Sheffield's Fabulous Food Havens

Hello my lovely blog readers,

I realise I've been a bit M.I.A lately and my apologies for that, life has just seemed to speed up and pile on more to my To Do lists lately and I've just really wanted to hide away from it all and press pause for a bit but one of those annoying 'adult-y' lessons I've been forced to learn over the past few years is this is as unobtainable as it is desirable. So I'll just pop into to say hi and then burrow back into my assessment attempts and ongoing world weariness whilst counting down the days until things I'm actually looking forward to. 

I hope this post finds you well and provides an opportunity to sit down and relax, take time out of your busy student schedules and learn a little bit about one of the most important aspects of university life: Food.

For most students coming to university is a time full of new things and independence and one of these new things can involve the first time you cook for yourself and budget your own money. This can seem quite daunting but never fear. With practice you can become the king or queen of the kitchen and be the person everyone comes to for new recipes or advice on where to eat out in town.

However student life is not all budgeting and baked beans and sometimes we have enough cash to venture beyond our stove tops and it’s good to have a few places in mind when you do to minimise all the hill traversing Sheffield has to offer. (Although this blogger must admit that it is forays into random side-streets that can sometimes offer amazing food hideaways.)

So in no particular order here are a few of my regular Sheffield food haunts that are affordable, tasty, and will perhaps become your new favourites.

Tasty Cheap Italian Treats Near Campus – Gelato Original: Since this dessert haven opened earlier this year I have been more times than I care to count (even my phone’s camera roll is a little ashamed) and recommended it to lectures, friends and family alike. Serving gelato, crepes, waffles, cake, a range of hot and cold drinks and a new savoury menu available now, at affordable prices there is no excuse not to pay a visit – you will definitely not regret it. Plus it’s down Regent Street opposite the Diamond so is perfect post study treat. 

My true happy place :)


Making the Most of your Money – Cosmo: Located in St Paul’s Place near the Winter Gardens Cosmo is a buffet style restaurant that will change your opinions on buffets. It has live cooking stations, food from all over the world and over 150 dishes for you to try – including dessert. It can get quite busy so if you’re in a group it is probably best to book in advance but for only £10 (not including drinks) you can have a fabulous taste-bud exploration that won’t break the budget. Walking home afterwards is recommended to balance things out.
So much food! (Image from Google Images)


Pie Not? Northern Fair – Nottingham House:  I am ashamed to admit it but I’ve never been a massive fan of pies (mainly because being a vegetarian it’s hard to get ones that are exciting) but Notty House has made me a total convert with big portions, a friendly atmosphere and a range of board games on offer. It’s the perfect place to fuel up after a visit to Goodwin gym nearby or meet up with friends after a day at uni. Located in Broomhill it’s not even far to walk so you can make the time to visit and if you live nearby beat the rush on the best fillings. 

Worth a stop in whatever the direction you're walking and with Quizzes, boardgames, music and pool all on offer
how can you resist? (Image from Google Images)


Veggie Delights – Blue Moon: Located just next to Sheffield Cathedral and offering a respite from town after a day of shopping Blue Moon is a vegetarian haven that will have even dedicated meat eaters raving about it. Everything is made fresh on the day and it offers hearty filling food with good portion sizes and a range of scrumptious desserts too, as well as takeaway options. As a vegetarian I feel very lucky to live in a city with so many lovely options and honestly after trying their vegan chocolate cake and raspberry ice cream, you will too. 
Cake and Ice Cream just makes sense :)

Socialising and Dining – The Showroom: One of my favourite things other than food is the cinema and I can be frequently found their when I’m not studying reviewing films for Forge – the uni paper – or just catching up on the latest filmic treat. One of my favourite cinemas in Sheffield is an independent one called The Showroom as they offer great student prices and a range of films you wouldn’t necessarily get to see elsewhere. It’s on the way to the train station so after meeting a friend who’s visiting you why not suggest a trip to the cinema and treat yourself to some food whilst you’re there? They use fresh ingredients in the restaurant for a wide range of tasty meal options whether you want a quick snack or a 3 course meal – they’ve got you covered. If not and you’re in a rush to see a film why not grab some homemade ice cream from their confectionery stall instead? The flavours change often but the high quality does not. 


The place I always look for on the skyline when my train comes back into Sheff.
(Image from Google Images)


There are far too many fabulous food places in Sheffield to try and encapsulate in one blog post, some of my other foodie favs include Bloo88 – offering great 2-1 pizza deals, delicious cocktails and mouth-watering desserts just on West Street - , Interval Cafe – vegetarian and vegan options at student prices close enough to campus after a long hard day or for a post 9am lecture breakfast – ,and also deserving a mention is somewhere a little more fancy: Patisserie Valerie – cake is an instant mood booster for me and provides a perfect gift for friends.

So try a few of these places out or start making your own food bucket list to work through and who knows maybe you’ll be the one dishing out recommendations next?
I would also like to share a few handy last minute food tips for when you’re running low on cash and need to save a few pennies. I tried these out in my first year of university and have stuck to them since then.

-Bringing Leftovers:  Taking the time to make extra pasta/ whatever your favourite student staple dinner is the night before, or preparing a quick sandwich and accompanying snack in the morning to take with you will be a lifesaver. It is also a great way to maximise your resistance to temptation when you’re wandering around the many nice smelling food outlets Sheffield has to offer. It also can increase your productivity as well as you won’t spend your only 1 hour break in a busy day standing in a queue that feels as long as your Netflix marathon the night before and not half as enjoyable. Tupperware is your friend people. Use it well.

Simple ingredients and the well stocked cupboard:  One of the best ways to stick to your budget and reduce the amount of ready meals you buy is having a well stocked cupboard. Even though carrying lots of tins can be not so fun it’s worth buying some tins of canned tomatoes, soup, chilli etc and big bags of pasta, rice and other staples so when you’re tired after a long day you’ll know you won’t have to head out to shops but can whip up a simple meal in a few minutes.

Food and Friends: Also I’ve found since moving out of University owned accommodation for my second and third year that I’ve had to make the time to see my friends a lot more since we don’t live a 5 minute walk from each other’s flats anymore. A great way to make time for this can involve food. I love cooking and spending time with friends so organising time to cook a meal together or cook for them and have a movie night can be really special. You can also split the cost of ingredients or do a bring and share time of arrangement so it’s not too much pressure on one person. Also if you want to add an entertainment aspect to the evening you could turn it into Come Dine with Me and take turns going to your friends houses. The options are endless but for me food and friends are an eternal combination.

Keeping sustenance up during lectures is key so finding moments to try these tips out or find what works for you, but make the time to look after yourself and eat even if you have only a few minutes in between lectures or feel really tired when you get home. 

Happy food explorations my dears and let me know if you try any of them out or have any others to add to my list.

Until next time many fictional hugs and love,

Mx

P.S. One of things I got up to lately was a 13 mile night-hike in the Peak District to raise money for the amazing British Heart Foundation to help them to continue the live-saving research and support they provide. You can find more about why I did this and have an opportunity to donate  here


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