Places to eat in Kettering

Our favourite restaurants in Kettering will take your taste buds on a trip around the world. You’ll find every kind of cuisine to satisfy whatever your craving. However, the best of the bunch is The Palmichael. It’s an elegant Italian restaurant in the nearby village of Burton Latimer. It’s family-run and has sky-high standards when it comes to food, service, presentation and its wine list. If you’re looking for a recommendation, the fettuccini is fantastic. While The Palmichael may not be cheap, you get what you pay for.

At the other end of the scale, Mu Mu is a fast-food favourite on Rockingham Road. If you have a proclivity for pizzas or jam-packed burgers, you’ll want to make your way to Mu Mu. The portions are precariously big, the prices are pleasingly low and there are some quirky options on the menu if you think dinner is a time to be daring.

Speaking of creative concoctions, The Exotic Dining Restaurant is an Indian fusion restaurant opposite the Newlands Shopping Centre. It’s unlike any curry house we’ve ever visited. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but don’t judge a book by its cover; the food is fantastic regardless of the order from its mixed-bag menu of classic curries and modern inventions.

For a taste of the Orient, Lee Garden on the Horse Market is a fan-favourite Chinese restaurant. On the weekend, it puts on a supremely tasty buffet spread. You may want to book in advance to avoid disappointment. The decor is admittedly a little out of date, but you can’t fault the incredible value of this all-you-can-eat emporium.

Bella Sicilia is a tiny family-run trattoria on Montagu Street with a menu of magnificent homemade Sicilian food. Everything is made fresh to order, which means you can tweak things to suit your tastes. Be sure to book; you don’t want to miss out on their awesome arancini.

Last up is Sonora Tacos, the street food taco truck that’s set up shop with a permanent home in The Yards – which also happens to be one of our favourite Kettering nightlife spots. You can still find its mobile home on the High Street. Sonora Tacos specialises in seriously tasty mexican food. It’s the best street food in Kettering. If you want a recommendation, the pork al pastor quesadilla is just the pengest munch, perhaps on the planet.

For daytime eats and leisurely hot drinks, Bewiched Coffee is an independent regional coffee chain with a popular home on High Street. The coffee is some of the best in town, and their shakes bring people from far and wide.

Kafe Bloc is perhaps our favourite cafe in Kettering. It’s in the stunning Piccadilly Buildings of the Cultural Quarter. It’s fully licensed, in case you want something stronger than its brilliant selection of loose-leaf teas and coffee. On Mondays, it hosts a taste bud-tingling tapas night.

Away from the town centre, Coffee at No 9 is a hidden gem in the nearby village of Mawsley. It has some of the best homemade cakes in the area, not to mention some delicious breakfasts; try the eggs benedict – it’s the best in the business.

Vintage Fleur is a popular tea room opposite the church on Gold Street. It’s great for tea, cakes and scones. However, The Blitz Tea Room and Jazz Lounge takes the biscuit as the best tea room in town. It’s housed in a historic coach house on Sheep Street. It’s like setting foot in the 1940s. Check to see if the jazz lounge is open during your stay.

Last but not least, Mugs on Silver Street is our favourite place to grab a quick meal in Kettering town centre. Prices are incredibly reasonable. The jacket potatoes are delicious, so too the burgers and breakfasts. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but don’t let that put you off the pukka eating inside.