Once I accepted my truly awful reading posture, I got comfortable reading in public places and found that looking for new spots to relax in was actually a really fun way to discover what Sheffield has to offer. I’ve picked out a few of my favourite places to read in this city and gathered a range of both free, natural places and cosy cafes. Will I be biassed? Absolutely – let’s get into it.
Outside St George’s Church
St George’s Terrace, Sheffield City Centre, S1 4DP
The park around St George’s is a fantastic spooky stop for this time of year. Sitting with your back against a tall, gnarled tree and being surrounded by headstones makes for a wonderfully gothic reading atmosphere. Plus it’s an extremely convenient location, next to the Heartspace if you want to pick up a quick reading snack and in the heart of campus in case you only have a short break between lectures.
Key Features: Convenient and calming natural environment
Winter Gardens
90 Surrey St, Sheffield City Centre, S1 2LH
With wide, comfy benches that line the edges of its curved walls, you can read in Sheffield’s Winter Garden with a fabulous view of exotic plants. It’s quiet on weekdays and is a warm way to read around nature if Sheffield is exhibiting its signature cocktail of heavy rain and gale-force winds. I like getting a take-out matcha from the new Bird & Blend that’s right by the Peace Gardens to make reading in public feel cosier (their banana bread chai latte with cinnamon is perfection).
Key Features: Free spot with funky plants
Sheffield Central Library
Surrey St, Sheffield City Centre, S1 1XZ
An obvious but underappreciated reading spot is Sheffield Central Library. As well as being free, quiet, and close to the centre, it also has comfy seats and seasonal displays to give you some inspiration on what to read next. This is also a good place to explore different types of books. I like picking up graphic novels that I’ve never heard of as they’re quick and easy to read and make for a fun departure from uni reading.
Key Features: Quiet and community-focused
2323 Coffee
20 Norfolk Row, Sheffield City centre, S1 2PA
This new coffee shop serves incredible specialty coffee that you can sip as you read in wonderfully weird chairs. I love that all the tables are connected to a wooden bench seat that runs along the wall, which makes the space feel snug. I like the contrast of the welcoming and modern design on the interior with the beauty of St Marie’s Cathedral opposite, visible through the large windows.
Key Features: Amazing coffee and cool atmosphere
Novel
221 School Rd, S10 1GN
This new bookshop/cafe in Crookes is the perfect place to escape into reader-heaven with some excellent coffee. The tapestries and pink tables make their cafe area a perfectly cosy spot. There’s a great energy in bookshops that are also cafes and it’s lovely to read in a space that celebrates books. Novel are also dog friendly, and seeing a furry friend is sure to make this one of the best reading spots out there.
Key Features: Relaxed, fun vibes and possibility of dogs
Steamyard
Unit 1-2, Aberdeen Court, 97 Division St, Sheffield City Centre, S1 4GE
This place used to be a silverworks before transforming into the cool, yellow-boothed coffee shop you can visit today. The courtyard is off the main street so feels safe and welcoming, and the seats inside feel the same. The main seating area is modern and comforting, with interesting prints for decoration, good music and friendly chatter. If you’re after a quieter area, there are also seats down the stairs, where you can find exposed brick, a great leather jacket decoration, and perhaps your next favourite reading spot.
Key Features: Friendly, industrial vibe, great coffee
Your room
Wherever You Live, Probably Sheffield
I know it’s cheesy, but it’s true. In small student rooms, it’s understandable to feel like the space is overwhelmed by work and clutter, but redefining how you think of your room by making time and space for hobbies like reading can help you forge a better relationship with it. You can make your accommodation feel like a great reading spot simply by indulging yourself, romanticising the act of getting comfy; why not get a specific mug that you only drink from when reading (separating it from stressed approaching-deadline coffee mugs) and make a hot chocolate, turn off that harsh big light, and give yourself some time to chill and read.
Key Features: No closing time, good excuse to buy a new mug
As trees grow more skeletal and the cold gets colder, autumn is a wonderful season to escape to warmer (or spookier) pastures and get lost in great books. I hope you liked these recommendations and good luck on what I’m sure is every reader’s quest: to one day find the perfect armchair.
