Tonco
Sheffield , South Yorkshire
CONTINUE READING
Already a member? Log in here
Subscribe to our newsletter to gain access to limited free articles, reviews, news and our weekly newsletter.
The Good Food Guide Membership: Save £100s at Britain's best restaurants - try for free for 30 days
‘Last summer’s tomatoes with Tonco-made salad cream was a revelation, as were this winter’s hogget dishes,’ reminisced one satisfied regular after visiting this small but comfortable neighbourhood restaurant. The vibe is slightly scruffy (mismatched furniture, shelves loaded with bags of flour and pasta), while attentive staff are happy to chat and advise on the short, well-chosen European wine list – even offering tasters of the by-the-glass options. Overlooking it all is a calm and collected open kitchen. The simple small-plates menu changes monthly and is built around fiercely seasonal dishes made with locally grown (and foraged) produce – all delivered with consistency and imagination. The top picks from our visit tell their own story: wild garlic, nettle and Ashcombe (cheese) croquettes with wild garlic mayonnaise; crunchy smoked celeriac shavings and creamy purée topped with a soft-boiled egg and served with green tomato chutney and crispy quinoa; a hearty fillet of halibut with savoy cabbage and smoked mussels in brown butter; Tideswell pork with parsnip, kalettes, lardo and prunes; a slice of hazelnut and quince frangipane tart with crème fraîche. Reasonable prices (for both food and wine) and outside tables (with blankets) in a pretty courtyard are added attractions, and there’s a sister bakery/café on nearby Sharrow Vale Road.
