We visited here for the first time tonight, we were the first in and were very well looked after, the service was impeccable, not one complaint, every plate of food brought to us was explained, you could tell they were into food, not just thrown at you, everyone waiting on looked like they wanted to be there, so service was excellent. The food; just fantastic, and I really mean fantastic, more of an experience than just sitting down to a good meal, every course was a talking point, which of course it's meant to be, the pre starters and then the pre main course, and surprisingly, the pre dessert, all were a taste sensation, stunning, stunning food.
The actual place; relaxed, easy going, comfortable and friendly.
I would advise anyone who loves good food to try this place, simply stunning, without doubt one of the best restaurants l have had the pleasure of eating in, l honestly cant recommend enough, thank you for an unforgettable experience, we will be back, SOON.
Best in Sheffield?. I am not local to Sheffield but had a wonderful evening at Rafters. Somewhat surprised at the location and the slightly quirky ambiance but the cuisine was top notch. The restaurant was fully booked on the night we dined butb the service was excellent.
The next time I visit Sheffield I will dine here again.
A brilliant evening! The food was great and so was the Atmosphere. Quite expensive but worth it! My parents got engaged here like 15 years ago and just went back the other day!
Marcus is a fantastic chef, the food is exceptional, the best place to eat in Sheffield with out a doubt
I have to say that of all the restaurants I've been to, this was definitely one of the best.
I agree with a previous poster when they described it as an intimate hideaway, and the focus is most definitely on the high quality of their food.
Cooked to perfection, everything on the menu seemed both exquisite and imaginative. Who would have thought that lychee would partner with curry quite so well?
This restaurant is in the upstairs area of an old building, but the decor is modern and chic. We had the 44 pound evening dinner and it was excellent. We started with Gin and Tonic marshmallows which were very unusual in a good way. The next course was a fried quail egg with truffle mayo. The outside of the egg was slightly crisp and the yolk was runny. Delicious. The egg was also accompanied by a spoon with mackerel foam (?). The black treacle bread was excellent. My starter was lightly smoked wild sea trout with sorrel and crab. My main course was veal with jersey royal potatoes and asparagus with leek emulsion. Dessert was a sorrel and apple "cheesecake" with chopped hazelnuts and almonds. All of the food was delicious and beautifully presented. The service was professional and informative without being stuffy or intrusive. Excellent meal all around.
My third visit here, and yet to be disappointed. Expensive yes, but the menu is imaginative without being silly or quirky, a good deal of care is taken, and corners are not cut. Rafters would hold its head up in London and well deserves its Michelin listing. Service is very young but polite and willing. There are but two tasting menus but both are excellent, varied., and well paced. Corkage is rather high at £20, the excellent cocktails quite expensive too, but the wine klist is fairly priced. An evening well spent and highly recommended.
This is a little gem that doesn't need to advertise because those who are serious about good food already know about it. It is tucked away about half a mile from the fashionable Ecclesall Road. Sheffield has had a lot of attention for it's 'award winning' restaurants in recent years but this was the first and in my opinion, the best. It is not a 'place to be seen in' more an intimate hideaway where you can indulge your senses with culinary delights. Booking ahead is essential. If you want to impress someone with the food rather than the location, then this is the place.
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It's located a few miles from Sheffield City centre in the suburb of Nether Green on the corner of four-way junction.
From the outside, it doesn't look that big.
We didn't realise the restaurant was upstairs.
On arrival,we were very warmly greeted as though we were old friends.
Showing us to our table at the chefs bench,we felt really honoured. As the Michelin Guide says for the full experience, book these seats.
The restaurant is smallish and very cosy.
You forget that you are actually fine dining in Sheffield.
We'd chosen the tasting menu,like you do.
To get things started,we ordered one of their own unique Lagers by Little Mesters Brewing .
The meal begins with three taster snacks, including a delicious chawanmushi.
Followed by their black treacle bread & hendo's butter.
Up next follows a procession of delightful dishes.
Starting with the Chalk stream trout tart.
Then, you are given a little scroll explaining how the dish inspired the chef.
Cauli cheese,not like Grandma B's.
The fish course was a lovely dish of Cornish Cod,trout roe, seaweed & leek.
The last of the savoury courses was a very tender, Creedy Carver Duck that cut like butter.
There were two very pretty and tasty desserts of Yorkshire Rhubarb and the other 'Jaffa cake' with a nice gooey centre.
To finish the meal were a couple of sweet treats.
The whole evening flowed seamlessly,from the front of house to the chefs in the kitchen it was an absolutely pleasurable night.
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If I could give this place 6 out of 5 stars I would! Until now, I never realised that food could be art. I have experienced fine dining before, but never like this. The environment is relaxed and down to earth and the flavours are condensed and profound! Eating here will leave you satisfied rather than stuffed. Well worth the money for our date night! Luke, our chef for the evening, created and presented us with exquisite beautiful food and refined tastes with a down to earth Yorkshire delivery. Each bite was a burst of complementing flavours that left your mind empty of anything but the food in your mouth. Our Sommelier Nathan was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the flavours of the drinks that would pair with our curated menu for the evening. All the wait staff were invisibly attentive. The table was reset whenever we left for a couple of minutes and the table was ours for the duration of the evening. Comfortable, relaxing, informal setting with fine cuisine was the perfect balance. I would recommend you save up and book here. 1 night in this restaurant is worth 10 nights in any other! Thank you Rafters for an unforgettable night.
Amazing evening. I had the vegetarian kitchen bench menu, the menu had so much thought go into it and was incredibly inventive which is very refreshing as a lot of vegetarian menus are a last thought. The staff were amazing and very attentive. Everything I ate was incredible and I can't stop thinking about the cauliflower cheese...
Luke Wadsworth-Thurnham
+5
If I could leave 6 stars I would, having visited the Kitchen Bench tonight I was not left with an ounce of disappointment. The menu ate exceptionally well, it’s takes you on a journey from the first bite to the last, there was genius in every course with their twists on classic dishes. The kitchen bench was very generous with the courses and both my partner and I left with our bellies full, I cannot recommend this place enough, the food perfection, the staff wonderful and the atmosphere magical. A true pleasure from start to finish and a place I’d return to in a heartbeat we loved it.
Fabulous dishes and service at the kitchen bench, deserving of a Michelin star.
What a great experience! Watching all the chefs prepare the dishes and enjoying the kitchen bench menu.
Our thanks to restaurant manager Ben and his staff who made the experience extra special for us.
Can't wait to return, highly recommended.
Rafters is quite simply the best restaurant in Sheffield. We've been going for a fair few years and the staff's ongoing commitment to innovating the tasting menu is just incredible. This time we did the kitchen bench taster which is well worth the additional expense. The wine flight was perfectly paired and the staff's knowledge of every aspect of the meal is second to none.
We have been to rafters a few times now, every time it's been amazing, but the most recent was well and truly fantastic! The food was our of this world the service was second to none. I truly feel like they are pushing for a Michelin star....and I would would not be surprised if they get it!
Honestly, I would visit every month if I could purely for the treacle bread and Hendos butter!!
We can't wait to schedule In another visit!
We had a table for two as a birthday treat, facing the kitchen.
The staff really make a difference here; attentive, helpful, and friendly. The 6 course tasting menu consists of incredible ingredients and well-thought-out ideas, executed in a delicate manner.
I did not leave the restaurant uncomfortably full, and so I'd suggest not missing out on the cheeseboard, consisting of Yorkshire produce.
Incredible food & presentation. The staff were extremely friendly & accommodating. If you're in Sheffield it's one not to miss.
A wonderful culinary experience! I had the three course taster menu, which comes with an accompanying starter platter and a pallette cleanser before dessert. A wonderful array of food with flavours on each dish working together! Would have loved larger portion sizes of course, but it is fine dining! I feel the waiters could have been more engaging. However, overall excellent place! Well worth a visit.
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