Best restaurants in Sheffield
Published 19 December 2024

Having earned a glowing reputation making bespoke bakes for Sheffield’s top coffee shops, the team behind Bakers Yard have opened their own café in a quiet corner of Kelham Island. The signature rum canelés are superb, as are the white chocolate, pistachio and lemon cookies, and the salted whey caramel and chocolate ganache tarts. Savoury bakes also change constantly, but do order the vadouvan-spiced potato and Baron Bigod cheese pie if it’s on offer. Lunch specials generally showcase vegetables – our favourite is an assembly of garlic-roast purple sprouting broccoli, cavolo nero, romesco, pickled chillies, spicy roast almonds on toasted sourdough. Outdoor seating is basic, but great for sunny days.

*Hannah Hall (ex-The Pearl at Park Hill) has taken over as head chef, with Ronnie Aronica moving to an executive chef role.*

Jack Wakelin, chef Ronnie Aronica and house baker Dan Ward are in expansive mood, but their original neighbourhood bar and restaurant in the Nether Edge district of the city is still on song, serving local ingredients with care and referencing the UK's current foodie scene – championing neglected cuts of meat, cooking with fire and adding some nuances inspired by Ronnie’s Italian heritage.

Menus shift with the seasons; in the early part of the year, that might mean sausage and romesco ragù on grilled bread, chalk stream trout with blood orange and sea herbs or smoked leeks with white beans and Gorgonzola. And if you’re in the mood for a slab of red meat, the kitchen can deliver a hearty grilled sirloin steak with pickled walnut and green peppercorn sauce. After that, keep things traditional and local with a serving of Yorkshire forced rhubarb and custard or strike out with lemon tart and Italian meringue.

Most of the action takes place around a polished slab of wood at the heart of the place (the titular ‘bench’), with an open kitchen counter and high tables offering views of Nether Edge’s street action outside. Staff are unfailingly helpful, exceptionally kind and attentive, without any airs or graces - ‘this is no pretentious interloper in humble Sheffield,’  as one regular noted. Readers are also quick to praise the inspired drinks offer, from ‘exquisitely crafted cocktails’ to ‘funky natural wines’ – all served in peak condition. 

An exemplary coffee shop given a French overlay, serving cakes, breakfasts and fancy baguettes as well as unusually well-made coffee. Resist the 'crème brû-latte' – a gimmicky idea that tops a cappuccino with a crisp burnt-sugar top – and go for a cup of filter, which will come with detailed producer notes. The kitchen’s creations are French in spirit but built from local produce where possible: Yorkshire-cured ham (with whipped Dijon butter) on the jambon-beurre baguette; Sheffield-grown, slow-roasted mushrooms next to boudin noir on the Bon breakfast. Enthusiastic staff in monochrome striped tops complement the interiors, while line drawings from local artist Elizabeth Fortnum bedeck the all-white walls.

Matteo Bragazzi’s coffee shop and deli is a much-loved mainstay on the more urban side of well-heeled Nether Edge, dedicated to offering the best of Italian produce – be it charcuterie or the most irresistible paprika crisps. House coffee is an Italian-style dark-roasted blend made specially by Yorkshire roasters Darkwoods, and there are bespoke cakes and slices from the team behind Baker’s Yard – say a citrussy schriciolatta (a biscuit base topped with ricotta and a nutty crumble topping). At lunchtime, you can also choose from a selection of panini on crisp white ciabatta-style rolls and hunks of focaccia, often involving Italian cheeses, cured meats, leaves and ‘Bragazzi’s famous tomato relish’. 

A cornerstone in the gentrification of Neepsend, this former cutlery factory opened as a handsome food hall in 2018 and currently sports 14 traders spread over two floors. The crown jewel here is Konjö Kitchen, a robata-style grill from the founders of nearby restaurant Jöro. Their gyudon donburi topped with BBQ Wortley wagyu deserves to be delivered under a smoke-filled glass cloche rather than on a plastic tray. Elsewhere, Gujarati family recipes are the speciality at Ma-ba, while Sheffield’s own bean-to-bar chocolate makers, Bullion, offer some deeply delicious desserts and sweet goodies – don't miss their salted caramel chocolate brownies.

This lively Sardinian restaurant, bar and deli, takes up much of the ground floor of the Eagle Works, an old red-brick former steel mill in a regenerated area of eco houses and commercial spaces known as Little Kelham. The sizeable dining room retains hints of its industrial past and and there's a large terrace for drinks and aperitivi – perhaps a sharing plate of, say, cured meats and pecorino with truffle honey and walnuts. Sardinia’s thin and crispy pane carasau ('music paper') bread comes nicely blistered and arrives with a creamy, cheesy dip. The menu is extensive, opening with a choice of bruschetta ranging from simple tomato, basil oil and garlic to aubergine, caramelised onion, figs and roasted almonds. They also offer a wide choice of antipasti, including well-made Sicilian arancini filled with beef ragù, peas and melting Taleggio or deep-fried king prawns with a crispy carasau coating. There are salads and pizzas too, while pasta features Sardinia's own culurgiones – fat little parcels filled with potato, cheese, mint and garlic, here finished with a pecorino and truffle sauce. Owner Raffaele Busceddu's fish stew is renowned and, with 48 hours’ notice, he will prepare a feast of roast suckling pig with all the trimmings. Desserts come into their own with a classic tiramisu, ricotta-filled cannoli and affogato, the vanilla ice cream drowned in amaretto and further drowned in a shot of espresso. This is generous, hearty, bold and crowd-pleasing food with not a micro-leaf in site – all backed by a list of Sardinian and regional Italian wines. 

An eminent bakery with around a dozen sunny tables (inside and out), Forge Bakehouse made a name for itself with its superb sourdough loaves, although the pastry selection should also be celebrated: the vegan maple pecan swirl is a thing of sticky beauty. A regularly changing line-up of sandwiches with generous, comforting fillings shows off the sheer quality of Forge's focaccia, while other options include savoury filled croissants and chunky pork and fennel sausage rolls. Very good coffee and cheerful staff seal the deal at this casual, 'carb-heavy' pit stop. There are local branches at Sheffield railway station, Beauchief and Lodge Moor, as well as outlets in Chesterfield and Dronfield.

* Jöro has now launched its new restaurant at the Oughtibridge Paper Mill development on the outskirts of Sheffield. Read our first look here and watch this space for a new review coming soon. *

One of the best possible uses for a shipping container, Luke and Stacey Sherwood-French's darkly loveable restaurant is hunkered into Sheffield's ex-industrial heartland. A simple fit-out bats away any pretension – all is charcoal, including the sacks of artisan fuel standing ready to grill Thai sausage-stuffed chicken wings. You'll help yourself to cutlery from the big box on the table, allowing the staff space to communicate their deep in-house enthusiasm for the possibilities of flavour and texture. With no carte on offer, the generous tasting menus are well balanced and precise in almost all things, borrowing from the Japanese kitchen as well as making merry with British ingredients and European technique. The opening moments might feature a croustade brimming with Montgomery Cheddar and onions or a well-fired treacle roll with barley-miso butter, followed by silky, barely set chawanmushi custard popping with mussels and trout roe and topped with a decadent white wine sauce (why not?). Pearly North Sea cod dotted with wasabi has a chip-shop vibe with pale tempura-batter scraps added at the table, while the aforementioned stuffed chicken wings come with an inventive, intense sunflower-based satay sauce and juicy papaya salad. West Country venison, served with foraged mushrooms, squash with mandarin kosho and a liberal dousing of cep butter, is something to truly delight in, and puddings are a proper job: kaffir lime gives some Opal Fruit-sherbet zing to a mango parfait; chocolate tofu ice cream comes with a delicate coffee-bean oil, and an apple extravaganza (sponge, miso, custard) is the final hug. A carefully considered drinks list has something for the responsible fermentation enthusiast inside us all, while non-alcoholic options set the standard.

Seafood is front and centre at this small restaurant from independent Sheffield fishmonger J H Mann. An open kitchen is separated from the dozen or so tables by a display of fresh fish on a slim counter, while high-ceilings, exposed steel and bare brick walls give an industrial feel that’s offset by colourful modern art and complemented by chunky wooden furniture and velvet-covered banquettes. Chef-owner Christian Szurko is Sheffield-born and London-trained (The Ivy, J Sheekey) and his menu bursts with ambitious flavour combinations: a generous side order of grilled savoy cabbage in garlic emulsion with smoked anchovies was one of the highlights of our visit. While the regular menu tends to favour the classics – grilled tiger prawns, steamed mussels, fish pie – the kitchen also handles more ambitious ideas such as a perfectly charred piece of octopus with mash and 'nduja and anchovy dressing. However, most of the more unusual, creative dishes are reserved for the specials board: here you might find maple-cured salmon with gochujang, kimchi and brioche toast or whole sea bream stuffed with jerk butter on a bed of incredibly delicious, lightly curried creamed corn, as well as grilled scallops with braised pork cheek, white asparagus and chunks of smoked Idiazabal cheese. To finish, we shared a lavish raspberry and pistachio pavlova. The house white is an organic Grüner Veltliner, while service is delivered with classic South Yorkshire warmth.

‘Such a wonderful place in our neighbourhood,’ notes a fan of this ‘always busy’ local eatery. Occupying a converted shop in the city's Crookes district, No Name is full of eccentric touches: they don’t take cards, wine is strictly BYO (£3 corkage per person), the menu is handwritten on a wall-mounted roll of brown paper, and the whole place is a jumble of mismatched furniture that might have come from a local auction.

Chef-owner Thomas Samworth works solo in a pint-sized kitchen hidden behind a drape, but his food shows plenty of ambition, creativity and individual character. Unpretentious seasonal flavours loom large, from breaded lamb shoulder with crème fraîche, mint vinegar and herb salad to beef cheek with caramelised cauliflower, roast onion and Parmesan or the day’s market fish with Old Bay potted shrimp butter, aïoli potatoes and greens.

There’s always something intriguing for veggies (how about a savoury croissant pudding with blue cheese, honey-glazed parsnips and pecan pesto), while sweet treats could include passion-fruit tart with yoghurt sorbet, coconut brittle and pineapple sauce. Space is at a premium, and bookings are essential if you want to grab one of the two-hour slots in the ‘early’ or ‘late’ sittings.

From the people behind Nether Edge’s excellent Bench, this no-bookings cocktail bar is every bit as chic as its concrete-and-couches interiors suggest. Highly inventive cocktails are Pearl's USP, with ingredients ranging from spent coffee to pea-pod cream, but you’re in safe hands. Drinks are fantastic value considering their quality, as are the ‘plates’ – seasonally changing dishes offering comfort food in its fanciest guise. There are chicken wings with harissa and lime, salted new potatoes with aïoli and interesting combos including tangy marinated mushrooms tangled up with a cured egg yolk and dill. Just add assorted beers and natural wines on tap. In summer, the terrace buzzes with drinkers enjoying the panoramic views over Sheffield.

A sunny courtyard in Sharrow Vale makes the ideal setting for a vibrant menu of Mexican favourites (with a few twists thrown in). Inside, the restaurant's colourful decor positively encourages a casual vibe, as do the ‘helpful, polite and friendly’ staff. Initially a street-food vendor operating out of a trailer, Pellizco settled into its Dyson Place home in 2022. Many have praised its ‘inventive’, regularly changing dishes, which showcase the best of Mexico’s flavour wheel – don't miss the incredible beef ‘quesabirria’ quesadillas.

Our ‘habanero hot honey chicken’ was succulent, with a properly crispy, gently fiery coating, while a subtly sweet spring onion crema complimented it beautifully. Elsewhere, the ‘gringa al pastor’ (pork ribeye quesadilla) was the definition of ‘ugly delicious’: the pineapple drizzle on top did nothing to improve its looks but really lifted its hefty, cheesy filling. We also liked the fish taco (super-fresh coley in the crispiest batter imaginable) served in a soft but sturdy corn taco, while a crunchy tostada with guacamole, discs of radish and precisely cubed sashimi-grade tuna had crunch, creaminess and a good dose of umami from the light soy and sesame marinade.

For dessert, churros are served with a dark chocolate sauce made by Sheffield’s own chocolatiers, Bullion. To drink, Pellizco's cocktails are a must (tequila and mezcal are a speciality), or you can dip into the brief list of wines from Spanish-speaking countries.

Alistair Myers and Tom Lawson's Sheffield restaurant is now reaping the benefits of some constructive refurbing: an open kitchen adds to the visual allure, and the room has been fitted with new solid oak tables, made locally. The whole operation radiates enthusiasm: 'it is very rare to find this level of service, combined with personability, in a restaurant,' mused one diner, as the waiter wrote out the recipe for the miso Martini, before vacuum-packing some of the coffee beans. In between, the kitchen essays a fine-dining spin on classic home-style dishes, truffling up cauliflower cheese into something aromatically beguiling, transforming an Indian-spiced serving of Cornish cod with chip-shop scraps and caviar. Elsewhere, dishes are about the intelligent matching of core ingredients to their accompaniments: beetroot, blood orange and buttermilk with Loch Duart salmon; parsnip, blackcurrant and kale with Scottish venison. Indulgences of another era are evoked in the refined takes on rum-and-raisin ice cream, or Yorkshire rhubarb enriched with white chocolate, ginger and sorrel. A spectacular wine list is arranged by style, depending on whether you want some body but without mouth-drying tannins, or would actually quite like your socks knocking off. The small-glass options that accompany the tasting menu are well worth the extra investment for both gastronomic fit and imagination.

Housed in a former silversmiths in Sheffield's old cutlery district, this Kiwi café delivers a menu of brunch-style dishes freighted with flavour. Crisp halloumi with zhoug dressing, coconut togarashi and puffed rice takes 'avo on toast' to the next level, while corn fritters are livened up with goji berries, charcoal yoghurt and crunchy corn. It's a dream spot for vegetarians but meat eaters will be pleased with stout-braised salt-beef Benedict or spicy slow-cooked Yorkshire beef mince on toast. As you'd expect from an Antipodean operation, the coffee is great and so are the fresh juices, pastries and cakes. Payment by card only.

The Hillsborough district of Sheffield is home to Matthew Duggan-Jones' homage to his South African heritage, in which the braai barbecue is a long-standing social tradition. Behind its dark-hued, single-fronted facade, there is always the infectious feeling of a party going on at the Orange Bird, with convivial atmosphere to spare and what one reporter calls 'ridiculously good food'. The kitchen's repertoire covers everything from appetising small plates and substantial main dishes to the must-have peppermint crisp tart and miso malva pudding with stout ice cream (a clever Anglo-Afro mash-up). Get the juices flowing with venison boerewors or some pork-neck skewers accompanied by sweet-and-sour cucumber – and don't forget to order the house sweet bread dotted with coriander seeds. To follow, the double-sided Barnsley lamb chop (perhaps with parsley whipped garlic and fig sambal) is reliably sublime, or you might prefer fried baby aubergines in rich Durban curry sauce with the zing of pickled turnip on the side. Accompaniments are equally alluring, from smoked jollof rice to braai courgette chakalaka (a spicy relish). If you thought South African wine was all Pinotage and Chenin, think again. Here are scented Gewürztraminer, meaty Grenache, a rosé from Mourvèdre, and a high-octane red from the port grape, Touriga Nacional – all at eminently fair prices.

An offshoot of the much-missed restaurant of the same name, this bakery-with-benefits is a very worthy coffee-and-cake pit stop. Sit on the sunny terrace with a cinnamon croissant bun or linger at an indoor table with a hearty slice of today’s cake (the honey, almond and wholemeal is highly recommended) – and don’t forget a sourdough loaf to take home. A short brunch/lunch menu showcases carefully sourced ingredients, as in potato rösti with smoked mackerel and tzatziki, while daily changing sandwich options on pillowy fresh ciabatta are always inventive and generously filled. They sell local and seasonal produce too, as well as staging occasional evening events.

Taking its inspiration from the Subcontinent's street-food vendors, Urban Choola offers an inviting mix of curry-house stalwarts and less predictable dishes. Expect anything from rogan josh, creamy Goan fish curry, rich dhal makhani and sticky gulab jamun to 'incredibly flavoursome' onion, kale and spinach bhajiyas or nalli gosht (tender osso buco-style lamb shank in a tomato-based sauce) – all delivered with due care and attention to detail. Cocktails complement a short but reasonably priced selection of spice-friendly wines. All in all, good-value food backed by warm, welcoming service.

Following a change of ownership, this much-loved ‘bar and kitchen’ in a well-heeled Sheffield neighbourhood is definitely on the up. Chef Scott Philliskirk honed his skills in some well-respected local kitchens (including Rafters at Riverside House), and his creative flair shows in a 'blind' menu (five or seven courses at dinner, three at lunch) which showcases superlative local produce and the season’s most interesting flavours. Philliskirk works in a minuscule kitchen, so the restaurant's sourdough bread is from the excellent Crumb bakery in Abbeydale Road – although the white truffle butter that comes with it is whipped into a smooth, salty quenelle in-house.

To start, there's usually something torched in a tart – in our case, caramelised onion and broccoli with thermidor espuma, 22-month Parmesan and the thinnest of pastry. The chef's family is from Aberdeen, so he presents us with a tattie scone accompanied by fermented celeriac, butternut squash purée, roasted squash and curry oil. Our salt-aged chateaubriand was dry-aged to silky, melting tenderness in a tiny cabinet within sight of the dining room and arrived in company with soy mushrooms, mushroom-glazed hasselback potato, sorrel emulsion, beef tartare, pickled onions and gravy. 

When it comes to the sweet side of things, there might be an 85% chocolate crémeux with blackberries, honeycomb and oat crumble or a ‘cheeky slice of battenberg’ – gorgeous sponge and fruity apricot jam wrapped in soft, homemade marzipan. Smart, cheerful staff can assist when it comes to the short, keenly priced wine list, although readers recommend plumping for the high-quality pairings. Bright street art-style paintings, an indie-rock playlist and drinks in the ground-floor bar add to the informal vibe, while accessible prices make this a very approachable local prospect.