[AD – PR invite – Our food and bottomless prosecco were gifted in exchange for a review. Views expressed are my own and I haven’t been swayed by their kind hospitality] I recently wrote a round up post of the best places for bottomless brunch in Derbyshire. As part of that research, I’d seen the amazing offer at Ice and Slice Swadlincote, consisting of a three course lunch and 90 minutes of bottomless booze from just £20 per person. I did wonder whether maybe there would be some sacrifice on either quantity or quality at these prices. Was it just too good to be true?
I was recently invited to try the bottomless lunch menu and I couldn’t have accepted quick enough. Bottomless prosecco? Hello, I’m there! (Well, once we had arranged childcare, taxis etc etc… anyone else feel like planning a night out is a military operation these days?!?). Here’s what we thought…
Ice and Slice Swadlincote
Firstly, this is a really gorgeous venue. On the site of an old bottle kiln, Ice and Slice is a unique listed building. Décor features exposed brickwork, Victorian beams and industrial steel work – all set off beautifully by contemporary lights and some highly Instagrammable backdrops. It was quite quiet when we arrived, but there was a nice ambiance and it felt really quite buzzy by the time we left (and not just due to all the prosecco we’d drunk!).
Swadlincote is a former mining town in South Derbyshire. Bordering Leicestershire and Staffordshire, Swadlincote is easily accessible from Burton on Trent, Ashby de la Zouch and Tamworth. It was a bit of a trek for us, but the bottomless lunch deal is such good value that it’d be worth rounding up your friends and booking a minibus – or even making a night of it and staying nearby.
The bottomless lunch deal at Ice and Slice Swadlincote
Ice and Slice Swadlincote runs a really popular bottomless lunch menu, where a three course lunch and 90 minutes of bottomless booze costs just £20 per person in the week (Monday to Thursday) and £29 on Fridays and Saturdays. The drinks choices are Frizzenti Prosecco, Carling or Lilleys Cider. The bottomless deal runs for 90 minutes from the time of booking. We were really impressed that our glasses were continually kept topped up. We didn’t need to order or wait around – it just happened – and that meant we could just sit back and relax. We love prosecco, and have both drunk our fair share over the years. It was a good quality prosecco (not overly dry or overly sweet) served in a lovely glass and garnished with a raspberry. You can also opt to upgrade to selected bottomless cocktails (The whole table must upgrade and there’s a £10pp supplement).
The food!
To start, I ordered the onion bhajis. These were moreishly spicy and served with a really creamy mint yogurt dip and a salad garnish. My friend ordered the Caprese bruschetta. We both enjoyed what we’d chosen and were already very much enjoying the bubbles.
I knew that Ice and Slice had a wood-fired oven, imported from Treviso in Italy, so we both opted for authentic Italian pizzas for our main course. When I saw them described as ‘pizzetta’ on the menu I did wonder whether they’d be tiny, but the portions were huge. Neither of us could finish the pizza, and they were both wonderfully cheesy.
Sonia opted for the goat’s cheese pizzetta with caramelised red onion, pesto and rocket; whilst I ordered a classic pepperoni which was also topped with rocket.
If you don’t fancy pizza there’s an Asian noodle dish with either beef or as a vegetarian option and a pesto pasta or a Caesar salad.
At this point we were really rather stuffed. But since dessert was included in the deal, we obviously ordered one! I ordered the mixed berry cheesecake, this consisted of a deliciously creamy white chocolate cheesecake served with a berry compote.
There’s also a chocolate mousse pot which sounds divine. Dark chocolate mousse with cherry gel on top of a buttery biscuit base. There’s also a good range of gelatos and sorbets including a vegan option.
Overall, I was seriously impressed with the food at Ice and Slice. The bottomless lunch menu is such good value that I did wonder whether there would be a compromise on either quality or portion size, but there absolutely wasn’t. We both loved each and every course, the portions were ample (the pizzas in particularly were huge) and I thought there was a nice choice. Special diets/allergies seemed to be well catered for. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options were clearly labelled on the menu and we were asked at the start whether we had any allergies.
Cocktails at Ice and Slice Swadlincote
Once our bottomless time had run out we decided to check out the cocktail menu. In addition to being a lovely restaurant, Ice and Slice is very much a cocktail bar and there’s an impressive range to choose from. I’d had a good stalk of their socials beforehand and ordered the theatrical ‘G & tea’. Dry ice oozing from a teapot was every bit as entertaining as I had hoped. I wasn’t hugely taken with the taste of the cocktail itself but then I wasn’t expecting to be from the ingredients listed – it’s just not the sort of thing I would normally drink – but I loved the experience.
Sonia was much more sensible and picked a cocktail she actually fancied, opting for a white chocolate espresso martini. I had a little sip and can confirm this was divine.
Clearly the bartender and mixologist are very skilled and I can think of nothing nicer than an afternoon or evening exploring their cocktail menu in more detail.
Overall impressions
Basically I loved everything about Ice and Slice. The bottomless bubbles flowed generously, the food was delicious and well portioned. It’s a beautiful, stylish venue and there was a great atmosphere. The service was wonderful – all the staff were really friendly and welcoming. We had a fabulous time and would 100% go back.
Go for:
An amazing bottomless lunch deal. Delicious food and generous free flowing bubbles. Expertly mixed cocktails and a great atmosphere.
Details:
Ice and Slice, 26 West Street, Swadlincote, DE11 9DG, Telephone: 01283 480050, Email bookings@iceandslice.co.uk
Note that there is a smart casual dress code (no work wear, no sportswear/caps) – you would be absolutely fine in jeans and a pretty top though.
No dogs except assistance dogs.
Note that the restaurant and toilets are upstairs. No lift.
