The Herd Sheffield: Hearty, belt-busting US finger food served out a basket to leave you stuffed and happy

There aren’t enough opportunities on the British Isles to enjoy a good smash burger, at least without remortgaging your house and going to a big chain.

They’re elusive over here because the UK just doesn’t commit to installing table-sized skillets in kitchens to get the job done, and more often go for multi-purpose grills instead. You take a fistful of mince and flatten it onto the hotplate with a bench scraper. Then you leave it until it goes crisp. Add cheese in the last 30 seconds. Job done.

Brits don’t or can’t do them at home because frying pans end up swimming in grease before long, so we buy disposable barbecues instead and call it a (perfectly acceptable) day.

But it has to be the smash burger for me. To me they are less heavy, tastier, and I find chefs who take after them are more interested in experimenting with toppings. And now, Sheffield has a new bohemian venue who are serving up some belters.

The Herd, on Holmhirst Road, Woodseats, opened as a cafe in January but only in July unveiled its new renovations, now fully licensed and loaded with food and drink vendors.

The food hall has opened out of a formerly derelict garage that had stood empty for the better part of 30 years, and with a few inspired decorative choices - burlap sacks, hoist chains hanging from the ceilings, lots of exposed metal and brickwork, a few rusty road signs next to fresh green ferns - the Herd team have created a trendy venue that leans into its industrial roots rather than away.

In the brief hour I was there with a friend, there were families out for birthdays, couples sipping margaritas and dogs waiting for treats while their dads had a pint. For what was their second Friday after opening, it looks like they are off to a flying start.

There four vendors at Herd now - including ‘Baaa’ serving pints, ‘Herd Cocktails’ serving something fruitier, and ‘Sup With Thee’ pouring coffee - but dinner tonight was from No Forks Given, dedicated to serving proper American comfort food from a basket.

It would be too much to go into all the combinations of loaded fries, gourmet hot dogs and experimental burgers on offer, but it all seems worth trying. Me and a friend split a classic smash burger (bacon, cheese, nothing else), a pulled-pork loaded hot dog, chips slathered in nacho cheese and (phwoah) southern fried chicken, and six maple & siracha wings, with coleslaw and two pints.

It was like eating the baseball game cuisine I only get to fantasise about while watching The Simpsons. Nothing complex or delicate, just hearty, belt-bursting fun that leaves you scraping sauce off the wrapping when you’re done.

With drinks, that came to about £50. My advice is, this is basket food - it’s best to gather up some friends and get about 12 things in while splitting the cost. That or invite someone on a date where you agree, for one evening, there’s no such thing as too much.

Crikey, there’s a breakfast menu as well with chicken waffles and bacon and all that good stuff too. I’ll have to come back at some point.