“I was invited to Sheffield’s Cambridge Street Collective’s VIP launch party and it was jumping”

It’s taken a while to get to this point though, after it was initially due to open in November 2022 with 24 vendors. Nonetheless, 18 months later, the multi-storey food hall is finally welcoming customers through its doors to enjoy food and drink from across the world from 20 traders.

Cambridge Street Collective is part of the council’s £437m Heart of the City II project, and is run by Blend Family, the firm behind Cutlery Works. While it’s Europe’s largest purpose-built food hall, it hasn’t opened in Sheffield without some competition - with Kommune in Castlegate, Sheffield Plate in Orchard Square, Cutlery Works in Neepsend, and The Moor Market all just short walks away.

I arrived with my plus one shortly after 6pm last night. There were piles of cardboard waiting to be picked up outside and a fresh scent of paint in the air suggesting it had been a busy day making those final touches.

Entering through the doors, I was greeted with a goodie bag with two drink vouchers and a printed newspaper detailing the site. As part of the launch party, all food vendors were offering 25 per cent off their items, so it was essential I tried at least one place out. 

It was busy, but not bustling, when I entered - but within an hour there were easily hundreds of people. Music filled the floors, as well as the smells of delicious food. People were whizzing around with their arms stretched out in front of them as they filmed their own mini tours of the site. Others were sat down at tables with masses of food specifically placed for those Instagram-perfect photos. It was an influencer's paradise.

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While leaning out of the way of people carrying full pints and trays of food, I managed to get a good scope of all the goods on offer. After finding what seemed to be the last available table in the site, I tried out El Chappo, a Mexican trader that is frequently seen at the monthly Peddler Market in Neepsend.

I ordered myself the ‘pulled shroom’ burrito (£10.50) and some halloumi sticks (£7), which came to £13.13 with the discount. I was handed a buzzer which went off around 10 minutes later telling me my food was ready to be collected. You could tell they were fresh ingredients - the mushrooms inside the burrito were delicious, but I’m a sucker for sauce and will buy some on the side next time. The halloumi was super good, and smothered in chipotle mayo.

As time marched on, the volume in the food hall increased. With more and more people coming through the doors, queues were forming all around, and music was blasting through the speakers, and so I made my escape for my bed.

The hall will be hosting a wide range of events and workshops, from dog-friendly events, to live music, to pop-up shops, to beer and wine tastings. It prides itself as having ‘something for everyone’, and with its vastly ranging cuisines and events, I can certainly see this. 

I’ll be very curious to see how it continues in the following months, and whether it will have an impact on the other food halls in the city.