Often credited as one of the ‘coolest neighbourhoods in the UK’ Kelham Island continues to evolve – and is becoming something of a foodie destination. We spoke to Sophie Barber whose popular tours involve a little bit of history as well as some tasty treats.

It was once the beating heart of industry in the city, but once regeneration began, Kelham Island has morphed into something completely different – and that’s been a good thing. 

In recent years, it has been named one of the 15 coolest neighbourhoods in the UK by The Telegraph, and has also been singled out for praise by the likes of Time Out Magazines and The Times. So what exactly makes it so special? 

Before we delve into the great and the good of the present day, let’s take a look back at its history and the onset of that regeneration, which kicked into gear, albeit slowly at first, in the 1990s. 

Run-down and largely industrial, the area of Kelham Island, and to some extent Neepsend, first started to see change when small breweries started to move in, making use of the vast warehouse spaces, proximity to the city centre, and major road networks. Alongside traditional pubs like the Fat Cat and Kelham Island Tavern, it became well-known for its ale trail as more and more people flocked to the once neglected area.

The greater footfall opened eyes to Kelham’s potential, and after city living apartments started to spring up, other businesses began to be tempted into the area. 

It was, however, a slow process. This transformation didn’t happen overnight, and after a few stagnant years where it seemed very little happened, the last ten years or so have proven to change the area at a much faster rate. 

Has there been a particular catalyst? It’s hard to say. I’d suggest it’s not been one thing as such, but a collection, that really kick-started Kelham’s metamorphosis. Even when things seemed to be moving very little, the appetite of city living continued apace with more and more apartments springing up around the area, either in the form of conversions or new-builds. Residents loved the industrial feel, but wanted more. Then, we slowly started to see a wave of openings  that began to transform the area into something more reminiscent of a community. 

Peddler Market, which has become a focal point of Kelham Island, first started in 2014, and eventually made 92 Burton Road its permanent home. Yellow Arch Studios, which opened in 2015, brought musicians and gig-goers into the area. Krynkl, the quirky shipping container complex, brought independent start-up businesses and Michelin-rated fine dining, in 2017. Cutlery Works brought more high-quality food to the area in 2018 and was the first food hall to open in the city, followed by the likes of Cambridge Street Collective. One of the major changes that emphasised the community aspect of Kelham Island, was the opening of the huge housing development, Little Kelham. 

Around and beyond these dates, there has been an influx of bars, restaurants, event spaces, and more. Improvements to roads and public footpaths have created an increasingly inclusive area that is easier to navigate. 

And there’s much more to come. Work is underway to convert the old Stones Brewery at the bottom of Rutland Road, and there’s constant chatter about more businesses moving into or opening in the area. 

Despite the gentrification over the years, Kelham Island still retains that industrial heart, which only adds to its charm. Where else could you find a barber shop next to a steelworks, or a furniture maker next to a chocolate shop? 

One recent development from the heart of Kelham, is the expansion of Kelham Island Food tours to the rest of the city. Sheffield (formerly Kelham Island) Food Tours takes guests on a culinary adventure through the city, stopping off at up to six different independent eats to savour generous small plates and delicious drinks, all while enjoying an easy stroll and fact-packed tales from your guide all about iconic parts of Sheffield. You can enjoy a variety of dishes such as pork belly, mini fish and chips, tacos, pizza cheesecakes, and much more on this guided tour around some of Sheffield’s finest eateries. 

Sophie Barber, owner of Sheffield Food Tours, had worked in hospitality marketing for around ten years before setting up the business in January 2019. 

“I’d always wanted to set up my own business doing something experiential and foodie. I lived down south for 20 years, came back to Sheffield and saw an opportunity in Kelham, because it’s not a traditional high street, it’s a bit different,” she explained. Inspired by Kelham Island’s vibrant food and drink scene, she began with ten tours per month, launching the ‘Taste of Kelham’ experience that summer. 

Working with places like Bullion Chocolate and Chop Shop Bar & Grill, the business ensures emphasis on Sheffield’s incredible independent scene. 

“Sheffield’s very big on supporting local, and as much as I wanted to run an experiential food business, I’m very keen on supporting local independents, so that’s part of the ethos as well,” Sophie explained. 

“Lots of people say ‘I never thought I’d be going on a food tour in my own city, but I’ve only ever had five-star TripAdvisor reviews, the guides always get great feedback, you become part of the group, it’s really social. It’s rewarding that you’ve put something together and people love it, I’m pretty proud of the response it’s had. People have said ‘I’ve learnt things about my city that I just didn’t know,’” Sophie commented. 

The business is now overseeing an expansive rebrand, stretching the culinary experience from Kelham Island to Sheffield city centre, with ‘A Taste of Kelham’ as well as ‘Taste of Sheffield’. Sophie said, “It’s really grown, I decided last year to really give it a push, we expanded to the city centre, because of everything that was happening, like food halls and Leah’s Yard, it felt like a good time to do it, so I launched the Taste of Sheffield, which has been received really well.” 

The Taste of Sheffield food tour takes guests on a culinary and historical journey through the city centre, visiting five different venues enjoying four small plates and a special drink-tasting session. Led by one of the knowledgeable guides, the tour showcases iconic Sheffield landmarks, providing interesting facts along the way. 

“I was a bit sad to give up Kelham Island food tours, because it’s been six years, it’s well-known, but there’s still a lot of people that don’t know about the food tours. It’s that challenge of any small, self-employed business, growing and changing, but it is happening, and it’s a fun thing to do. With rolling it out to the city centre, generally people from outside the city might not know Kelham Island, so it just makes more sense from a brand perspective to be Sheffield Food Tours, and then I can incorporate different areas,” the owner elaborated, “Sheffield’s really great for neighbourhoods- Sharrow Vale, Crookes and Broom Hill, Nether Edge and Kelham, to a certain degree the city centre’s not been the best option for going out to eat, which is why I’ve launched Sheffield Food Tours, and it’s definitely changing, there’s some great options in town now.”

And that’s not the only thing that’s new. The company is now providing an opportunity for self-guided tours, providing the perfect opportunity to curate your very own unique foodie adventure through the city. Guided by a user-friendly app ‘Indie Food Tours’ (IFT), users can follow a detailed map to each stop and enjoy fabulous flavours at their own accord. 

The self-guided tours launched in late 2024, first beginning in a paper-based form in Leeds before the curation of the national IFT app. “With the guided tours, you get the social aspect, because you’re doing it with ten people, which people really enjoy, everyone gets on really well, you also have the guide there who’s really knowledgeable and gives you that insight. 

You miss out on that in a self-guided tour, but on the flip side, you can do it in your own time, it’s a different experience. You get a map, a QR code, it tells you what dish you can have, it takes you around the area with history notes. So, from a visitor’s perspective, if you didn’t know anything about the area, using a self-guided app to get to know the city centre of Kelham via food or venues, is quite a nice way to do it,” Sophie explained. The guided and self-guided tours alike can be bought as gift vouchers, so you can gift a specific tour like ‘A Taste of Sheffield for Two’, without showing the price. 

With big plans for the future, Sophie revealed that a wine specialist guide will be putting together a wine walk with the company around natural wine spots in town and Sharrow Vale, a tour which is undergoing trials at the moment, and will eventually be open to the public. 

“I’m hoping this year it will grow again, last year was my best year. I do have quite a loyal following and I do get quite a bit of repeated business, but I certainly want to go down the route of more private tours like hen parties this year, there’s lots of potential and I hope it benefits the city and the independent small businesses within it,” she said. 

Click here to find out more.