I asked locals what makes the food hall at The Moor Market in Sheffield so great

Unlike so much else in Sheffield city centre, the food hall in The Moor Market is almost always busy.

So I wandered down one lunch time to see who was attracted to this informal, unflashy melting pot of cuisines at the right price.

Opened when they were still known as ‘food courts’ this array of cafes - or ‘kitchens’ in modern parlance - is not the trendiest by any means - and maybe that’s the secret of its success.

It is built on a strong showing of traditional English grub - fried food, jackets, sandwiches, cups of tea and cakes - from Karen’s, Nic Nix, McKay’s, The Market Chippy and Kings. Alongside them are Ping’s Chinese and Chinese Fast Food, Pho Vietnamese, Malaysian Cafe, Hungry Buddha Nepali and Mango and Lemongrass Thai.

When I visited - and on any day - customers include families with kids, smartly-dressed public sector professionals with lanyards, workers in hi-viz, retired folk and students. It might be easier to list who it doesn’t appeal to - snobs.

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A crack hygiene team ensure tables are quickly cleared of plates and wiped. It’s also big enough that tables can be pulled together to accommodate groups, while solitary diners can perch on a bar stool and look out of the window, or more likely, go on their phone.

Pam and Brian Smith, both in their 80s, have been coming in twice a week since it opened in November 2013. Usually they have coffee and cake and they like the prices - Brian’s latte is £1.50 from Karen’s - and the atmosphere.

Chinese students Dongwei Zhong, Wanxin Duan and Tommy bought mango rice, crispy pancake and Thai milk from Malaysian Cafe after a recommendation from a friend. They visit quite often, alongside Chinese and Italian restaurants. 

An eight-strong group from Sheffield Hallam University were out on a team lunch. Last month they visited another food hall, Sheffield Plate in Orchard Square, next month it will be the new one, Cambridge Street Collective, which should be open by then. They had Hungry Buddha Vietnamese and Malaysian dishes and fish and chips.

One said: “It’s really informal but the lunch is what you’d expect somewhere more expensive.”

The Moor Market also has free wifi and offers indoor shopping when a chilly north wind has been blowing for days. It is owned by Sheffield City Council which aims to serve everyone and in this food hall it really does.