The Furnace Sheffield city centre restaurant review: A stunning summer treat offering plenty to drink and eat

This time around The Furnace, situated right in the heart of the city, had kindly invited me to come and enjoy a real taste of Sheffield, following the launch of its brand-new summer food and cocktail menu, so I thought whyever not and off I went.

We arrived at the venue, situated behind the former Debenhams store at the top of The Moor, adjacent to the site where the old Grosvenor House Hotel used to be. The Furnace is an immediately arresting and eye-catching location — seriously, it looks great.

Described as a melting pot, forged from elements that make our beloved Sheffield unique, taking in its industrial heritage, rustic characteristics are fused with modern design to deliver a stunning venue.

We decided to try out a couple of courses from the starters and small plates, beginning with the Gambas Pil Pil, a saucy affair with king prawns served in a spicy garlic sauce and toasted sourdough loaf, I heartily recommend dipping the sourdough into the sauce before topping with the freshly chopped chillies and the king prawns. Divine. The Calamari is also a highlight, perfectly fried and crispy with a delicious sweet chilli and lemongrass dip… reyt nice!

For the mains, we chose two dishes from the grill portion of the menu, deciding on the rather tasty Harissa Lamb Kofta and saffron aioli along with a coconut rice side, and we are glad we did. Sometimes coconut can be overwhelming yet on this occasion it complimented the dish nicely. The Ginger Soy Salmon comes highly recommended, the roasted sesame dressing adds a certain timbre to the dish and I’d also suggest pairing it with the Truffle Parmesan Fries for a substantial main course. Rich in flavours, great textures and perfectly cooked all around.

We also enjoyed some of the cocktails from their newly updated drinks menu. A new signature cocktail, the Tipsy Tiki is a fruity rum-infused affair with Nusa Cana spiced rum, Plantation Pineapple rum, hazelnut liqueur, mango syrup and fresh pineapple. It didn’t just look stunning, it tasted even better. I must also praise the bar person who crafted a cracking rendition of the classic Old Fashioned, with Naked Malt Whisky, Licor 43 and chai… belter.

Desserts were a remarkably flavoursome and fulfilling affair, with reinvigorated takes on comfort classics such as the Apple Pie which brought a smile with each spoonful, whereas the Salted Chocolate Butterscotch Brownie tastes even better than you’d imagine… particularly enhanced by the crushed honeycomb, a trend of late but one I’m more than happy to see continue.

It’s a welcome place, where choice is at its fore, offering a varied and delicious selection of cocktails, coffees, juices and teas as well as an expansive but not at all overwhelming menu selection with something for every dietary requirement… and if you can’t see something that suits you the friendly team are more than happy to recommend a suitable dish or a totally new offering. Plus it’s not too expensive with small plates starting from £7 and just £16.50 for its Grill offerings. Cocktails begin at £8.50 with very nice non-alcoholic offerings too.

All in all, The Furnace provides a taste of Sheffield that’s just the thing for those warm summer treats (and winter feasts), whether it’s during the day or in the evening. Now, I just need to return to try out their genuinely amazing looking Sunday Roast selection.