This is a truly unique and beautiful Starbucks store, located in Carbrook Hall of Sheffield, the building dates back hundreds of years, although most of the building was demolished by the 19th century, the surviving building, which is a Grade II listed stone wing built-in 1620, was converted to a Starbucks drive-thru in 2019.
The interior and exterior of the store are breathtaking, they've kept most of the original features including the thick and solid walls (they don't make them like that anymore!), and the fireplace, it felt like walking into a small old castle or a quaint cottage, rather than a Starbucks.
The location is pretty good, being a short drive away from IKEA and Meadowhall, so it's the ideal place to call for a coffee while shopping at either one of the locations.
As you walk into the shop, the counter is long, with bar-style seating opposite, a narrow yet interesting space, with two grand rooms on either side with a mix of comfortable seating, and communal seating with USB and standard AC charging. There's also a nice outdoor seating area, which also looks really aesthetically pleasing.
I was able to get my usual Vanilla Cold Brew, which tasted good, it's rare to find this openly stocked at a franchise Starbucks location, especially done well, so I appreciated this.
The opening hours are also very good, from early (6 am) until late (10 pm), with more and more Starbucks locations (and everywhere basically) shutting earlier and earlier, the fact this place is open late, is certainly appreciated, for a night owl like myself.
The staff member who served me seemed really friendly, I also liked how they added a customer's name and order onto the staff board, which contained all the barista's favourite orders, I think honouring a customer like that is such a great touch... other than the menu, it felt like an independent coffee shop in such a splendid environment, but with the great taste of Starbucks coffee. Even the prices seemed very good (a little lower?), especially for a franchise store.
By far the best Starbucks in Sheffield, one of my favourite locations in the UK. Considering the excellent service, good beverage quality and unique features, this is genuinely an interesting Starbucks, warranting full marks.
5* read more