29 places to take a lunch break in Sheffield city centre 😋
When hunger strikes, lunch break inspiration can desert you.
But in Sheffield city centre there is a feast of options, from artisan cafes to street food joints, to satisfy all palates.
Ahead of the opening of Cambridge Street Collective, Europe's largest purpose-built food hall, on Thursday 23 May 2024, we've compiled a list of 29 cafes, restaurants and places that are on-hand to provide you with perfect inspiration to make the most of your next lunch break.
Take our tour of lunch break destinations, helpfully curated into the categories below:
🥗 Great for vegetarian/vegan options
ℹ️ Please note, all information correct at the time of publication.
Under £10 💷
Find mouth-tingling Thai food fit for the bustling markets of Bangkok at Lemongrass.
The food stall is located inside the Moor Market food court, and often hailed as the most authentic Thai food in Sheffield by natives, ex-travellers and top chefs alike.
The menu is vast, but head down on a Tuesday for their £10 specials. We rate the fiery minced pork with Holy basil (Pad Kraprao Moo Sub).
Is this the lunch bargain of the century?
Manahatta’s £8 offer will brighten up any weekday. Customers can pick from a selection of grilled cheeses, bagel, waffle or brunch dishes to enjoy in the New York inspired bar and restaurant on Balm Green. Available from 12-4pm on weekdays.
Wow Dosa, a new Indian eatery on The Moor, will also knock any thoughts of a supermarket meal deal out of the park.
The chicken tikka dosa is just £4.99; they also serve chocolate dosa, bubble tea and breakfast. Everything on the menu is under £7, and there’s plenty of seating.
Sheffield institution Béres has had the solution to even the biggest appetites for more than 50 years.
Its legendary pork sandwiches are freshly made, with a satisfying combination of crunchy crackling, tender meat and soft bread.
Watch the regeneration of the Heart of the City taking place from its outlet on Pinstone Street.
If you fancy something a little bit different, head to La Croissanteria on Division Street.
As the name suggests, croissants feature on every plate. But the classic French pastry is merely a base for a wide range of fillings, from the incredibly juicy Wagyu beef burger (£7.50) to (controversially) fish fingers and even Eton mess.
There’s nothing like a pub lunch.
The Red Deer, on Pitt Street just off West Street, is a traditional pub serving home-made, great-value food.
There are plenty of options under £10, and the pies with chips, Henderson’s relish gravy and peas will set you back just £10.50.
Healthy Mexican outlet Street Food Chef is ‘busier than ever’.
The burrito canteen, which has a base on Arundel Street, has been buzzing during the World Snooker Championship at The Crucible.
Richard Golland, who owns the family business, said: “We have a really broad customer base, people from the age of six up to 96 eat with us.
“We are the busiest we have ever been. I think the cost of living has a little bit to do with it. We used to see a 50/50 split of people over lunch and dinner, but more people are coming for dinner now. They know they can come here and have a beer with a burrito, dinner out, for £15.”
The most popular items on the menu at Street Food Chef are the burritos, which cost from £9.75. They can be filled with Moss Valley pork, beef, chicken and Whitby scampi.
Taco, nachos and quesadilla options also come in under £10. The team’s focus is on producing freshly made, healthy food.
🥗 Great for vegetarian/vegan options
Brothers Saurabh and Sanchit Sharma are sharing the food they grew up eating together with Sheffield. Their brightly hued restaurant, Chakra Lounge in Fitzalan Square, serves an almost entirely plant-based fusion menu inspired by their Punjabi homeland.
Their beautifully presented vegan thali, home-made samosas and Indian twist on an English breakfast are such a hit they’ve just had to add more seating downstairs.
“I think people like us because we’re not a corporate place, it’s a very personal restaurant”, said Saurabh.
“We still focus on the basics, great customer service and making sure people leave happy. We are from Punjab so this is the food we grew up eating together and that we want to focus on.”
Head chef Sanchit honed his skills in upmarket Indian restaurants. He joined Saurabh in Sheffield when the business started to flourish, after launching in 2020.
Saurabh added: “There is a huge demand for vegan and vegetarian food here. We do some non plant-based options, the students in particular look forward to eating that, but 85 to 90 per cent of the menu is vegan or vegetarian. Because we cook everything fresh, we can also change a dish to be vegan or vegetarian.”
There’s often a queue stretching down Leopold Street at lunchtime - and Humpit is the cause.
This hummus and pita bar raises the humble chickpea-based dip to new heights, slathering it on soft bread, topping it with falafel or vegan kebabs and making it the star of salads.
All food served is vegan.
Stunning views and shakshuka? Count us in.
South Street Kitchen is perched on the edge of the city centre at Park Hill, close to the railway station for any travelling work colleagues.
The menu is a joyful celebration of Middle Eastern, plant-based food, with many gluten-free options too.
Dig out your best bib to enjoy a gigantic bowl of wholesome Vietnamese noodle soup.
Pho, in Leopold Square, is the place to head when you need a warming dose of wellbeing. The spicy salad rolls and super green soup are a winning combination.
Proove Pizza in Orchard Square goes above and beyond for plant-based diners.
The independent addition to the shopping centre has a dedicated vegan menu featuring seven different pies, starters AND desserts.
Gluten-free bases are available and there’s a separate lunch deal of a pizza, drink and side for £11.90.
Design your own perfect pan-Asian dish at Wokie Box, based on Furnival Gate.
Their custom made boxes allow customers to select the base, sauce, vegetables or protein and toppings for endless possibilities.
The street food options change daily at Union Street, a cafe and co-working space on the road of the same name. Tuesdays are dedicated to international plant-based dishes, served up by the team at Sheffield’s Icarus and Apollo.
🍽️ Something special
A gigantic outside terrace makes upscale Italian Piccolinos, at Millennium Square, a fantastic summer destination.
It’s got the wow factor, if you need to impress visiting clients.
Signature dishes include their spaghetti frutti di mare and steak with lobster sharing platter.
Relative newcomer to Sheffield city centre, The Furnace on Charter Square, already has a strong lunch game.
The menu includes a selection of small and sharing plates (charcuterie/burrata) and lighter dishes like their chicken Caesar salad.
So there’s no excuse to be falling asleep at your desk afterwards.
Fresh salad bowls, hand-made pizza and banging burgers are all on offer at Forum Sheffield.
There’s something on the menu to please every member of your team. Its enviable location overlooking Devonshire Green also makes it an easy choice during the warmer months.
Need a longer break from the office?
Head down to the cafe at The Showroom independent cinema on Paternoster Row.
It offers remote working with unlimited drinks for £8 a day and is a one-minute walk from the railway station. The lunch menu includes hits like the Philly cheesesteak sandwich or a chilli and rice bowl.
All Bar One on Leopold Street is a staple of Sheffield’s lunch and after-work drinks scene.
Their menu caters to a diverse crowd, with dishes such as sea bass and yellow Thai curry or fish and chips both on offer.
Groups can also graze on five dishes to share, for £31.50.
Just a few doors down, you can feast on the cuisine of Puglia at pasta specialist Grazie.
The team aims to prove that Italian food is about much more than lasagne. Their contemporary restaurant, serving divine hand-made pasta, is a real treat to visit for any celebration.
You will smell the mouth-watering aromas from Smoke BBQ before you walk inside the industrial chic eatery.
At this haven for American barbecue fans, the smoked and slow-cooked meats will satisfy even the largest of appetites. Prepare to ask for a doggie bag to take home from St Paul’s Place.
🥪 Al fresco eating spots
Basking in the sunshine at the idyllic Peace Gardens is a Sheffield tradition.
We may still be awaiting glorious weather, but it’s still a welcome spot to switch off with a sandwich and listen to the fountains.
You’ll often find an ice cream van there for a spontaneous dessert on warmer days.
It’s always toasty inside the stunning Winter Garden, one of the largest temperate glasshouses in the UK.
This urban oasis has 2,500 plants, direct access to the Millennium Gallery next door and its own snack and coffee bar, Zooby's.
Squeezing lunch in before a train journey?
Head to South Street Amphitheatre behind the railway station for a convenient picnic with a city-scape view.
You might even catch a performance or event there in the summer.
Tucked away on Norfolk Street is the grand Upper Chapel. This church and event venue is stunning inside, as is the forecourt to the front.
The grounds contain several benches, sculptures to admire and notable family tombs dating back to the 1800s.
Another less-known spot is the Balm Green Gardens, just off Barker’s Pool.
Now home to Sheffield’s Covid-19 memorial, this is a tranquil space for reflection away from the crowds. It’s also steps away from the much-loved (and photographed) Women of Steel statue, just next to Sheffield City Hall.
A park in its own right, Devonshire Green has witnessed the birth of music festival Tramlines and much more.
It’s a short stroll from several takeout food options on Division Street, so you can dine on sushi while watching daredevils in the skate park.
And last, but by no means least, allow us to introduce you to the Plaza at Pennine Five.
This stylish, laid-back plaza at the heart of the Pennine Five campus (located off Tenter Street) is set to become a key destination for those looking for a chilled out space for taking their lunch break.
The £1.5 million outdoor central plaza is designed to offer people a place to relax, socialise and collaborate. Intended not only for on-site office workers, the plaza will is bound to become a draw for people from surrounding residential and commercial buildings.
Wherever you're heading to for your next lunch time fix, there's only thing left for us to say...
Bon Appétit 🍽️