"We ate at the best seafood restaurant in Sheffield, which must be one of the UK's finest"

Native, on the edge of the city centre, on Gibraltar Street, just across the ring road from trendy Kelham Island, isn’t too striking from the outside.

But behind the austere black frontage, and the large windows which are brightened up with some charming nautical artwork, lies a fish-lover’s paradise.

Native doesn’t always get the attention Sheffield’s other culinary big hitters Jöro and Rafters receive, but it’s quietly forged a brilliant reputation since opening in May 2021.

Despite being a relative newcomer to Sheffield’s food and drink scene, it has plenty of history behind it as the sister restaurant to JH Mann fishmongers in Sharrow Vale, a business which dates back more than 100 years with its roots in Hillsborough.

Best ‘sandwich’ ever

More than a century’s knowledge of sourcing and preparing the most flavoursome fish certainly shows.

Our waiter gave us a remarkably thorough rundown of the extensive specials board, waxing lyrical about the different fish and suggesting wine pairings.

Unfortunately, he made everything sound so delicious it meant our task in choosing was even harder.

Thankfully, the food didn’t disappoint.

The smoked eel sandwich (£16.50), with armagnac prunes and sweet red onion, was probably the best ‘sandwich’ I’ve ever tasted.

The brown crab arancini (£16) were equally delicious, packed full of the flavours of the sea.

Irresistible mains

For our main courses, after much deliberation, we opted for the gurnard with slow-braised beef cheek and wild mushrooms (£34), and the roast halibut with Lincolnshire asparagus and béarnaise sauce (£36).

The gurnard dish didn’t feel like an obvious flavour combination but it proved to be an irresistible one, with the earthiness of the mushrooms and the tender beef perfectly complementing the sweet, nuttiness of the fish.

The roast halibut was beautifully cooked too, with the sauce elevating the delicate flavour of the fish to another level.

We shared a burnt Basque cheesecake for dessert, which was incredibly moreish.

It wasn’t the cheapest meal but it was befitting of a special occasion and felt like good value for what we got.

There are cheaper options, like the fish and chips for £21 or fish pie at £18, which based on what we had are sure to be the best fish and chips or fish pie you’ve ever tasted.

Native is definitely up there with Sheffield’s best restaurants, and it’s probably the best seafood restaurant I’ve ever had the pleasure to experience.

Native is at 169 Gibraltar Street, Sheffield S3 8UA.