Anchorage Bar and Kitchen, Sheffield

With all the doom and gloom about the state of independents in Sheffield (the sheer lack of them - especially in the city centre), I'm extraordinarily excited about West One's newest addition - Anchorage Bar and Kitchen.

Holding itself out as an East Coast kitchen (with a Jewish deli inspired menu for casual dining), Anchorage is like no other bar/restaurant in Sheffield. With fresh oysters, rack of pig and old bay buttermilk chicken on the main menu, Anchorage is ticking a few of my boxes. The added option to scoff meats and cheeses (in Friends of Ham style) from the Jewish deli menu is the icing on the cake as I've been desperate for somewhere to go for a good slab of cheese and a pint.

However, the drinks menu, for me, is the cherry on top of that rather delicious cake. The wine has been carefully selected and I think most, if not all, of my favourite grapes are on the list. They also have the highly regarded Kung Fu Girl Riesling - one that I've been wanting to try for AGES! There are some interesting beers too - some on tap - the rest in bottles and you can expect to find the usual suspects from America (Anchor, Brooklyn, Flying Dog, Founders and Goose Island), a few Belgian and Trappist beers (a style that I don't know too much about to be honest) along with a few unusual bottles from the likes of Nøgne ø and Kiuchi Brewery.

But it's probably the cocktail section of the drinks menu that really excites me and I'm in my element with the likes of the sazerac, Aperol spritz and Manhattan on there. However, the absolute highlight has got to be the dirty martini which is served with a side of Dolcelatte cheese!! 

Of course, all this is very well and good, but reading a couple of menus doesn't really give you the full feel of a place does it? But I've been in twice now - once on the press night and once to try out the deli menu - and I can only say good things (although service was a little slow on my second trip - something that's always the case with new restaurants and something that will sort itself out).

Firstly, the place is gorgeous. Clean, light and bright, Anchorage is a far cry from the dark Fitzwilliam & West/Bar 23 that previously occupied the unit. I won't bang on about the décor too much though - just check out the pic below...

Secondly, the pairing of dirty martini with Dolcelatte cheese is as amazing as it sounds, and looks.

And finally, the deli menu is fabulous. Bresaola, Fontina and olives set me back £9.50 and they came served with pickled gherkins, focaccia and squid ink bread. All in all it was pretty filling for what was supposed to just be a quick, if luxurious, snack!

I'm hoping to go back for more soon... I need to try the full menu and get my hands on that Kung Fu Girl Riesling.