Skein in Hockley is a stylish Nottingham neighbourhood restaurant with two AA Rosettes where simplicity, good ingredients and skilful cooking do the talking.
The room feels smart without becoming formal, with a stripped-back look that gives the place a sophisticated edge. The same restraint runs through the food. Menus change with the seasons and focus on carefully sourced produce, handled with precision rather than unnecessary fuss.
Dishes might include harissa-baked clams with white wine reduction and samphire, grilled mackerel with horseradish ajo blanco and pineapple salsa, or braised pig cheeks with celeriac purée and sweet potato crisps. Mains could bring guinea fowl with oyster mushroom, pomme purée and mustard cream, pressed belly pork with sweet potato fondant and apple, or pea and shallot tortelloni with pistachio beurre blanc.
Desserts continue the approach, with choices such as lemon tart with raspberry gel and frozen cherry yoghurt.
Skein describes its style as “fine(ish) dining”, which fits well: polished cooking, relaxed service and a neighbourhood feel, all delivered with a light touch in one of Nottingham’s liveliest dining areas. The result feels assured and refreshingly unfussy throughout.
The name Skein – pronounced skayn – has several meanings, including a length of thread or yarn, a flock of geese in formation and a single part of a greater whole. The restaurant adds its own definition: “a fine(ish) dining restaurant in Hockley, Nottingham”.
