I was told about Upshot Espresso a little while ago by a friend who works nearby, who proclaimed it to be his favourite coffee shop. As previously noted, I don’t do coffee- so for me to care about a coffee shop, it takes a lot more than the perfect flat white.

I visited Upshot with some colleagues to talk shop over lunch. Based on Glossop Road, Upshot’s not far from our office and provided the perfect setting for a laid-back lunch.

From the outside, it’s a pretty unassuming place, all wood panelling and discreet orange signage.

Set in the same parade of shops as New Roots and Falafel King, Upshot’s location is handy for anyone using the hospital, University or Weston Park- though it is good enough to merit a visit in its own right, even if it’s out of your way.

Despite the name, Upshot Espresso has plenty to offer for foodies as well as coffee fans. There’s an array of beautiful-looking artisan sandwiches displayed on the counter, next to some mouth-watering cakes; a daily specials board offers a soup, a hot meal and a salad option. We all plumped for the chicken saag, served with basmati rice and a chapati.

We managed to nab a table (there’s about 9 available) and settled in for a chinwag. The tables are all a bit vintage-y looking and mismatched. The music is a nice mix of quirky, indie/alt stuff and not too loud.

It wasn’t long before our food arrived- and I was so pleased to have followed the crowd with my choice.

The curry was perfectly spiced and the portion was a decent size. The chicken was still moist and not overwhelmed by sauce. I was pleasantly surprised by just how good it was and Upshot further prove the point that being great at coffee doesn’t mean you can’t be great at food too (see also Tamper and the Grind Café). The spinach still looked and tasted like spinach and had obviously not been added too early in the cooking process.

The chapati was lovely, and good for scooping up bits of rice and sauce with. The rice, which had been cooked properly and wasn’t sticky or stodgy, was topped with some mango chutney and garnished with some coriander.

I also smiled to myself at being served a meal on something other than an enamel plate, a rarity in Sheffield at the moment!

For £6.90, this was a perfect midweek lunch treat. It was healthy, home-cooked food which wasn’t so heavy I couldn’t concentrate in the afternoon (always a worry when I have carbs at lunchtime).

Though the desserts on offer were plentiful, and very tempting, I managed to resist, though I shall definitely return to Upshot very soon for one of their beautiful-looking cakes:

A few of my coffee-loving friends have said how great the caffeine on offer here is, and I can certainly vouch for the food. I’d recommend you pay Upshot Espresso a visit to see for yourself. They’re open Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm and on Saturday from 10am-4pm (closed Sunday).