The story
Set in the Ridgeway area of Sheffield, Old Vicarage offers a dining experience grounded in Modern Cuisine. The restaurant is recognized by the Michelin guide, a testament to its consistent quality and considered approach to food.
The atmosphere is complemented by practical touches: outdoor seating for warmer days, on-site parking for convenience, and an interesting wine list that has been thoughtfully curated to accompany the menu. The restaurant also caters well to vegetarian diners, ensuring a range of options are available.
While the restaurant’s own story and specific dishes are not detailed in the available material, the Michelin recommendation signals a kitchen that delivers with precision and care. The setting provides a relaxed backdrop for a meal that aims to satisfy without pretension. For those seeking a well-regarded Modern Cuisine option in Sheffield, Old Vicarage stands as a reliable choice.
Recognition
Details
History
During lockdown, the green acres surrounding this enchanting converted vicarage were given a serious makeover, with the chefs mucking in alongside the horticulturists and landscaping experts. A new herb garden was laid out, rare fruit varieties were introduced into the orchard and a ‘wild meadow’ was created to increase biodiversity, with banks of herbs and decorative plants destined for the kitchen. And in case you needed reminding, this captivating prospect is just eight miles from Sheffield’s sprawling conurbations. Tessa Bramley has been the inspirational guiding spirit here for more than three decades; her cooking was properly grounded in nature long before it became the fashion, and her appetite for meticulously sourced seasonal produce has never waned. For its many fans, eating in the decorous surrounds of the Old Vicarage is ‘just about the perfect dining experience’, particularly if you opt for the ‘prestige’ tasting menu (a daily ‘short menu’ is also available, with dishes recited at the table). ‘Beautifully matched flavours and textures’ are a given, and there’s an instinctive feel for what is right and natural on the plate – be it a dish of English asparagus and wild garlic (from the garden) with caramelised pumpkin seeds, confit egg yolk and herb oil or a sturdy helping of dry-aged Derbyshire beef (from Ashover), roasted with bone marrow and accompanied by braised fennel, mint cream and caraway-scented spring cabbage. Herbal flourishes are everywhere: a tarragon emulsion with marinated salmon; notes of lavender in a dish of spring lamb and baby turnips; lemon-thyme ice cream served alongside bittersweet orange curd and orange gel; sweet cicely sorbet accompanying a confection of bitter chocolate and hazelnut shortbread. The whole experience is perfectly orchestrated and ably executed by ‘well-trained, knowledgeable staff’, who also know their way around the restaurant’s intelligently chosen wine list. Big-name European estates and boutique New World growers share the spoils, but there is value too – if you are prepared to delve (bottles start at £25).
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