finishing up, the place was starting to get a bit more lively as more customers arrived – I guess if I were there on leisure, I’d have eaten later as well. Overall, this place is a good addition to the food scene in this part of Derby and well worth trying if you’re staying at the hotel (or the other hotel next door).”

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• C

  Chloe Colclough

  ·4 months ago

  “We went as a family of 4 on father's day. Location was very easy to find. The service was amazing! Ella was at hand for everything we needed. Wait time for food was good, the food was hot, tasty and looked amazing! Will definitely be returning.”

• W

  wendy taylor

  ·4 months ago

  “A surprise birthday being (date night) for me and it was fabulous. The food was delicious and timely so big shoutout to the chef this evening. Our waitress Ella was all perfect she was attentive to our needs without being overly friendly or encroaching on our time, the perfect balance so well done Ella. Overall I would highly recommend eating here for any occasion. Going home one happy birthday girl”

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• K

  Kayleigh Singleton

  ·5 months ago

  “We had a fantastic Sunday lunch at The Engine Room in Derby and would highly recommend it. To start, we had the pigs in blankets with honey and wholegrain mustard glaze, which were absolutely delicious. For our mains, we chose the sirloin of beef and the pork loin Sunday roasts. Both were excellent, but the beef was the standout dish for us – perfectly cooked, incredibly tender and packed with flavour. We finished off with the delicious lemon brûlée tart for dessert. The restaurant has a great atmosphere and a good selection of cocktails and mocktails. What really made the experience special was the service. Freya and Sophia were both incredibly welcoming, attentive and happy to answer any questions we had throughout our visit. From the quality of the food to the exceptional service, everything exceeded our expectations. We'll definitely be returning and would recommend The Engine Room to anyone looking for a great Sunday roast in Derby.”

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• I

  Ioanna Playbell

  ·6 months ago

  “Do not have the burger. Service was great. McDonalds burger is a 5/5 compared to this one. Maybe I was unlucky. The bun was overcooked and felt like a baguette. Also massive. The patty was pre-made, super firm (i.e. premade aaages ago) and insanely overcooked. Rubber was softer. The flavour was not good either. Generally a very shitty burger. Avoid at all costs. I came at a low stress time - no excuses The triple cooked fries were utterly rubbish as well. Very rubbery, certainly not triple cooked.”

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• G

  Geoff and jo Rowlands

  ·6 months ago

  “Matt and Amrit made us feel comfortable and welcome. The food was so Good, using local butchers and in house excellence. Focaccia and pork puff crackling to accompany our time choosing from a very well presented and suitable diverse menu, not too much to overwhelm, but not so little there mo choice. We started with squid, which was very well cooked, and the bang bang cauliflower, again, with light batter complimented by a perfectly spiced chili sauce. We followed with Ribeye steak, which was recommended to be cooked medium rare, and cooked to perfection by the kitchen. The fat was beautifully rendered into the steak and tasted amazing with every bite. Our whole experience was wonderful, from entering to leaving, we were treated like old friends for the whole night, and even the discretionary service charge was brought to our attention with an offer to remove it if we were not happy. We will certainly be back to enjoy the food, the service, and the gently welcoming atmosphere. Thank you for a great evening.”

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• J

  Jo Dawson

  ·8 months ago

  “Wow what a fantastic addition to Derby The Engine Room is! From the moment we walked in, we were impressed. The restaurant itself is lovely very stylish, welcoming, and with a great atmosphere. The staff were incredibly helpful and attentive without being overbearing. They made us feel genuinely welcome and couldn’t do enough for us. And the food, what can I say? It was so, so good. Every dish was cooked to perfection. The scotch egg in particular was outstanding -that yolk was absolutely spot on! You can tell there’s care and skill behind every plate that leaves the kitchen. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a top-quality meal in Derby”

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• M

  Michelle Mason

  ·10 months ago

  “We ate here on NYE...I really wanted to feel safe as a Coeliac, and I was. Our waitress Rosie was AMAZING. She filled me with confidence and is a great champion and ambassador for this restaurant.....can't wait to visit again 😊 👏👍 and cannot recommend highly enough. We need to support this restaurant because as they say...use it or lose it”

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