Cafes in Nottingham
496 cafes competing in Nottingham. Here's what the data shows.
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496
16%
28
Market Overview
With 496 cafes operating across Nottingham, competition is intense. Coffee shops dominate — 104 of them — making up over a fifth of all cafes in the city. Sandwich shops (17) and bubble tea outlets (9) follow at a distance, with a long tail of niche formats including dessert (5), tea (4), Italian (4), and ice cream (3) establishments.
The broader food sector adds further pressure. Nottingham has 869 fast food outlets, 345 restaurants, 340 pubs, and 120 bars — all competing for the same discretionary spend. Cafes don't just compete with other cafes; they compete across the entire eating-out market.
The most significant finding is digital presence. Only 80 cafes — roughly 16% — have a website. That means around 416 cafes have no discoverable web presence at all. Among those that do, major chains dominate: Starbucks, Caffè Nero, Morrisons Cafe, and 200° Coffee all maintain websites. A handful of independents — The Cake Solution, Blend at the Contemporary — have invested in visibility too. But for most operators, the gap between having a business and being findable online remains wide open.
With 28 distinct cuisine types spread across nearly 500 cafes, Nottingham's market isn't just large — it's fragmented. That fragmentation creates both niche opportunities and the risk of getting lost in the crowd.
Top Types in Nottingham
What Customers in Nottingham Care About
Speed near the office
Nottingham's city centre workforce wants quick, reliable service during lunch breaks — a five-minute queue difference can decide where regulars spend their money.
Something beyond Costa
With chains like Starbucks and Caffè Nero well established, customers actively look for independents with a distinct identity, whether that's 200° Coffee's roasting credentials or Blend at the Contemporary's gallery setting.
Findable before they visit
With only 16% of Nottingham cafes having a website, customers increasingly check online first — and if you're not there, you're invisible to anyone who doesn't already walk past your door.
Bubble tea and dessert options
Nottingham's younger demographic — shaped by the two universities — is driving demand for bubble tea and dessert-focused cafes, categories that remain relatively underserved compared to standard coffee shops.
Space to sit and stay
Many Nottingham customers choose cafes as remote working spots or social meeting points, so seating comfort and Wi-Fi reliability matter as much as the coffee itself.
Cafes operating in Nottingham
A sample of real cafes in this area. Want ratings, reviews, and exactly where you rank against them? Run a free report on your business.
| Business | Type |
|---|---|
| Coates Cafe | Cafe |
| Reflections | Cafe |
| Café Terrazzo | Cafe |
| Bread and Butterflies | Sandwich |
| Costa | Coffee Shop |
| Starbucks | Coffee Shop |
| La Storia | Cafe |
| Costa Express | Coffee Shop |
| Coffee & Cake by the Lake | Cafe |
| Hallward Library Cafe | Cafe |
| Portland B Cafe | Cafe |
| Floralands Coffee Shop | Cafe |
Business listings from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Tips for Cafes Owners in Nottingham
Get a website before your competitors do
Of Nottingham's 496 cafes, roughly 416 have no website at all. A basic site with your opening hours, menu, and location takes you from invisible to searchable overnight — and puts you ahead of the majority of local competition.
Don't open another generic coffee shop
The city already has 104 coffee shops and major chains like Starbucks and Caffè Nero holding prime spots. Unless you have a genuinely different offer — specialty roasting, a unique venue, a specific food pairing — the saturated middle of the market is the hardest place to compete.
Target an underserved niche
Only 2 Jamaican cafes, 3 ice cream shops, and 5 dessert-focused cafes operate across the whole city. Meanwhile, 28 cuisine types across 496 cafes suggests wide-open gaps where a focused concept could build a loyal following without fighting 100 identical competitors.
Competition Snapshot
Nottingham's 496-cafe market is crowded, and the 104 coffee shops make that segment particularly hard to break into — especially with chains like Starbucks and Caffè Nero already established. However, the competition is also lazy: 84% of cafes have no website, meaning basic digital presence alone puts you ahead of over 400 local rivals. The market is underserved in niche categories — Jamaican (2 cafes), ice cream (3), and tea (4) represent genuinely open territory. Standing out requires either a clear concept that avoids the saturated coffee shop middle, or simply showing up online when most competitors have chosen not to.
Other Industries in Nottingham
Cafes in Other Cities
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