Welcome back to The Date Edit, your weekly reminder that dates don’t need to be grand gestures or soft-launch declarations. This week, we’re heading north to Sheffield, the city of steel, indie music, and surprisingly excellent places to go for a day date.
Sheffield’s got that perfect mash-up of industrial grit and chilled green hangouts – a city built for vibes. Add in the absolute scenes from the Uni of and Hallam crowd, and suddenly your date has every excuse to “accidentally” stretch way past whatever else you pencilled in.
Vibe: Industrial chic, cosy corners, indie energy
Area: Kelham Island and City Centre
Best For: Third date “ok, we actually like each other” territory
Budget: ££
Length: 5–7 hours
The Day Thing
Brunch at Gaard Coffee Hide (Kelham Island)
Start with Gaard, a plant-based coffee spot with the kind of Scandinavian minimalism that makes everyone look 20% hotter. It’s casual but cool, with bright interiors and a menu that doesn’t scream vegan propaganda at you. Perfect for a gentle ease-in: iced oat flat whites, cinnamon buns, and that early-date energy where you’re both pretending you didn’t overthink your outfit.
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Price Point: ££
The Afternoon Thing
Wander Kelham Island and Millowners Arms
Kelham Island is basically Sheffield’s answer to “industrial-but-make-it-dateable.” Take a slow wander by the river, dip into a couple of vintage shops, avoid the urge to buy anything impractical, and finish up at the Millowners Arms, a quirky pub/museum crossover that practically dares you to settle in for hours.
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Park yourselves in a booth with a couple of pints and let the chat stumble along naturally. The ambient noise will cover any “so… anyway” moments.
Price Point: £
If It Goes Well
Dinner and Drinks at Bench
Bench is chilled, intimate, and conveniently designed to make you seem more sophisticated than you are. The food rotates, the wine is excellent, and the lighting basically acts like a soft-focus filter.
Go for a mix of plates and pretend you’re adventurous.
Price Point: £££
Related article: The Date Edit: A queer guide to Liverpool’s best date spots
Wrap-Up
Cocktails at Public
If the date is still flowing, take them to Public, a tiny, award-winning cocktail bar built inside a former public toilet (very Sheffield). It’s intimate, atmospheric, and great for closing the gap without making a big deal of it.
The drinks are thoughtful without being wanky, the staff are great, and the playlist is something you might want to secretly Shazam. Ideal for finishing the night strong or gently sabotaging your self-imposed 10pm curfew.
Price Point: £££
See you next time for the next instalment of The Date Edit.
Nonchalant x
Babs heads up Logistics and Product here at Nonchalant Magazine.
