Five of the best bits of Sheffield
One of the reasons that I wanted to start blogging was our impending move to Bristol - I’ve been living in Sheffield for the last year, but my boyfriend’s PhD is at the University of Bath, so we agreed to move down there when my 12 month contract was up. I’ll be moving a long way from lots of my friends and family, so keeping a blog seemed like a good way to stay in touch.
It’s very bittersweet, because although we’ve only been in Sheffield for a year, it really does feel like home. I love the people, I love the community, I love the little cafes and bakeries and shops and pubs that have become our locals.
Although I’m sure that we’ll find equally lovely people and places in Bristol, I thought I’d round up five of my favourite things about Sheffield.
Popping out to Forge Bakehouse for a loaf of bread and some treats on a Saturday morning might just be the thing I miss most about Sheffield, people aside. It’s a lovely little artisan bakery which makes the most delicious bread and cakes, and walking past it every day on the way to work was torture.
Their doughnuts are a delight (the ginger curd flavour is amazing), almond croissants are only available on weekends but good LORD they are good, the light rye loaf is very tasty and basically everything they sell is incredible. On weekdays they also sell morning buns, which are croissant dough made into a bun shape and sprinkled with (pink!) raspberry sugar.
When I first moved to Sheffield I lived just around the corner from Sharrow Vale Road for a few months, and I think I can categorically say it’s the nicest street in the Steel City. It’s packed with lovely independent businesses and cafes, and once every few months Sharrow Vale market pops up there. The photo above was taken in Sebastian's, one of the nicest cafes on the road.
Someone I worked with first told me about Burton Street and encouraged me to go along to their monthly bistro nights - which I did. Their signature brownie is absolutely incredible, and the menu is fantastic value! It’s a community of services and people in the Hillsborough area which serves adults with learning difficulties and the wider community.
It’s such a nice place to be and they have lots of events throughout the year to raise funds for the services. We went to a fantastic art exhibition a few months ago, and I’m looking forward to the Food Market in June if we're still about.
If you go into the main Sheffield Central Library building and up several flights of stairs, you’ll eventually come to the Graves Gallery on the top floor. It’s a very unassuming place for a gallery, but it’s an absolute gem, with works from Damien Hirst, Grayson Perry and a whole host of big names on display.
There’s also some fantastic local work, lots of industrial art (for which I have a soft spot) and a temporary exhibition space where the display changes regularly. It’s a great place to while away half an hour in the city centre.
I’m a complete sushi fiend, and after moving to Sheffield from a small, provincial city, finding a good source was high on my agenda.
Let’s be frank; Let’s Sushi is not a fancy, fine-dining restaurant. It’s barely a cafe, more a takeaway with a few tables (and no loo!), but the food is fantastic. Sets are around £5 - £8, or you can pick and mix your own for about the same price. It’s also available for delivery, and having tried several other sushi places in town, I’m convinced it’s the best sushi place in Sheffield.
Of course, there are a million other places I could have mentioned (Trippets jazz bar, The Broadfield pub, Endcliffe Park….) but the list had to end somewhere. The long and short of it is: Sheffield is a fantastic place to live and I’m going to sorely miss it - hopefully we’ll be back in a few years.
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