A charming new French cafe has opened its doors in Sheffield, bringing a little je ne sais quoi to the Steel City.
Aux Bon Vivant comes from Zara and Pierre - partners in both business and life - and is promising all-day drinking, dining, and deli.
The new Campo Lane business opened its doors at the tail end of 2025 and has already become a local favourite, thanks to its varied offering and Pierre’s exceptional cooking.
As you enter the cosy space you’re faced with a huge deli counter, packed with meats, cheeses, fresh French sandwiches (including a 10/10 jambon-beurre), and pastries, including enormous flaky croissants and homemade tarts.
So far, so French - and that continues with the decor of the main restaurant, which features pendant lights made out of wine boxes, a wall of wine, and plenty of personal trinkets.
Even the gravel outside is French - Pierre has arranged blue, white, red pebbles beneath the windows.
Inside Aux Bon Vivant
The couple, who welcomed a brand-new baby boy into the world around the same time they opening the business, want Aux Bon Vivant to feel like a welcoming home for everyone who pops in, whether you want to sit with a coffee and get some work done, or while away an afternoon eating hearty food with a great glass of wine.
The plan is to recreate the French village way of life here in Sheffield, with welcoming hospitality that extends all the way to the end of your meal when Pierre comes at you brandishing a gigantic bottle of Chartreuse.
As for that menu - it centres around a traditional plat du jour, dreamt up by Pierre based on whatever the best produce he can get that day is.
Expect French favourites like galette, French onion soup, and an almighty croque monsieur, where top-quality bread is layered with ham, cheese, and bechemal sauce.
When we popped in, Pierre also served up whole roasted onions stuffed with pork and herbs, and a phenomenal gnocchi dish with a mushroom cream sauce, baked so the edges are all delightfully sticky.
Pierre says the restaurant is all about 'generous food, simple, and everyone can understand what we're doing'.
He added: "We're not chasing the trends, we need to be more home comfort.
"You come, you enjoy, you relax. It's like a break on your day, and after you can restart."
Aux Bon Vivant is now open on Campo Lane, serving coffees and pastries through to takeaway lunches and full bistro meals.
We know it's not even the summer yet, but we're about to drop the C word, because a live concert version of The Muppet Christmas Carol is coming to Sheffield this year.
An all-time classic, adored by children and adults alike, Disney's Muppet Christmas Carol is arguably one of the best seasonal watches of all time.
Set to be hosted right here in the city centre at one of the most magnificent entertainment venues, the much-loved, festive and musical will be celebrated in its true glory, courtesy of a full orchestra.
If you haven't tried a Disney Concerts experience before, this is an ideal opportunity.
Announcing a date at the Sheffield City Hall, The Muppets' twist on the legendary Charles Dickens tale, which will see the visuals brought to life with the backing of strings, brass, percussion - the whole shebang.
If you've ever been to see one of these 'live in concert' type shows, you'll know how magical they can make rewatching even something you've seen countless times before.
With Disney Music Group's regular troupe of touring players taking on the original score and well-known soundtrack, you won't be able to help but sing back every word.
Originally composed by Miles Goodman (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Little Shop of Horrors), along with songs by Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy-winning songwriter, Paul Williams (Rainbow Connection and Evergreen), there's a reason the sound of this film, specifically, has stuck with so many people.
Just imagine this on the big screen as all the instruments kick in right then and there, in the flesh...
Sheffield’s top independent bookshops are putting on a big book festival this weekend
Daisy Jackson
A bunch of the top bookshops in Sheffield are banding together this weekend for a huge book festival.
The Sheffield Independent Book Festival (or SIBFest) will be a weekend designed for book lovers, with author talks, signings, workshops, reading rooms and more.
There'll even be a bookshop crawl encouraging people to visit Sheffield's many brilliant bookshops.
Different bookshops will be hosting their own fringe events on the first day of the festival, before loads of local businesses come together at Kelham Island for a full day of book-themed events.
SIBFest has been created by booksellers, for book lovers, with an aim to 'celebrate stories, and the shops and publishers who keep them alive'.
It's been created by the people behind local businesses like Novel (which is temporarily closed because of an issue where staff have been being harassed by a member of the public); and La Biblioteka at Leah's Yard.
Hillsborough Bookshop, a neighbourhood children's bookshop, and Juno Books, a queer independent bookshop, have also organised the event.
It will all be taking place at bookshops across the city, plus at The Victoria and The Mowbray at Kelham Island.
There'll be events at La Biblioteka at Leah's Yard for SIBFestNovel is also taking part in the Sheffield Independent Book Festival
Here, you'll find a marketplace for local bookshops and indie makers inside The Mowbray, while The Victoria will host all sorts of talks, workshops and signings.
There'll also be a Graphic Novel Reading Room, where you can relax with a good graphic novel upstairs at the Lodge at The Victoria.
And you can grab delicious food, cocktails and coffee throughout the day in both venues.
SIBFest (Sheffield Independent Book Festival) lineup
Confirmed speakers include:
Bethan Woollvin (These Are My Rocks, Robin Hood, Little Red, I Can Catch a Monster)
Steve Webb (Peng and Spanners, Spangles McNasty, Cow's Go Boo, Tanka Tanka Skunk)
Luke Barley (Ancient)
Hazel Sheffield (Frontierland)
Manya Wilkinson (Lublin, & Other Stories)
Michelle Tea (Valencia, Black Wave, Against Memoir, Little F with Cipher Press)
Kavitha Rao (Lady Doctors, Jacaranda Press)
Witches and Folklore author panel with Anna Caig (The Wise Witch of Orkney)
Molly Aitken (The Island Child and Bright, I Burn)
Sally O’Reilly (Hagtale)
SIBFest will be taking place on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 April across Sheffield - see the full line-up and book tickets HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
26th January 2026 
