Once the beating heart of industrial Sheffield, the Kelham Island and Neepsend areas have long been associated with old mills, factories and workshops. However, following a vast and ongoing regeneration project, these adjoining city suburbs are now hugely in-demand as places to live, work and play – due largely to an offering of quirky businesses ranging from modern restaurants to traditional ale pubs. It’s also the home of your friendly neighbourhood Exposed, so next time you’re in the area feel free to pop in for a cuppa, yeah? In the meanwhile, here a few other places certainly worth checking out.
The Bhaji Café
The gorgeous Bhaji Café is a family-run business serving traditional, delicious Indian cuisine. As well as flavoursome thali cuisine, there’s an array of ales and beers to wash things down with, including Samuel Smith’s fruity raspberry ales and Indian pale ales Vocation Life & Death. The colourful, friendly vibe adds to the experience – and with gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options, like their chickpea and aubergine masala, everyone is catered for.
Grind Café
With their to-die-for freshly made sandwiches, Grind Café is definitely worth a visit. Or if you want something a little less carby, their mouth-watering salad selection trumps anything you’ll find nearby. The independent café is also designed around huge glass windows that look onto the surrounding Kelham Island, so you can watch the world go by during your early morning breakfast or late lunch. Oh, and don’t even get us started on their famous sausage rolls…
Stew and Oyster
Boasting an extensive, delicious menu and welcoming layout, Stew and Oyster is the ideal bar/restaurant to visit if you want to unwind during the evening or throughout the day. Food is served all day Monday to Sunday and a selection of hot drinks from coffee to hot chocolate (for the sweeter-toothed) can be enjoyed in the intimate snug. Fancy something a bit stronger? Cask ales and beer from breweries Half Moon, Thornbridge and Kelham Island are favourites. Menus, naturally, offer homemade stews and fresh oysters, but there’s also a selection of sandwiches and other cooked dishes to go at.
The Depot Bakery
Just a stone’s throw away from Yellow Arch Studios is The Depot Bakery, sister company to fellow Sheffield favourite Tamper Coffee. Whether you’re popping in for relaxed brunch or a quick loaf of bread, the artisan goods you’ll be served are baked onsite right next door, along with the fresh produce being locally sourced. The Burton Road site is also home to popular event Peddler Market and stays open throughout the night’s shenanigans.
The Milestone
Celebrated as Sheffield’s first gastropub, The Milestone is a hearty yet modern restaurant set in the heart of Kelham Island. With prices a little higher – but plenty of deals and earlybird offers to be had – this is a perfect place if you are looking for something a bit more sophisticated. The food is contemporary British dining at its best, and the grade II-listed building also hosts a selection of popular cookery classes upstairs.
Kelham Wine Bar & Kitchen
Nestled nicely in the corner of the picturesque Ball Street Bridge, poised nicely in overlooking the River Don, this small but atmospheric venue allows people to eat, drink and basically unwind in a relaxed setting. Pizzas, salads, sharer boards and a gluten free menu are available, as well as a gorgeous breakfast selection – avocado and eggs, or a breakfast burrito, anyone? With a top-notch wine list, fabulous selection of gins and Instagram worthy cocktails, this is a great nook for a classy night out with your friends… or to impress a date.
Craft & Dough
Nestled in the heart of Kelham Island amongst industrial factories, modern apartments and a thriving string of traditional pubs, Craft & Dough is another venture from the well-renowned Milestone Group, combining a mammoth menu of eclectic beers (the craft bit) with freshly baked pizzas (dough) in an intimate, trendy setting.
Fitzwilliam & Hughes
A recent addition to the area is Fitzwilliam & Hughes, which has just opened in The Gatehouse at Little Kelham, smack bang in the heart of the Kelham Island district. Their other venue, which you’ll find in the Imperial Buildings opposite Rotherham Minster, is well regarded for the taste, quality and sustainability of it’s coffee as well as their excellent afternoon teas. The good news is you can also get beer and wine too.