Sheffield loves pork sandwiches. But which is the best?
Lily’s pork sandwich had wonderful, succulent pork(Image: Andrew Dowdeswell / YorkshireLive)
Sheffield and the pork sandwich. An apparent match made in heaven.
The Steel City loves them, with shops popping up all over the gaff. From the well-known Sheffield-based chains to butchers; from bakers to sandwich shops, if you provide quick, filling, tasty lunchtime food and it doesn’t include a roast pork sandwich, in Sheffield, you’ll struggle.
Earlier this year, YorkshireLive asked the experts about why Sheffield loves pork sandwiches so much. One thought is the influx of German butchers to the city in the Victorian times. Germans are famous for their pork, and many of those who came here brought their pork butchery skills with them. A large portion settled in Sheffield and South Yorkshire, including names such as Hannemann, Kramer, Friedrich, Stier, Metzger, Schonhut, Zeiher and Funk
One of the premier options, Roses the Bakers, said they “would not survive as a business if we took the pork sandwiches off the menu”. They even said other bakeries have tried to replicate their success with pork sandwiches in other parts of the country, but have failed to gain the consumer base.
F. Funks Butcher’s has been serving customers since 1890(Image: Andrew Dowdeswell / YorkshireLive)
So, given Sheffield is so enamoured with the humble pork, stuffing, crackling and apple sauce butty, we thought we’d rank the best of them. Of course, this does not include all the pork sandwiches you could have in Sheffield, and we’d welcome your suggestions. But, in our humble opinion, these are the best pork sandwiches in Sheffield.
For balance, I have tried all the sandwiches in the top five. I ordered the same thing in every one — a regular-sized pork sandwich with stuffing, apple sauce and crackling (if available). None of the stores knew I was coming. None of the stores knew I was reviewing their sandwiches. So, let’s get into it.
Honourable mentions
There are many pork sandwiches that we have not had the chance to try, but have been suggested by many Sheffielders. These include:
- John Crawshaws Butchers in Hillsborough
- Ralph Thicketts in Sharrow
- Kings Deli and Sandwich Shop in Castlegate
- Banner Crust in Banner Cross
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5. F Funks Butchers, Hillsborough
Perhaps a surprise entry, but F Funks Butchers descends from one of the original German butchers in the Victorian era, and it’s still selling pork sandwiches aplenty today. It is also on the main Hillsborough high street, and the S6 postcode is unquestionably the dominant Sheffield area for a top-class roast pork sandwich.
Funks, as you might expect from a butcher’s, had the best crackling of any sandwich I tasted. Light, crunchy, not too chewy, salty. A wonderful contrast to the tender pork and sweet apple sauce. I do have to admit, Funks struggles to keep the pork warm, so timing is everything here, and mine was a little cold. The stuffing also added little to the sandwich. It was also the cheapest, at £4.30.
Nevertheless, if crackling is your thing, Funks is where to go.
The crackling let down the Staniforths’ pork sandwich(Image: Andrew Dowdeswell / YorkshireLive)4. Staniforths, City Centre
The first bakery entry on the list, Staniforths on Chapel Walk, was highly rated by many. And I would have to say, the bread was probably the best I’ve tried. Light, airy, pillowy soft. The pork, too, was absolutely delicious. Relatively thinly sliced, although not to the same extremes as some on this list, extremely succulent and tender.
There was, however, one big letdown: the crackling. I got only one mouthful of crunch in the whole sandwich. Mostly, it was chewy and a little squidgy. I even had to take it out of the sandwich at one point to eat it like a piece of beef jerky! Coming in at £4.60, it was fairly priced, too.
Lily’s pork sandwich had wonderful, succulent pork(Image: Andrew Dowdeswell / YorkshireLive)3. Lily’s, Hillsborough
Another old-school spot for pork sandwich veterans, Lily’s on Penistone Road is hugely popular with the locals. In fact, I rocked up on three different occasions trying to get a pork sandwich because they kept selling out.
Lily’s pork sandwich might have been the most unique. Very thinly sliced pork, which was truly melt-in-the-mouth succulent and absolutely delicious. It came in a slightly smaller breadcake, lightly toasted and truly wonderful. And there was an absolutely cracking apple sauce: sweet and tangy, complementing the pork beautifully.
The only complaint was the sandwich did not contain much crackling. For £4.50, a bit of a bargain.
The classic thin slices of pork in a Beres pork sandwich(Image: Andrew Dowdeswell / YorkshireLive)2. Beres, City Centre
No Sheffield roast pork sandwich list would be complete without Beres. Arguably the most famous pork sandwich chain with stores across the city, including its original store on Herries Road in Hillsborough. I went to the store in the city centre at the top of The Moor, and had, as expected, an exquisite pork sandwich.
Beres tends to be on the salty side thanks to its crackling, but this is complemented by an excellent combination of stuffing and apple sauce. They are the stars of the show. The pork is very thinly sliced, nice and salty and flavourful. And it helps the bread is dunked in dripping, only adding to the depth of salty flavour.
Beres also supplies its quintessential breadcake: soft, fluffy, and big. It is more expensive, at £5.05, but it’s also a classic Beres.
Roses The Bakers took the top spot for the best pork sandwich in Sheffield(Image: Andrew Dowdeswell / YorkshireLive)1. Roses the Baker’s, Attercliffe
Tucked away on an industrial site on Atlas Way is Roses the Baker’s main store. It is where much of its bread and cakes are baked, and it now sells itself as a grab-and-go sandwich shop for the many tradies and workers in the area. It also serves up a tremendous pork sarnie.
Now, this is personal preference, but the major difference between Roses and others is the thickness of the pork. Roses provides a thick pork loin slice. It is still beautifully soft and tender, but imparted with more fat and flavour than the thinner varieties. Roses also offers an absolutely smashing apple sauce. It’s sweet, comes with chunks of apple, and complements the tangy stuffing really nicely.
When I ordered this sandwich, they had run out of crackling, which is something to consider. It is also the most expensive at £5.95, but the portion size was absolutely massive, so you get what you pay for.
What do you think is the best pork sandwich in Sheffield? Let us know in the comments below.
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