Known for its bustling student population, there’s plenty of things to do for everyone in the Broomhill and Crookes area of Sheffield. From Vietnamese street food to craft cocktails and *quite possibly* the best pies you’ll find in South Yorkshire, former resident Sarah Haworth rounds up 20 top shouts for when social restrictions ease.
1. Go Bánh Mì @ Nam Song
Image: @namsongcaphe
Vibrant, warm, and delicious, Nam Song is a highly regarded Vietnamese Broomhill hotspot. Choose between the Bánh Mì Baguette, Phở Noodle Soup, or Bún Salad, which are all crammed full of healthy goodness in the form of South East Asian vegetables and refreshing herbs and spices. Everything is cooked fresh to order, and with one mouthful you can be transported to the buzzing streets of Hanoi.
2. Get Roasted @ The Punch Bowl
Image: punchbowls10
Fancy treating yourself to an amazing Sunday dinner? Look no further than The Punch Bowl. Their homely menu is full of British staples: quality fish ‘n’ chips, delicious pies, and the ultimate bangers ‘n’ mash. I may be biased from working there, but their Yorkshire puds really are something else! True North Brew Co. provide an exciting range of beers, wines, and spirits that you can sip in the pub’s newly refurbished beer garden on April 12th.
3. Get a slice of the Action @ Proove
Image: @proovepizza
Proove promises delicious stonebaked pizzas using authentic pizzaiola methods, intent on following the traditions and artistry of pizza from Naples. They use the finest ingredients including San Marzano tomatoes, Fior di Latte mozzarella and spicy nduja served fresh, hot and ready to be devoured! They are open for delivery and collection, but I for one can’t wait to sit in their heaven-scented restaurant with friends once again.
4. Coffee and Croissant @ Whaletown Coffee Co
Image: @whaletowncoffeeco
Providing speciality coffee and sweet treats, Whaletown tempts you in with its excellent selection. Their coffee – courtesy of local roasters Cuppers Choice – is one of the best in the city, and it’s worth making a trip up the hills just to taste it. Try a freshly baked croissant, or chocolate cronut if you’re feeling extra fancy, and head out for a lovely walk around Crookes in the springtime sunshine.
5. Pie ‘n’ mash it up @ the Nottingham House
A true thing of beauty…
Lovingly referred to as ‘Notty House’, this old-school pub specialises in savoury pies and real ales. Topped generously in gravy and accompanied with chips or mash, these pies are rated the best in Sheffield. Whilst keeping it traditional, variety is also the name of the game: there’s an impressive choice of fillings ranging from steak and ale to chicken, bacon, and mozzarella, as well as both veggie and vegan options.
6. Zero-waste shopping @ Unwrapped
Image: @theunwrappedshop
Unwrapped is a zero-waste grocery shop that offers a wide selection of wholefoods and cooking ingredients, as well as a range of natural household products, refills and everyday alternatives such as bamboo toothbrushes – all to help everyone reduce waste and live a sustainable lifestyle. It’s more important than ever to support local, sustainable and ethical businesses these days, which means we are incredibly lucky to have Unwrapped right on our doorstep!
7. Use your loaf @ Cawa Coffee
Image: @cawacoffee
This rustic café sells cakes and bakes straight from the oven, including sugary cronuts and sourdough sarnies, and their fresh breads are all available to buy too, so you can pick up a loaf for home. The coffee is sensationally crafted by their highly skilled baristas, and they continually change their house blend to bring an element of surprise to your palette.
8. Sunset stroll @ Bolehill Recreation Ground
Nowt finer.
Tucked away on the far edge of Crookes, Bolehill has one of the best views in the city, and it’s lovely to walk around and explore. Looking out over the Loxley and Rivelin Valleys, there’s a panoramic vista straight out to the Peak District. This view makes it the best spot in Sheffield for a beautifully enchanting and picturesque sunset throughout the year.
9. Vinyl digging @ Record Collector
Image: facebook.com/recordcollectorsheffield
As South Yorkshire’s largest and longest-serving new and second-hand record shop, it’s well worth a visit to this indie gem if you’re a music lover. Since 1978, the store has stocked over 50,000 vinyl records and 25,000 CDs, and they aim to provide something for everyone, from the casual pop, rock, or jazz fan to the most avid collector of rarities.
10. Veggie brunch @ Dana
Image: @danacafesheffield
Dana is the ideal spot for a post-lockdown brunch with pals, selling locally roasted coffee, teas from around the world, and excellent food. The line-up includes the classic full English with a veggie or vegan twist, avocado and eggs on toasted sourdough, and open sandwiches in the form of grilled halloumi or smoky tempeh. You can even build your own sandwich, choosing from a range of ingredients including veggie sausage pattie and scrambled tofu.
11. Cosy pint @ The Fox and Duck
Image: @foxandduckpub
The great selection of beers at this gorgeous pub makes it the perfect destination for a weekend pint. Describing themselves as “a lively boozer in Sheffield”, this is the ideal place to watch the football or meet up with friends in the coming months. As well as an extensive gin, ale, and lager collection, they also have a delicious food menu including loaded nachos, sharing platters and tasty burgers. What’s not to love?
12. Pamper yourself @ Sheffield Skincare Company
Image: @sheffskinco
If you care as much about what’s in your products as how they make you look then nowhere beats this independent, family-run skincare company. Lovingly handmade, cruelty free, 100% natural, zero-waste, vegan – you name it, this place has got it. They really know their stuff, and all their products have been personally created in-house, including shampoo and conditioner bars, essential oil soaps and a completely fragrance-free skincare collection.
13. have a magical time @ The Steel Cauldron
Image: @thesteelcauldron
There are few coffee shops as cool as this Broomhill quirk. The venue is not only decorated as though it was something that came straight out of the Harry Potter films, but it also serves items such as wizard’s tea and chocolate ‘n’ popcorn cauldrons, as well as a shop selling handmade wands and potion kits. Harry Potter fans eagerly anticipate their reopening post-lockdown, bringing a bit of much-needed magic back into the world.
14. Chocolate heaven @ Sorrel’s Cocoa Bakery
Image: @sorrelscocoabakery
This gorgeous shop sells chocolate treats as well as a range of cakes and bakes. There’s a choice of chocolate drops, stirrers, and lollies, as well as a variety of bars, including milk chocolate biscoff, white sweeties’ overload and dark chocolate orange. Their novelties are adored by many, from handcrafted easter eggs stuffed with sweet goodies to giant brookie slabs.
15. Begin the day @ Vittles
The sarnies are on another level.
We couldn’t be in Broomhill without giving Vittles an honourable mention, the oldest surviving independent café in Sheffield. For breakfast, choose from a full English, which can come veggie or vegan, a mixed grill, or a stack of syrup-soaked American pancakes. The afternoons are also tasty, with the royal CBLT and vegan beyond burger, and at a great price, this homely haven is the perfect hideout for a rainy day.
16. Live a floral dream @ Flourish Florists
Image: @flourishflorists
It’s always a good time for flowers, especially during the highs and lows of the pandemic, and this independent florist spreads floral joy like no other. They sell elegant bouquets and leafy houseplants, as well as options to create your own, using your ideal style and colour palette. You can place orders through the website, but they also can’t wait to open their doors once again in April.
17. Thai street food @ Taste of Thailand
Image: @tasteofthailandsheffield
As a family run business, Taste of Thailand have held their place in Broomhill for years, and after delivering throughout lockdown, they can’t wait to reopen to the public soon. Aiming to reflect Thailand’s reputation as the Land of Smiles, they provide incredible dishes including homemade fish cakes and Thai meatballs, traditional noodle soup and Pad Thai.
18. Seafood and Steak @ Butcher & Catch
Image: @butcherandcatch
This independent, fine-dining restaurant brings together locally sourced meat and sustainable British seafood, proudly supporting local farming communities. Star dishes include pork & scallops, pan fried wild halibut and juicy tomahawk steak. There’s so much to satisfy your tastebuds and paired with a bottle of fizz or one of their signature cocktails, this makes for the perfect date night treat.
19. Buy bottled brews @ Two Sheds
Image: @two_sheds_pub
Two Sheds is a micropub and bottle shop specialising in locally brewed ale. Reopening for takeaways in April, they can’t wait to share their range with us once again. The interior has a wooden, minimalist vibe, and there is a fridge full of craft beer cans and bottles from a wide variety of breweries to choose from. The perfect after-work treat.
20. Go cocktail crazy @ Early Bar
Image: @earlybarltd
New to Crookes in 2020, Early Bar delivers cocktails in style, as well as local beers, wines, coffee, and cake. After being forced to close due to lockdown, they are eager to reopen again with outdoor seating on April 12th, bringing back their extensive cocktail menu, which includes the Early Bar Original Gin-Jam Gin Cocktail, The Hemmingway Daiquiri, and the Early Bar Original Kind’a Colada: the Yorkshire Pina Colada.
Read about more of Sheffield’s finest independent businesses in ‘The Little Book of Sheffield’, available to purchase online here.
