Penistone Restaurant Guide

2023 Review: “A popular local staple for many years”, this posh and hugely successful pub has been run by the Truelove family since 1968 and – much extended over the years – is known for its “consistently good food and service, with a great atmosphere”. Supporters reckon it is currently “back on form and, though expensive, a great meal is guaranteed (potted shrimps and shellfish superb!)”. A contrary view is that “the dining room decor is in a time warp, with no hint of frivolity to brighten the dullness”, while the “surprisingly long menu could do with being edited”, and the dishes arrive in “generous portions, but lack finesse”.

2022 Review: No feedback as yet on this brave September 2020 opening – a tiny, 8-seat chef's table restaurant (all seats are at the counter) with an ever-changing and affordable tasting menu (7 courses for £30 on opening) from chef Luke Reynolds. Reports please!

“A must-visit for anyone in Sheffield who wants great food in an informal setting”, this spin-off of the hit Kelham Island venue Joro is situated in indie food hall The Cutlery Works; the ‘robotayaki’ kitchen features Scandi/Japanese fusion plates cooked over a BBQ grill, and happily “the food quality is as good as Joro, but the prices more accessible”.

“Blessed to have this in Sheffield… it is bold and surprising!” – Luke & Stacey Sherwood “go from strength to strength” at this linchpin of the city’s dining scene “set in a shipping container” and which opened in 2016. “When it comes to consistent, flavourful, creative food that’s technically clever without being pretentious, it’s hard to beat” and a number of reporters feel “it’s a mystery as to why it hasn’t got a Michelin star”. “A new, larger venue might help with the slight feeling of overcrowding” (“hopefully the restaurant will move to a larger location where the timings do not have to be so rigid”). Top Menu Tip – “their soft drinks pairings are the work of alchemy: matching dishes with unique skill”.

“Tucked away in a leafy suburb in the posh west of the city”, this comfortably appointed 26-seat venue from Tom Lawson & Alastair Myers has a dedicated local fan club. It’s “now entirely focused on set menus, from 4 courses for £65 to the ‘Kitchen Bench’ for £120 – highly priced for round here” but scoring decent ratings or better in all reports.

Opened in 2006 in an elegant townhouse on a cobbled street in the city centre, this well-known family-run venue “will not disappoint”, with Naples-born Ester’s “real Italian food” and her partner Saverio’s “excellent Italian wine list” (with some truly notable vintages) winning high praise.

2021 Review: Maurizio Mori’s long-established Italian (est. 1996) has earned its local popularity with “good food that’s consistently authentic” and “staff and an atmosphere that help improve your day”.

Chef-patron Eric Paxman trained under Marco Pierre White in London and Bill Granger in Australia, and has cooked for luminaries including Arnold Schwarzenegger, who vowed ‘I’ll be back’ – a sentiment shared by numerous guests at the venture he opened in his hometown 14 years ago. “Lunch and early-bird evening specials are an exceptional bargain”.

2023 Review: Richard & Abi Golland’s street-food operation wins high ratings for its tacos and other lively Latino dishes, available at its city-centre Burrito Bar or the fully licensed Mexican Canteen in Sharrow Vale Road.

2022 Review: “The best freshly ground and tasty coffee in the whole of South Yorkshire, can’t beat it” – insist fans of this Kiwi-style spot in the Cultural Industries Quarter – now in its 12th year, so a veteran in the fast-moving world of artisan coffee. It has an all-day menu of brunch-ish eats, and serves cocktails as early as 11am. The industrial-style interior is replicated at its second site, at Sellers Wheel.

“An airy space with unusual dishes and great cooking” – this comfortable independent opposite the civic hall scored highly in this year’s annual diners’ poll. The focus is on small plates, some of them very original: who’s for ‘honey, soy and gochujang roast carrots, toasted sesame, with tahini satay’?

2022 Review: “Seriously tasty, excellent-quality food” is on the menu at chef James Duckett’s inn, which has wonderful views over the Hope Valley in the Peak District National Park. His cooking is “very good”, and “the 7-course tasting menu is superb value for money”. “Friendly service and no over-long waits between courses”.

2023 Review: Fooderati insider Thom Hetherington was amongst those sending out an SOS on behalf of this well-regarded neighbourhood restaurant in his hometown, which was gutted by fire in September 2022. By the end of the month it had crowdfunded the money to re-open and restore its mix of funky small plates (typically you would order 7-8 in a meal), plus gins, cocktails and a thoughtful small selection of wines.

2022 Review: A collaboration between Sheffield cook Richard Smith, his restaurateur wife Victoria and the award-winning craft brewers Thornbridge; “creative fish dishes” feature alongside meats – all well-singed on the fancy Bertha indoor charcoal oven – and the “great location” (skirting the Peak District) makes it particularly “good for outdoor eating”.

2023 Review: This “excellent seafood restaurant” was opened in 2021 by “top Sheffield fishmonger J H Mann” – an institution that opened a century earlier in Hillsborough. “Being run by a fishmonger means they have varieties way more exciting that the usual offerings, including lobster, oysters and scallops” – which means it’s “a wonderful place for fish lovers”. The retail part of the business is now based in Sharrow Vale, with a second shop in Bakewell.

2022 Review: “The food is authentic and quite different from average North Indian establishments (dishes from Kerala are featured)” at this “very consistent” spot proclaimed in particular for its “fine dosas”.

Flo Hiller and Joe Shrewsbury’s “great, informal” small-plates restaurant, in what is a happening dining ‘hood, has wowed the likes of Marina O’Loughlin since opening in 2019; you “can see the influence of Moro”, the famously creative Clerkenwell icon, on its “exciting menu”, and bonus points for its soft drink pairings, “many homemade”. In 2023, they opened a bakery/café/essentials shop, 100m away on Sharrow Vale Road, with plans to create a laid- back extension to the main restaurant.

2023 Review: “Nice, if somewhat out-of-the-way, neighbourhood-style spot serving small plates and good wine”, outside Sheffield – a bar / kitchen and shop that started life with sell-out pop-up dinners. Its cuisine was given a strong plug by The FT in early 2022.