Nottingham's food scene has seen a number of surprising departures in recent years, with locals becoming all too accustomed to saying goodbye to beloved eateries. However, the sudden closure of COSMO, the popular all-you-can-eat world buffet on Milton Street, still managed to surprise many. The shock was perhaps most keenly felt by the 58 staff members who arrived for work in early November, 2022, to find chains across the restaurant's front doors.
The prime location remained vacant throughout the winter months, but buffet fans need not despair any longer. Panda Mami, another all-you-can-eat world buffet chain with branches in Manchester, York and Chester, took over the former COSMO site in September, last year. Promising "luxurious surroundings" and more than 200 authentic dishes from around the globe, we couldn't resist trying out this new addition to Nottingham's culinary landscape.
The below review was first published on September 3, 2023. A particularly wet and grey Thursday afternoon might not be the ideal setting for a brand new city centre restaurant during its soft opening. However, after a warm welcome from the friendly staff at the door, we were immediately reminded of COSMO as we joined a very long queue.
Given that the restaurant had only just sprung into life for service, which is currently starting at 4.30pm on weekdays, it was certainly an impressive level of demand. The only noticeable difference from COSMO when it comes to the interior is a deluge of stuffed.