It was only a matter of time until we matched up this much-loved Ringinglow retreat with its namesake feature – a true hidden gem, by name and by nature.
Fittingly set back from the main road connecting the southwestern part of the city to the Peak District, you’ll find The Hidden Gem Café at the back of a narrow lane overlooking Bents Green playing fields. Its leafy location and fuel-giving coffee and breakfasts make it a popular pitstop with walkers heading for a day out in the Peaks, and such is its reputation for culinary excellence, you’ll find it bustling away with all manner of visitors most mornings – especially on weekends!
The café was set up by Work LTD, a unique local charity that offers the chance for people with learning disabilities to reach their potential in life. Their students gain valuable work experience in the café, developing important life skills and providing stellar service for customers while they’re at it.
The welcoming cafe space is situated just off Ringinglow Road, Bents Green.
Their award-winning menu changes seasonally and is created using local produce freshly prepared onsite each day. When Exposed visited last month, the kitchen was serving up everything from their famed Full English breakfast to Greek lamb sandwiches, orzo salads and seitan bratwursts – all of which could be washed down with homemade drinks specials including flavoured iced teas, lemonades and cold brew coffee.
“We keep switching things up to ensure the menu stays seasonal and fresh,” café manager Charlie Sullivan told us. “Our head chef Sam Baker is very talented, and we’ll soon be reintroducing pop-up evenings – Italian nights, tapas nights, etc – with set menus and bookings only, so we’re looking forward to them returning.”
“We get great feedback on the quality of the food and the welcoming atmosphere here. Our students are the backbone of what we do – whether that’s serving food or growing the herbs we use in the kitchen. There’s a lot of good work that goes into this place.”
We can confirm that the food is stunning. Exposed were treated to a sumptuous asparagus and crispy poached egg dish served with toasted ciabatta, salty parma ham and spicy sriracha aioli, as well as a beautifully presented breakfast hash made with chilli, fennel, sausage meat, eggs and spicy ketchup. Both of these delights were seen off in truly indulgent fashion – a generous portion of strawberry cheesecake French toast.
There’s a wide range, of breakfast, brunch and lunch options – plus homemade smoothies, juices and great coffee!
After recently undergoing an extension, around 50 diners can now sample these delights inside the modern-feeling, spacious café space, while a welcoming al fresco dining space can fit another 30 outside – with scope to get more seating onto the field during the summer months.
Their growth in size has been complemented by the opening of an onsite deli shop, showcasing local produce and a few interesting collaborations.
“We’re really excited to get the deli open,” says Charlie. “We’ve got a couple of interesting local collabs that we’ll be stocking in there. Our students will be heading down to Bullion Chocolate to make a limited edition bar there, and we’ll also be stocking our limited edition Henderson’s Relish bottle designed by Sheffield artist Luke Horton.”
The dessert options are pretty impressive too!
“All proceeds from the café and deli shop go directly back into the charity. Covid was a tough one for us, so we’re really pleased to be able to pick things back up again, increasing our offer to customers and launching some new projects. We just want to remind people that even though we are hidden away, we’re still very much here and looking forward to welcoming people in!”
