City guide · England
First date ideas in Sheffield: where to meet and how to get home
By The Fling Compass editorial team · Last checked
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Sheffield is an easy place for a first meeting if one of you is coming by train. The station is at the bottom of the city centre, and the Sheffield Tap is actually inside it.
Kelham Island, a short walk north of the centre, has some of the city's best-loved pubs, including the Fat Cat, which opened in 1981 and calls itself Sheffield's first real ale pub. It's an old industrial area now full of bars and food, and it's busy most evenings.
The city is hilly. Bear that in mind when you choose somewhere, especially if one of you has to walk uphill to a tram stop at the end of the night.
Where to go in Sheffield
Around the station
The Sheffield Tap and the Showroom Cinema are both a few minutes from the platforms. Easy for anyone arriving by train.
Kelham Island
Old works turned into pubs, bars and a food hall, a short walk north of the centre.
City centre
Fargate and the streets around the Peace Gardens, with the Supertram running through. Plenty of people about in the early evening.
Places for a first drink
Busy enough to feel relaxed, quiet enough to talk, and easy to leave. Check opening times on their own sites before you go.
- 01
Sheffield Tap
beer bar · Sheffield station
In the restored station building, with its own microbrewery, 11 handpulls and a long list of other beers. If the date is short, your train is a few steps away.
- 02
Showroom Cinema
cinema bar · Paternoster Row
The bar at Sheffield's independent cinema, a couple of minutes' walk from the station. Relaxed, with food, and a film is an easy next step.
- 03
The Fat Cat
pub · Kelham Island
Open since 1981 on Alma Street, with a big range of real ales. Unfussy and friendly, the sort of pub where conversation comes easily.
- 04
Cutlery Works
food hall · Kelham Island
A big, busy food hall with several kitchens and bars, open for brunch, lunch and dinner. Plenty of space and plenty of choice.
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Getting home
Supertram runs through the city centre. Last tram times vary by stop, so check yours on Travel South Yorkshire before you go out.
Trains leave from Sheffield station at the bottom of the centre. Look up your last departure on National Rail before the evening starts.
Sheffield has two kinds of licensed taxi: hackney carriages (black cabs) and private hire vehicles. The council's advice is to always book private hire in advance, never flag one down or approach a driver directly, and to take a hackney from a rank where you can.
Staying safe in Sheffield
- When a booked car arrives, confirm with the driver that it's your booking before you get in.
- Arrange to be picked up from a safe meeting point, such as outside the venue rather than round the corner.
- Sit in the back, ideally behind the driver, and don't share personal details during the journey. Both tips come from Sheffield City Council.
- Note the vehicle licence number. In an emergency call 999; to report something that has already happened, call 101.
The full list is in our first-date safety checklist.
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A one-page checklist for the night before, sent to your inbox. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.
First dates in Sheffield: questions
Can I flag down a taxi in Sheffield?
Only a hackney carriage. Private hire cars must be booked in advance, and the council advises never to flag one down or approach a driver directly.
Is Kelham Island far from the city centre?
No, it's a short walk north of the centre. It's busy most evenings, but you might want a cab back if you're heading uphill late.
Where's the easiest place to meet if I'm coming by train?
The Sheffield Tap, which is inside the station building. It doesn't get much easier than that.