Supper clubs galore after Mesters makes more room for bakery

“We used to cook our supper clubs in the bread ovens”, laughs the chef at popular bakery Forge Bakehouse, and now its extended upstairs cafe, called Mesters Social.

“It was really hard at times trying to cook scallops in a tiny little pan.

“We can seat around 32 people where we had only room for 24 downstairs, and we have a proper kitchen now.”

The addition of Mesters Social, which has just been painted in bright stripes by Sheffield artist Rob Lee and is unmissable on Abbeydale Road, means the Forge team can do more of everything.

More seasonal supper clubs are planned, with one focusing on spring produce in March next, plus vegan, fish and other specialities to come throughout the year.

A Valentine’s supper club was held at Mesters Social last week.

The brunch menu of the bakery has also expanded, with extra hot dishes on offer, from sweet potato pancakes to full English breakfasts.

And it means the long queues of croissant craving customers outside the bakery on a weekend can be, if not abolished, eased a little.

Danielle Gallacher, service manager, added: “ Mesters was all about catering to demand.

“In the summer we used to have people eating their eggs on the wall outside because there wasn’t any space.

“Now we can take bookings and do a lot more of the supper clubs - the chefs use seasonal local produce, make everything from scratch and lots of different styles of cooking.”

n Supper clubs are also ahoy just down the road at The Broadfield pub.

Their next event celebrates the Great British Chippy on March 20.

Five course of Friday night’s takeaway will be reimagined by the pub chefs. Events are lined up all year.