Hot on the heels of my recent revisit to Castle Donington and its neighbouring settlements, and with a few days of annual leave left to enjoy, last week saw the opportunity for another return visit, this time to a place whose beer reputation is such that it has become almost legendary, and is very much a place of pilgrimage for the discerning drinker. It last featured in these columns some time ago, in the April of 2017. Since then, I've only returned twice, once for a gig and then again two years ago for a change of scenery in which to watch the Superbowl. Given that it had been almost 9 years since I thoroughly investigated its unique drinking scene, it was long overdue a reappraisal. If the thinly veiled title clue wasn't enough to identify this location, allow me to elaborate. I speak of course of Sheffield, the Steel City, a place that I first got to know during my postgraduate studies and which has struck a chord with me ever since. It has rightly earned its place as a proper 'beer city' in the intervening years and it had long been on my agenda to make a return trip. I wouldn't be alone in these exploits though. Joining me on the journey to South Yorkshire would be my much better half, Amy, who had only been to Sheffield on one prior occasion and was very much looking forward to exploring the city properly. For my part, I was eager to visit new venues, revisit some old favourites and generally discover the state of play and how the drinking scene was holding up in this part of the country.
And so it was that, on a bright and clear, but chilly, Thursday morning we embarked on the 10.17am train from Nottingham. Slightly less than an hour later and we were pulling into Sheffield's railway station with a full day of adventure and exploration ahead of us. In compiling the itinerary for this trip, I had tried to include what I hoped would be a good cross section of venues, encompassing places I'd never been to before alongside locations I was familiar with. Indeed, some of the destinations hadn't existed when I last carried out a proper survey of the city and so there was much anticipation regarding what they might have to offer. We disembarked and set about getting stuck in. Luckily for us, our first stop lies only a very short distance away from where our train had just arrived as it is incorporated into the station buildings. It has also become a must-visit destination on any pub trip to Sheffield. Our day would begin at the Sheffield Tap.
Located between Sheaf Street and platform 1B of Sheffield station, what is now the Sheffield Tap is an award-winning restoration of the former first class refreshment rooms. The original building dates from 1905 and was re-opened in 2009 following years of neglect and disrepair. The refurbishment sensitively restored many of the original features including Minton tiling, terrazzo floor, parts of the bar fitting and some of the joinery. Entering from the platform side brings you directly into the bar room, which features a long servery, high ceilings, large windows from which trains can be seen and fixed banquette seating. A smaller room beyond this, a former taxi office, provides extra seating whilst also leading out onto the street. An outside seating area with parasols can also be found here. The ceiling in the main bar is a high quality replica of the original, which was beyond repair, and also features skylights to provide extra natural light. To the north of the main room, the former first class dining room has been incorporated into the design. This reopened as an additional room in 2013. This room is L-shaped, with pale ceramic walls, large mirrors and terrazzo flooring. Tapped Brew Co. have installed a microbrewery in the room adjacent to the street. The whole venture is a group effort between themselves and Pivovar, one of several similar arrangements across Yorkshire. This is truly an impressive building, so much so that the conversion has won much acclaim. The Sheffield Tap is Grade II listed and also features on CAMRA's National Inventory of historic pub interiors. It's not just the architecture that helps this place stand out though. It has been lauded for many years for its excellent beer range and quality. The pub has been included in the Good Beer Guide for many years, including for 2026, and was voted Sheffield City Centre Pub of the Year in both 2020 and 2022. There are much worse places in which we could have begun our excursion and it was time to put the beer selection to the test. The bar is certainly well stocked for just such an eventuality. 11 handpulls can be found here, alongside an impressive selection of craft beers, in both draught and bottled form. We had a lot to choose from here, including options from the on-site brewery. On the cask side, the options were Tapped Jericho, Tapped Pacific Surfliner, Tapped Sorsby, Tapped Toha, Thornbridge Red Mountain, Left Handed Giant Dark Mild, Thornbridge Jaipur, Utopian British, Neptune Ezili and Anarchy Blonde Star, with the remaining pump offering Snails Bank Rhubarb cider. It took me a few seconds to decided before I eventually settled on the Jericho (4%) from the in-house brewery. Amy selected Blueberry Pale by Glasshouse from amongst the keg range and we took a seat at a high settle slightly off from the bar. We would be on halves throughout the day and our round here totalled £6.65. Every trip I've ever made to the Sheffield Tap has impressed me and this one was no exception. Quite apart from the ambience and the sheer impressive scale of the venue, the beer quality is excellent. Jericho is a session pale, billed as a West Coast style, although the bitterness is not quite as pronounced as you'd expect. Instead, it has a predominantly hoppy backbone, with a dry finish and floral notes. In short, it's a good way to start the day.
One thing that has always struck me about Sheffield, is the degree of contrast that can found in its pubs and how different a lot of its venues are. Throughout the day, we would visit a whole range of venues that covered a considerable range of styles and clientele. It's part of the fun of trips like this. The joy of discovery is not something to be dismissed. Our next location would be something quite different. Leaving the Sheffield Tap through the street-side entrance, we immediately turned right and made our way along Sheaf Street. A few yards further on, we used a footbridge over the road to get to the other side and headed down the neighbouring Pond Hill. Stop number two is located a short distance down this street. Time now, for the Old Queens Head.
The oldest domestic building in Sheffield, the Old Queens Head dates back to 1437 and was formerly the hunting lodge for Sheffield Castle. Much of the old Tudor structure remains, including the instantly recognisable black and white, half-timbered exterior. The pub's name refers to Mary, Queen of Scots, who was held captive in Sheffield for 14 years prior to her execution, with her imprisonment believed to have taken place here. Inside, it's a combination of very old and more modern. A U-shaped lounge wraps around a central bar. A beamed dining room, in the older part of the building, adjoins this area. The furniture is a combination of traditional scrubbed wood and some banquette style seating. There is an upstairs function room for hire. The toilets are located between the bar and main entrance. There is also an additional entrance to one side. The pub is operated by Thwaites so naturally features much of their beer range. On the day of our visit, 4 of the 5 handpulls were in use, all offering products from the house portfolio, in the form of Thwaites Original, IPA, Amber and Gold. The keg range is primarily macro brands although one craft line is available, usually featuring Thwaites's latest foray into the craft beer world. On this occasion, that was Paradise No.3, which Amy went for a half of. I contented myself with a half of Amber and our round came to £5.90. We moved away to a cosy, snug-like area to one side of the bar. This is another location that we'd visited on a previous trip and one we'd always remembered. It's been given a bit a spruce up since then. The lounge area has benefited from a lick of paint and a general brightening. Historic photos of the local area are displayed on the walls. Similarly, the upstairs area has been rejuvenated and is now much brighter. The beer here was always fairly decent and, in that respect, nothing has changed. Amber (4.4%) pretty much does what you'd expect. It's a full-bodied and well-balanced bitter with floral hop aromas. It went down a treat! The Paradise No. 3 is a 4.3% tropical pale ale with big citrus notes and an overall tropical flavour. More and more traditional breweries seem to be branching out into the craft beer scene and should be commended for making the effort to modernise without changing their traditional values. The Old Queens Head might be an old pub but the more contemporary features have enhanced the experience without devaluing the age of the building. We received a warm welcome and delicious beer to boot. Given the age of the place, it's no surprise to learn that there are ghost stories associated with it. I did cover some of these in my last visit but here's a refresher. The image of a Civil War soldier has been seen standing in front of the fireplace. A child, allegedly with the name of Pierre and dating from the Medieval period, has been known to pull women's hair to get their attention. A large hunting hound has been seen but also felt, either lying on people's feet or across their laps. A lady in white has been seen sitting upstairs. A more modern spectre is that of a former regular from the 1970s, who has been spotted at the bar with half a pint of bitter. Most alarming is a spirit in the ladies toilet, who likes to rattle the doors whilst women are alone in the room, and who occasionally flushes toilets. The Old Queens Head is brimming with spirits of the past if the stories can be believed. What can be believed is that this is a place worth visiting if you're a fan of local history and very good beer.
Before long, our glasses were empty and we would once again be on our way. We left the Old Queens Head and continued along Pond Hill, before turning right onto Pond Street. We followed this around to the junction with Arundel Gate, where we turned left. Crossing the road opposite the O2 Academy, we headed up Norfolk Street, past the Crucible Theatre. We took another left, a continuation of Norfolk Street and, before too long, found our next destination, Head of Steam.
Formerly a bank, this impressive building has been a pub for over 20 years but was acquired by Camerons Brewery in 2015, reopening as a branch of Head of Steam in April 2016, after a significant refurbishment. Inside, a central, island bar serves a single square room. Booth seating and wooden furniture are the order of the day, with quirky light fittings and bare boarded floors. The high ceilings and large front windows ensure the interior is bright and airy. A separate seating area at the rear leads through to an outside drinking area in Tudor Square. Anyone who is familiar with Head of Steam venues will be aware of their signature style and this venue has it in abundance. TV screens show sport and retro beer adverts are displayed on the walls. The bar is brimming with goodies, as befits its place in the 2026 Good Beer Guide. As well as a variety of keg options, there are 10 handpumps, in 2 groups of 5, offering beers from Camerons's own range, alongside many guests. On the day, 8 of these handpulls were in use, with a choice between Abbeydale x Elusive Escape to Reading, Abbeydale Hinterland, Ossett White Rat, Atom Vanilla Beaufort, Camerons Strongarm, Camerons Head of Steam Pale, Camerons Road Crew, and Lilley's Gladiator for the cider buffs. I selected a half of the Hinterland with Amy selecting a half of Brew York's Juice Forsyth (total cost £6.75) and we took up a seat in one of the nearby booths. In general, I'm a fan of Head of Steam. Their beer choice is normally great, even if their aesthetic is virtually identical in every pub they own. That's why breweries and pub companies have their signature styles though, I guess. The beer here was very good. Hinterland, from Abbeydale, one of Sheffield's many excellent breweries, is a 4.5% East Coast style pale ale. This means it's hazy, pillowy and soft and boasts a big, full-bodied character, with lots of juice, low bitterness and big, tropical aromas. It was new beer for me and a very nice one at that!
Head of Steam had been a good stop off and our next one wasn't far away. We turned left upon leaving the pub and then took the next right onto Surrey Street, with Sheffield Town Hall on our left. Surrey Street then becomes Fargate and on this street is the aptly named The Fargate.
Another stunning building in a city filled with them, this Gothic edifice began life as the Yorkshire Penny Savings Bank, which opened in July 1889 and was designed by Henry Perkin and George Bertram Bulmer. Originally the bank occupied two floors, with the main banking hall at ground level and the strongroom in the basement. The upper floors were used as a restaurant and first-class hotel, The Albany, which featured a billiard room, coffee and smoking rooms, private dining rooms and 40 bedrooms. The hotel eventually closed in 1958. The bank became Yorkshire Bank in 1959, with the old hotel converted into offices. The bank itself closed in 2020. The external appearance is relatively unchanged, although some original features were sacrificed in the 1960s. Following a £1 million refurbishment, as part of a local regeneration scheme, the building opened as The Fargate in October 2025, by far the youngest establishment on our itinerary. It is a partnership between Thornbridge and Pivovar and bares the familiar hallmarks of a Thornbridge property. Inside, you could easily mistake the place for having stood here for a century or more. Throughout, you will find dark wood, leather, herringbone floors, brass accents, chandeliers and curated artwork, all surrounding a central, horseshoe-shaped bar. Screened booths, a snug, banquette seating and full-height windows to the front, add to the impressive facade. On the first floor, accessed up the original spiral staircase, there is an additional room with timber walls, decorated ceilings and original details. A glazed screen partitions the room off from a pizza kitchen, with an Italian corner oven. The toilets are located in the basement, where the original vault doors are still in situ, this time guarding the cellar. This is a truly impressive place and those who have converted it deserve very high praise indeed. With Thornbridge heavily involved, and now operating the premises, it should come as no surprise that their beers feature prominently, although there are many guests involved as well. 10 handpulls take pride of place here. Thornbridge are well represented, with Jaipur, Lord Marples, Wild Swan, Hirundo, Crackendale and Market Porter all available on the day. The remaining lines featured Atom Quantum State, Two by Two Talus Ekuanot, Beartown Kodiak and Lunebrew Stout. There is also a decent keg range and Amy chose a half of Green Mountain from this selection. For my part, I opted for a half of Hirundo. After paying £5.70 for our round, we grabbed some stools and perched at the bar. I was thoroughly impressed with this place. It reminded me a great deal of the Market Cat in York, which is another bar under the same ownership. The style is virtually identical. I'm a big fan of Thornbridge anyway but their bars are something else. They always showcase a contrast between extravagance and accessibility, grandeur and comfort. It helps that they also brew and keep bloody good beer. The Hirundo was one such example. At 4.5%, this is a hoppy pale ale, brewed with Chinook and Willamette hops. Named after the Latin name for the swallow, this is springtime in a glass, with a zingy freshness and a pronounced, refreshing drinkability. Delicious!
It was to be another change of pace at our next venue, and something a bit more down-to-earth. Leaving The Fargate, we headed straight across Town Hall Square and then veered right onto Barker's Pool. Passing both the City Hall and the war memorial, we soon reached Division Street, where we continued on. Our next two destinations sit almost opposite each other and the first of these is the Frog & Parrot.
Despite it's relatively non-descript frontage and generic Greene King external livery, the Frog & Parrot occupies an important place in Sheffield history. The pub has operated from this location for more than 300 years, putting it up there with the oldest in the city. Internally, you'll find a split-level layout with large windows that overlook the street. The bar is L-shaped and found at the rear of the room. To the front, an area of high tables and stools is watched over by an elaborate ceiling. A short flight of steps leads up to the bar area. A snug-style space, with raised settles, is tucked over in one corner, separated by part-glazed partitions. A number of round booth-style tables run along one side of the room. The toilets can be found upstairs, as can a renowned music venue. Part of the upper ceiling is covered in artwork representing various Sheffield bands, and there are lyrics from some of these artists written on walls throughout. The internal floorplan is broken up by mirrored pillars, which make the whole place feel more cosy and compact. What's so important about this pub?, I hear you ask, after my heavy-handed foreshadowing. In a nutshell, it's synonymous with Sheffield's music scene. Arctic Monkeys drank here as teenagers and have performed in the room upstairs, where a man named Chris McClure once set off the smoke alarm, prompting an evacuation. He was later immortalised on the front cover of their debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. Other important musical events have taken place here too. Joe Cocker signed his first record deal here. Boyzone and Roots Manuva have used the place for filming. Bands such as Reverend and the Makers and Catfish and the Bottlemen have performed here, and Pete Doherty is known to frequent the place whenever he's in the area. In short, this place is a shrine to Sheffield's musical legacy and a site of pilgrimage for local bands and their followers. Away from the music though, it also features a decent beer selection, particularly by Greene King standards. 4 handpulls can be found here. On the day of our visit, these were offering things beyond the usual house products. The only Greene King beer was Spring Break, a beer showcasing up and coming brewers. Alongside this, the other pumps were taken up by Bradfield Irish Dexter, Abbeydale Absolution and Lilley's Crazy Goat cider. I was pleasantly surprised by the choices so decided on a half of the Irish Dexter, a beer I was unfamiliar with, from Bradfield brewery. Amy chose a half of Hazy Day. Our round came to £6.15. We made our way to a high table near the snug and marvelled at the very eclectic playlist. Our beers were good too. Irish Dexter (4.8%) is a deep red colour, with a sweet, malty flavour and a dry finish. It's a limited edition brew, normally available once a year, around St. Patrick's Day. Even though it was being served a little bit behind schedule, it was a good beer. It was certainly a nice change from a lot of the offerings normally found in a Greene King pub. Whilst this wasn't my first visit to the Frog & Parrot, I don't think I properly appreciated it the last time. Its impact on the local music scene cannot and should not be underestimated.
Following our sojourn into Sheffield's music history, we only had a short hop for the next stop of the day. As mentioned earlier, it was almost opposite, although actually located on Devonshire Street, which Division Street runs onto. A quick dash over the road took us to Vocation & Co.
This relatively new addition to the area's pub scene is another Good Beer Guide 2026 venue, operated by Hebden Bridge's Vocation Brewery. It opened in 2023 and is based in a building that was previously a pub known as the Old House operated by True North Brewing Co. In its current iteration, a central entrance corridor leads into the main bar area, with seating either side. The decor is bright and modern and fairly minimalist, reflecting Vocation's style. Colourful murals dominate the walls. The toilets are located downstairs, accessed through a door off of the bar area. A fridge, loaded with cans for drinking in or takeaway, is adjacent to the bar, which itself boasts a frankly bonkers amount of beer. There are 5 cask taps and more than 20 keg lines, primarily offering Vocation products. The cask options on the day were Bread & Butter, Heart & Soul, Not My First, Pride & Joy, and Victorian Porter, all from Vocation. Not My First was a new beer to me and apparently a new release, so selecting half of that was a no brainer. Amy chose a half of a DDH pale called Roll With It, with our total round costing £6.50. We withdrew to a table behind one of the windows to the front of the building. The soundtrack was distinctly emo and pop-punk which I personally rather enjoyed. The beer was cracking too! Vocation are one of our favourite breweries and I know that Amy was very much looking forward to coming here. Not My First (5.2%) is billed an American IPA. It's brimming with citrus, pine and tropical fruit. It really is a fantastic beer and I'll be keeping an eye out for it more often. Amy's choice was great too. We seriously debated staying here for an extra beer, as it had been a standout of the day so far. It's a really cool and really friendly space to enjoy some awesome beer. In the end, we realised we had better move on. We were approaching the halfway point and there was still much more to do.
Our next stop was a place that always has a place in my heart for the nostalgia and the memories that it conjures up. It was by far my favourite pub in Sheffield during my studies here, and featured in both my previous trip blog and my blog of my 31 favourite pubs. Heading out of Vocation, we turned left and then took the next right onto Eldon Street, which we followed to the end. We had now emerged on West Street, in close proximity to where much of my postgrad studies took place. We turned left again, crossed the road, and continued on, taking a right onto Portland Lane. We also followed this to the end, whereupon we reached Pitt Street. A short distance further on, you will find the Red Deer.
The Red Deer has certainly been through it in recent years. A period of closure post-Covid thankfully came to an end and the pub is now back open although, as the photo above indicates, they are in search of somebody to take on the tenancy. The current tenants are acting pub managers until the vacancy is filled. Fingers crossed it will be soon. This is the kind of traditional, local pub that are being lost all too frequently at the moment. It's imperative that everything that can be done to keep them open is put into effect. The small frontage of the pub leads through into an open-plan interior, which is the result of the original three-roomed layout being opened out. The bar curves around the immediate surroundings, with areas of seating to the front and around the perimeter. A further area of raised seating, surrounded by a gallery, extends towards the rear. A rear entrance can be accessed from the adjacent side street. Toilets are located in a small corridor next to the bar. The ceiling is covered in pump clips, reflecting the sheer quantity of beers that the pub has gone through over the years. I have nothing but fond memories of the Red Deer, from pints between lectures to actual seminars conducted in the pub. I always remember the beer being great so I was hoping that that was still the case. There are 9 handpumps on the bar here, of which 7 were being utilised when we were there, with choices mainly sourced from Yorkshire but with a couple of outliers also featuring. The options were Bradfield Farmers Blonde, Black Sheep Best Bitter, Oakham Citra, Theakston Old Peculier, Timothy Taylor Boltmaker, Timothy Taylor Landlord and Titanic Plum Porter. No prizes for guessing what I went for this time. A half of Citra for me, and a half of Brixton Low Voltage on keg for Amy, set us back £5.35. We opted for a low table near the fireplace opposite the bar. Being back in a place where I had such good memories was a really nice experience. The Red Deer is old school, with basics done well and a decent drop of ale to be had. The Citra was well kept and hit the spot. I live in hope that the pub will survive and thrive and that it eventually returns to the glory days I remember from when I frequented it more often. This was certainly the place in which I felt the most nostalgia. Knowing it's still plugging away is a relief.
With the first half of our day's activity in the books, we had a bit more of a wander planned now. No beer-based trip to Sheffield is complete without a visit to the many excellent pubs that can be found in the Kelham Island area of the city, located to the north of the city centre. It was to here that we would venture for the next few stops on our tour. To reach Kelham Island and, more specifically, our next pub, we were faced with around a 20 minute walk, primarily downhill. We left the Red Deer and turned left at the end of Pitt Street. We were now on Mappin Street. We followed this to the end and then turned right onto Broad Lane. From there, we would be roughly following a single road which becomes Tenter Street and then Corporation Street and runs through an area of heavy student traffic, with lots of halls of residence, as well as takeaways and small businesses. After a few minutes, we negotiated a busy traffic island and crossed a bridge over the River Don. We had now arrived in the Kelham Island area and were a short distance from our next stop: The Harlequin.
This former Ward's Brewery pub takes its name from another former Ward's pub that once stood around the corner but has since been demolished. It is also Good Beer Guide 2026 listed. Entering through the front door, you will find an open-plan interior, arranged around a central bar. Seating is arranged around the edge of the room, in the form of both banquette seating and traditional tables and chairs. A lower level of similar seating is found towards the rear. The floor is a mix of carpeting and bare wood and the walls are adorned with myriad pump clips, adverts, old photos, slogans and humorous pieces. The bar features 10 handpulls, mostly for beer but real cider is a feature too. The house beer, Kirkstall Bitter, is normally accompanied by many guests. On the day in question, these included Northern Monk Mills & Hills, Abbeydale Deception, North Riding Jester, North Riding US IPA, RedWillow Nelson Riwaka and Two by Two Stout. The cider options were Sandford Orchards Blackberry, Ascension Pilot and Thistly Cross Whisky Cask. After a moment's deliberation, I went for a half of the RedWillow whilst Amy chose a half of Kirkstall Virtuous from the keg selection. We also shared a bag of mini cheddars with our round totalling £7.10. We took a seat on the lower level, near the toilets which are in an adjacent corridor. The Harlequin is a really cool place. It was recommended as a stop by Dog, who has visited many times, and it was absolutely worth it. As well as being welcoming and friendly, it also doesn't take itself too seriously. The toilets are covered with amusing graffiti. More than that, the beer is top notch. From Macclesfield's RedWillow, Nelson Riwaka (5.0%) is a New Zealand IPA, brewed with both the eponymous hops. This produces notes of white grape, lime zest and stone fruit, alongside a fresh aroma and gentle bitterness. The Nelson Sauvin hops give it almost a wine like feel. It's a cracking beer though and a cracking pub. Thanks to Dog for the recommendation! He'll very likely be joining me on a trip again in the not too distant future.
With The Harlequin ticked off, we were well and truly in our stride. Our next stop was not too far away at all. Once again traversing the nearby A61, and ensuring we stayed on the right side of the river, we continued onto Mowbray Street, to visit Riverside.
Named for its location overlooking the Don, Riverside is recognised for its historic exterior, which features original Ward's brewery windows. Operated by True North Brewing Co., this is a modern upgrade of a much older building. The bar is to the left of the entrance as you enter. To the right, there is a small area of seating, with a much larger, open-plan space in between. The seating is mostly leather banquette seating around the edge, with wooden tables and chairs. The use of internal pillars has broken up the footprint and, together with low lighting, dark ceilings and wooden floors, creates an atmosphere of intimacy and comfort. There is a terrace that looks out to the river, which is perfect for warm and sunny days. Beer features in abundance, with a bank of 7 handpulls on the bar, alongside a strong keg selection. When we were there, 5 of the handpulls were in use, with a choice between Triple Point Gold, Ossett x Vault City Swally Rat, Atom Vanilla Beaufort, Thornbridge Wild Swan and Triple Point Alpha. Intrigued by the prospect of a collab between Ossett and Vault City, I chose half of the Swally Rat. Amy went for half of Triple Point Haze from amongst the keg range. This came to £5.70 all in. We also took the opportunity to grab some food whilst we were here. A portion of beef chilli nachos and a portion of frickles, both to share, came to £11.50 and arrived in good time. Bloody good food it was too, and generously portioned. Good food goes best with good beer and, luckily for us, that ticked the boxes too. Swally Rat (5.0%) is a caramel coffee stout and it is absolutely gorgeous! Equal parts sweet and bitter and with a real smoothness to the whole thing, it's a truly sensational beer. I can generally take or leave coffee flavours but in this case it was subtle and served to round everything out instead of being overpowering. Phenomenal. I was genuinely slightly stunned by how good the beer was. Riverside had been a big surprise overall. It was a cracking find and a great complement to the area.
With the last delicious drops of Swally Rat clinging to my tastebuds and the acidic prickle of frickles still tingling in our mouths, we finished up at Riverside and continued on. We left the pub the way we had come in, turning right and then right again until we were making our way alongside the A61. Shortly thereafter, we took another right onto Alma Street. This conveyed us deep into the heart of Kelham Island proper, the former industrial quarter. A few yards down this road we located our next stop, another Good Beer Guide 2026 listed venue and the pub that kickstarted the real ale revolution in this part of the city. Welcome to The Fat Cat.
Dating from the mid-19th century, and little-altered since, The Fat Cat started life as The Kelham Tavern when it opened in 1850. In 1856, it was renamed The Alma, after the Battle of the Alma River, an engagement during the Crimean War. Much of the pub's original layout remains intact. It has two downstairs rooms, with a small central bar, mosaic in the doorway and terrazzo flooring in the passageway. A small entrance lobby leads left and right. Left takes you through to a room with bench seating, with right leading through to the servery, which is surrounded by more bench seating but also features a Victorian fireplace with green tiles and a wood and cast iron surround. Cottages that once stood behind the pub were eventually incorporated into the building and have since been converted into the toilet blocks. Under its current name, the pub opened in 1981 and soon became one of the first real ale freehouses in the UK. Another distinction held by the pub is it being the first to open a fully non-smoking room, which it did in 1986. As with many pubs in Sheffield, The Fat Cat suffered flooding in both 1864 and 2007, a fact recorded by water level markers near the door of the pub. Such a trailblazing pub cannot be ignored. Without The Fat Cat, it seems likely that real ale never would have gotten as much of a foothold in the local area. There was no way we weren't going to visit. This is another pub that I'd visited on a previous trip and I was eager to go back. Despite being of small size, the bar here more than makes up for it, with 9 handpulls on the bar. There were a number of interesting things to choose from here with Timothy Taylor Landlord, Beartown Eclipse, Little Critters Roasty Toasty, Derby Easy, Neepsend Fat Cat, Beartown Bearly Spring, Ashover ABC and Buxton Well Well available, alongside Broadoak Rhubarb cider. The keg range here is fairly standard so on this occasion, Amy joined me in a half of Bearly Spring which, for both of us, came to a reasonable £4.20. This turned out to be a good choice. At 4.2%, it's a golden ale with notes of citrus, orange and grapefruit, and herbal coconut flavours from the use of Sorachi Ace hops. It's certainly an interesting concoction and unlike anything else we'd tried that day. The Fat Cat has been rightly commended for its beer quality and range and its commitment to real ale. It was just a shame that, on the day, there wasn't much of an atmosphere. There were only a couple of other customers in and no background music but, given that it was the middle of the day on a Thursday, this probably isn't that unusual. Don't let it put you off. This is a destination pub and no mistake.
We had somewhere a touch more contemporary awaiting us now. Leaving the Fat Cat behind, we turned right and then right again, making our way down Little Kelham Street. This led us round the back of a new development and we ended up approaching our next stop from behind. Time now, for Salt.
Part of the new Green Lane development, this building was formerly the Stew & Oyster before its purchase by the current owners. It is now part of the SALT pub group, owned by Ossett Brewery, and operates as a modern pub/restaurant. Internally, it's very much industrial chic vibes with minimalist decor. The bar is to the rear of the front room and there is an outdoor area spread around the entrance. Seating is primarily long, low upholstered benches with wooden tables, and some higher stools. Large concertina doors to one side let in extra light and can be opened to the outside area in fine weather. Food is available in the form of Korean chicken options. The beer choices are, unsurprisingly, a showcase of Ossett and Salt products, with 4 handpulls and several keg lines. On the day, 3 of these handpulls were in use, offering a choice between Ossett Yorkshire Blonde and White Rat, with Lilley's Pineapple as a cider option. I went for a half of White Rat and Amy settled for a half of Huck-a-Back from the keg range. The total cost was £5.70. We made our way around to a table near the open kitchen. This is a well-appointed modern addition to Kelham Island's arguably more traditional scene. That doesn't mean it's out of place though. It's a good use of a building that is at the heart of recent redevelopment. Ossett and Salt are very much the epitome of a successful marriage between traditional and modern ideals and this place reflects that wholeheartedly. The White Rat was in excellent condition, as you'd pretty much expect. Plus, where else can you sit under a mural of slightly sinister, brightly coloured, alpaca mugshots?
We were well into the home stretch now with just a handful of pubs left to visit. Of the remaining quartet, 3 of the 4 have featured in these blogs before but, as with the other revisited venues on this particular trip, it would be interesting to see what, if anything had changed in the intervening time since I was last here. Our next stops would, once again, be fairly close to our present location so there would not be much time spent in terms of getting to them. Leaving Salt, we turned left and headed down Green Lane, almost retracing our steps. At the point where Green Lane and Alma Street merge, we instead continued straight, heading down Russell Street, where yet another iconic Sheffield pub was lying in wait. Our attentions turned to the Kelham Island Tavern.
This Good Beer Guide 2026 listed boozer is a multiple award winner. Not only is it the current CAMRA Branch Pub of the Year, it has won the same award 18 times since 2004. It is also a former National Pub of the Year, having claimed that accolade in consecutive years for 2008 and 2009. Relatively small in stature, it consists of two rooms with a garden to the rear. It was rescued from dereliction in 2002 and has gone from strength to strength ever since, cementing its reputation as another must-visit pub in the local area. The bar occupies a large portion of the front room, which features bare boards, wooden tables and chairs, and banquette seating under the front windows. The second room, visible through an internal partition, is more of the same, with a set of doors leading to the award-winning garden. Decor consists primarily of framed prints and photos of the local area, beer-related artwork and the pub's impressive collection of CAMRA awards. The bar is absolutely jammed with beer options. A whopping 13 handpumps are in constant use with a wide array of options. On the day, we really were spoiled for choice: Blue Bee Stout with No Name, Abbeydale Vespers, Blue Bee Five Malt Mild, Acorn Barnsley Bitter, Ideal Day Grain Store, Blue Bee Nectaron Nelson Pale, Trig Cirrus, Blue Bee Little Nectaron, Only With Love Yacht Rock, Blue Bee American Five Hop, Abbeydale Moonshine, Pictish Talisman IPA and Blue Bee Bessemer Blonde. From amongst this bevy of intriguing sounding delights, I eventually decided on the Cirrus. Amy went for a half of a keg pale ale from Cloudwater, with a total cost for both of £5.50. We managed to procure a table just off from the bar, very close to where a very lovely dog was taking up quite a substantial amount of floorspace by having a nice lie down. We tried, but failed to get his attention, more's the pity. Perhaps we'd have better luck next time. We'd lucked out by coming here though. I'd forgotten quite how fantastic a place the Kelham Island Tavern is. Quite apart from the sheer amount of beer on offer, it's a cracking little pub and more than deserves the reputation it has built. The beer we bought was a case in point. From Trig Brewery, who are apparently based in York, Cirrus (4.8%) is a hazy pale ale. Nelson Sauvin, El Dorado and Mosaic hops combine for a vibrant, juicy flavour profile. The bitterness is fairly restrained and the finish is refreshing. All-in-all, it's a fresh, hoppy treat!
The Kelham Island Tavern had reinforced its strengths on our visit. Would the next place, another repeat offender, pull off the same trick? We had another short walk ahead of us. Crossing Russell Street from the front door, we continued down the road to a traffic island. Crossing over once again, we soon approached our next destination, which lies on Gibraltar Street. Time to visit Shakespeare's Ale & Cider House.
This former Georgian coaching inn re-opened in July 2011 after an 18 month period of closure. It was rescued by William Wagstaff, a real ale and live music fan who also had the New Beehive Inn in Bradford. He returned the pub to its former glory and has seen it become one of Sheffield's premier real ale destination pubs. It is a frequent listing in the Good Beer Guide, including for 2026. Alongside a frequently excellent beer choice, live music is a prominent feature, with a room upstairs utilised for such a purpose. On the ground floor, there are multiple rooms arranged around a central corridor. The bar is in a room to the right, where there are a small number of tables and chairs. A room opposite this is decorated in a similar fashion, with yet another room further along the corridor, where the toilets can also be found. The rear garden includes remnants of its previous life as a coach yard, with distinctive stone paving. Throughout, the furniture is simple wood but the decor is unique. Old beer adverts, newspaper prints, brass plates and pump clips can be seen in every room, with fairy lights festooned in between. One room includes an original grandfather clock. Subtle (and not so subtle) nods to the pub's namesake playwright can also be found. Shakespeare's is a haven of bric-a-brac and beery artefacts, as well as its renowned beer selection. Speaking of which, the bar features 8 handpulls, which often feature styles and breweries less commonly seen in these parts. At the time of our visit, the choices were RedWillow Feckless, Amity Thunderdome, Abbeydale Dave's Deception, Little Critters Spot-On, Marble Theia, Triple Point Mild and Abbeydale Salvation. Given the available options, I was never going to pass on a beer called Thunderdome. A half for me and a half of Triple Point Cryo for Amy came to £4.95, which is a bargain. We enjoyed our drinks in the left hand room and things were about to get even more enjoyable. I went to the loo and took some photos of the pub whilst I was up. By the time I had returned, there was a dog in the room, and not just any dog. It was the dog from the last pub! He turned out to be a Mastiff/Cane Corso cross called Frank, who was lovely and got lots of fuss from us both. We also had a really lovely chat with his owners. It was a thoroughly good time and, by the time we left, they were intensely examining the aforementioned grandfather clock as they apparently had a similar one at home. That was the excuse they used anyway...... What of the beer though? It was great! Thunderdome (4.9%) is a pale ale with Strata hops, brewed to celebrate the opening of the second taproom for Pudsey-based Amity. Citrus, passionfruit and strawberry flavours really come to the fore and it's very sessionable. This was a great beer and Shakespeare's is a great place. It's full of real olde worlde charm and plenty of character. It's truly fantastic. It's managed to retain the heart and soul of what a pub should be and we could easily have stayed here all evening. In the end though, all good things must come to an end and we had a couple more pubs still to visit.
The final two pubs of the trip were fast approaching. To reach them, we would have a little bit more walking to do but the route would take us back towards the station in plenty of time for our return train. Leaving Shakespeare's, we headed onwards down Gibraltar and West Bar before turning right. Our route back took us down North Church Street, via the cathedral, and eventually along Arundel Gate, before we passed the central campus of Sheffield Hallam University. We continued down Eyre Street, emerging onto Charles Street, where we located the Red Lion.
This former Ward's pub, with original etched windows, is nestled in the back streets not far from the station. The layout encompasses a traditional pub design but it has been extended to one side. Internally, the bar is to the left and curves around. The floor is carpeted, with furniture consisting of traditional scrubbed wood tables and chairs. The layout is split-level with a raised area to the rear. The extension is to the side of this and features a pool table and conservatory. There is some on-street seating to the front of the pub. Mirrors and old photos of the area are the order of the day as far as wall decoration goes. Sports TVs can be found throughout. Admittedly, this was a wild card to break up the journey back to the station but, so far so good. There is good beer to be found here. Of the 4 handpulls on the bar, 3 of them were in use, offering both Blonde and Barnsley Bitter from Stancill, alongside Bradfield Farmers Blonde. With not much of a craft beer offering to speak of, Amy joined me in a half of the Blonde, which totalled £4.80 for us both. We found a small table in the raised section in which to take in our surroundings. As the evening was wearing on, the pub was noticeably busy but by no means rammed. The Red Lion is a pleasant enough traditional pub and the Blonde was in good condition. This place certainly seems to benefit from a reliable trade in regulars, as well as passing foot traffic. You can definitely do worse than spend time here.
We had one final pub left before our itinerary was complete. After leaving The Red Lion, we went left to the end of Charles Lane, where we turned right onto Arundel Street. This we again followed to the end, where another left turn took us onto Brown Street. Last stop before home, was at the Rutland Arms.
This Good Beer Guide 2026 listed pub, with its impressive tiled exterior, was originally built in 1936, by local brewery Gilmour's, and occupies the site of their original 1902 build. The previous layout featured a taproom and servery on the left and the lounge on the right, although this was all combined into a single room in 1952 and then altered again in 1988. The previous division between the two areas can still be discerned inside. One original window, still bearing the Gilmour's etching, has remained and there is much Art Deco glasswork throughout the interior. There is also a beer garden to the rear. When we arrived the pub was rammed, to the point where it was initially standing room only. I've visited this pub before and it was very busy then too, so this is obviously a common occurrence and a very welcome one from a longevity point of view. The decor is mismatched and quirky with lots of odd artefacts including the top half of a mannequin dressed up in various items, and pump clips and beer mats on the walls that have had their names changed to rude words. There's a proper hustle and bustle about the place and, even before we got served, it was clear that everybody involved was having a great time. The staff were in great form and the customers were a real mix of clientele, from students to professionals, as well as older people too. It's exactly the sort of buzz that you'd want a pub to have, especially when it isn't even the weekend. As well as its reputation as a fun place to be, the Rutland Arms also prides itself on superb beer. 7 handpulls can be found here and all of these happened to be in use with some very interesting choices. The final choice of real ales for the day consisted of Blue Bee Reet Pale, Blue Bee Hillfoot, Indie Rabble Fairy Trampoline, Imperial Anything Pale, Courier The Days of the Phoenix, Abbeydale Motueka NEIPA and Elusive Transit. With a moment to choose, I went for a half of Transit, whilst Amy a selected of half of a Kernel pale ale from the keg range. All told, our round came to £5.70. Conveniently, our purchase coincided with some nearby high stools becoming free so we weren't standing up for too long. The Transit (5.0%) turned out to be a good beer to finish on. It's characterised as an export India porter. The use of three different hops (Jester, Emperor and Citra) have added notes of pine resin, grapefruit and citrus, which intermingle nicely with the bitterness of coffee and roasted malt. I'd not had many dark beers on the day and this was a good one. With how busy the Rutland Arms was, it would have been easy to get overwhelmed. However, it had the opposite effect. We loved our time here. It was as good as I remember it being and a place that we could comfortably have spent a lot more time in. As with a lot of the pubs we'd visited on the day, the Rutland Arms can be seen as a standard bearer for real ale and craft beer in Sheffield. It's earned its success and I'd go back there again in a heartbeat. It seemed a shame to leave the fun but leave we unfortunately had to.
A few minutes later, upon our return train, we had a lot to discuss about our day. It had been brilliant! It's hard to talk about Sheffield's beer and pub scene without immediately getting misty-eyed and waxing lyrical, but it really is that good here. It's no exaggeration to say that the Steel City is one of the best places you can go for a beer in the UK. It flies the flag for real ale, for craft beer and for British brewing. There's a neat juxtaposition that finds a city that's so entangled with Britain's industrial heritage at the forefront of the wave of a different industry and a different craft. All of the pubs on our trip, and a lot more across the city besides, are doing their best to weather the storm. Without cities like Sheffield, with its tenacity, its grit and its determination to showcase what brewers, breweries, publicans and the like do so well, the pub and beer scene would be in a much worse state than it already is. What a day it had been. I can't say enough about how much a trip to Sheffield is worth it. A city forged on seven hills, has forged something stronger than the alloy from which it takes its nickname: a pub scene to be truly proud of.
Pub of the Day: The Rutland Arms. There's a reason it's always so busy. A gem.
Honourable mention: Shakespeare's Ale & Cider House. A absolute standout in an area of great pubs.
Beer of the Day: Ossett x Vault City: Swally Rat. Arguably one of the best stouts I've ever had.
Biggest surprise: Riverside. Good beer, good food, unsophisticated and comfortable.
