South Street Kitchen review: Brunch at plant-based cafe in Sheffield's Park Hill flats is not to be missed

Having last week seen that South Street Kitchen, located in Park Hill flats, was one of Google’s top-rated venues for brunch in Sheffield, I had asked my housemate Libby if she fancied visiting over the weekend. And when I woke up on Saturday morning with a slight ‘headache’, I was very pleased that Libby had booked us a table for 10.45am.

Despite living in Sheffield for some years, and even in the Park Hill area at one point, I’d never visited South Street Kitchen before. The independent cafe serves Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine, and all dishes are vegetarian or vegan. As Libby is vegan, and I’m trying out the veggie lifestyle for January, it seemed like a fitting place to visit. 

The sun was shining, the air was crisp, and we knew we were in for a good day. We parked with ease at the Park Hill flats, and made a slow walk over to the cafe. When we walked in, we were warmly greeted by the staff and taken upstairs to our table. 

I was really taken aback by the upstairs seating area - it is a gorgeously decorated space - minimalist with pops of colour - and huge windows overlooking trees. I know this cafe strives for a laid-back atmosphere, and it has certainly achieved that. It was a very calming place to be.

After considering many options on the menu, Libby and I were finally ready to order. Craving something hearty, I ordered Abir’s All-Day Breakfast with a poached egg from the specialities section, and a pot of rooibos and chai tea. Libby ordered the Beans on Toast with scrambled tofu, and a flat white with oat milk.

Although time flies when you’re chatting with your friends, we can’t have been waiting longer than about 10 minutes for our food to arrive. My meal was described on the menu as the cafe’s Syrian chef’s favourite. It consisted of aubergine in a richly spiced tomato stew with flatbread, and topped with pomegranate seeds. The addition of the poached egg was a good choice too. 

It arrived steaming hot and it was full of flavour and different textures, which is something I enjoy in a meal. When I finished it I was very pleasantly full - it was the perfect portion size. 

Libby also gave her meal the thumbs up, which was described as Middle Eastern-style borlotti beans in a rich tomato sauce on toasted sourdough with crispy spring onions and scrambled tofu. It looked delicious.

All in all, our delicious brunch came to £26.50 excluding the tip. We also paid £3.20 for two hours at the car park. We thought our meal was incredibly good value, and I don’t think I’ve ever been served by such kind, smiley and lovely staff. We were also very impressed to read on the table that the team has recently started growing their own produce for their meals. 

I’m hoping to move to this side of Sheffield soon, and South Street Kitchen can be sure to see my face again as I work my way through the rest of the menu.