It's an icon of the Stockport skyline - and in the last six months it's been utterly transformed.

Stockport Pyramid, for many residents' living memory, has been either the Co-op headquarters or has been entirely vacant.

But in April 2025, it opened as the Royal Nawaab restaurant, a banqueting hall and events venue specialising in Indian and Pakistani cuisine.

At Nub News, we were fortunate enough to be invited to have a look around the pyramid to see how it's faring six months into this new chapter.

The first impression on entry is nothing short of awe-inspiring. A grand entrance at the mouth of the pyramid leads visitors along a red carpet into a spacious foyer, where an elegant light display cascades from the peak of the pyramid right down to its base. The visitor's eye is drawn up and down the extent of the building, taking in all its grandiosity.

Events spaces are housed on the upper floors of the Royal Nawaab Pyramid (Image - Nub News)

The first and second floors contain events spaces with the capacity for hundreds of guests. Already they've been used for weddings, corporate get-togethers and much more. Each floor has its own kitchen, no less, and boasts expansive views over Stockport and beyond.

The interior design throughout the whole building has been inspired by Moroccan architecture, and makes use of all the unique shapes and rooms that the inside of a pyramid produces.

But whilst the upper floors are amazing in and of themselves, for many visitors the main attraction is the ground floor, which contains the main banqueting hall.

It's accessed via a glamorous waiting room in the 'lower left' corner of the pyramid. Passing through luxurious double doors, the visitor will go via the non alcoholic bar and ultimately onto the main hall which occupies a huge swathe of the pyramid's base - almost the entire back half of the building.

Large sections of tables and chairs are split into separate zones, so the cavernous interior feels impressive but also cozy - not, in other words, like a 'canteen'.

Royal Nawaab's banqueting hall has a capacity of 400 - but it maintains the coziness of a much smaller building with its sections of seating (Image - Nub News)

Diners get three courses, and are free to get up at their leisure and help themselves to a literal wall of options spanning more or less one end of the pyramid to the other.

First up is starters, and guests really are spoiled for choice at the outset.

For those after something lighter, there are a range of salads to cover all bases of the palette; everything from sharp and sweet onion dishes through to hearty and mellow bean salads.

And that's before coming onto samosas, chicken wings, tender lamb and chicken kebabs, pakoras, and even spring rolls.

You can count on a member of the party always wanting chips - fortunately, they'll find them at Royal Nawaab. And not just plain old fries - think Massala chips, spicy seasoned chips, and more.

A huge team of chefs is constantly at work behind the food stalls, cooking and replenishing (Image - Nub News)

Next up is mains, and there's even more on offer here.

It's a veritable wall of options, including favourites like Tikka Masala, Jalfrezi, Korma, butter chicken, Balti, and much more, with chicken, lamb and vegetable options all on the menu.

And, needless to say, there's plenty of choice when it comes to rice, with basmati, egg-fried, and pilau all available.

There's also a massive range of naans; Keema, garlic, Peshwari, Kulcha, and more.

And as tantalising as the main options are, it's important to pace yourself and leave plenty of room for dessert, as these dishes are no less tantalising.

Expect familiar classics like cheesecake, chocolate fudge, and sticky toffee pudding, plus a plethora of other options which might be more unfamiliar but are no less delicious.

There's Gajar Halwa, a fresh carrot dish prepared with milk sugar cream and garnished with nuts; there's also Umm All, a traditional Egyptian bread pudding made with flaky pastry sheets, pistachios, almonds and raisins and served hot.

There's a veritable wall of options for diners at Royal Nawaab (Image - Nub News)

Browse the menu in full here.

And crucially, all the food is on constant rotation, with a huge team of chefs working right behind the stands (and in full view of the guests) ready to replace empty dishes at a moment's notice. It means that you'll never find anything cold or empty.

During our visit, we sampled just a small cross section of the food options, and found it to be exquisite - from the familiar favourites through to less common dishes, there was nothing that disappointed.

But don't just take our word for it. A wealth of five-star reviews on Google attest to an 'unforgettable experience', with 'absolutely lovely' food and 'great' service.

And further still, the Royal Nawaab Pyramid has received no less than five nominations in the upcoming This Is Manchester Awards.

In short, Royal Nawaab has quickly established as an amazing part of Stockport's gastronomy scene, and in no less of an amazing building.

For £29.99 each, adults get access to the full range of Royal Nawaab's food options - and at £13.99 children aged 5-11 get the same range of choice.

Find more information on their website here.

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