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Tucked away in the former public convenience of Sheffield’s Town Hall, Public specialise in cocktails, wine, small plates and vinyl. Edgy yet low-key, bold yet understand, Public serve up independent passion without the prohibition-era pretence

The Featured Libation: Knockbox City Limits
‘Essentially it’s tasty garbage’ is Public’s characteristically modest way of describing the ‘Public Awareness’ section of their cocktail menu. With the aim of making the most of citrus rinds, used coffee and spent pistachio shells, you’d be forgiven for thinking that taste rides shotgun to sustainable showboating. Judging by their Knockbox City Limits cocktail, however, you’d be dead wrong. Take their Knockbox City Limits, for example. The rich, caramel tones of the solera-matured Ron Zacapa are offset by the rugged charm of a knockbox-coffee infused Pedro Ximenez sherry (made using waste coffee grinds from local coffee experts, Steam Yard). A dash of Mozart chocolate bitters and Angostura bitters rounds everything off nicely, while a large block of branded ice adds a further pinch of Public’s understated panache. It’s a beautifully bold and bitter winter bracer made possible by two of Sheffield’s finest independents.

The Secret Ingredient: House Blended Malt Scotch
This month’s Secret Ingredient is a secret in truest sense of the word, for the simple fact that Public aren’t spilling the beans on what’s in the blend. Made up of a range of single malts, cereal Speyside notes and a hint of Highland’s coastal charm are evident (thanks to the menu, which tells me exactly that). Remarkably, this house blend doesn’t just play a leading role in one of our favourite cocktails on the menu, the Public Highball, it also stands tall as a solid, straight-up, sipping whisky.

The Ace in the Hole: Public’s Small Plates
Public’s drinks menu might already set them apart, but it’s their food that puts them ahead. From corn on the cob slathered in fermented chilli and lardo butter, to oxtail ragu bathed in smoked bone marrow and parsley, Public’s list of small plates makes for more of a manifesto than a menu. Honestly, it’s hard not to resort to hyperbole when you’re looking at a menu graced with braised rabbit atop local sourdough and an artichoke frittata alongside preserved lemon and bottarga. All plated on handmade crockery from none other than Grey Suit Clay, no less. Food made in what used to be a public toilet has no right being this good.

Get the Round In: Jack Wakelin
Quick-fire questions answered in the time it takes Public’s General Manager to finish a schooner of Mahou

What’s the story behind the Public logo?
It’s actually based around the handwriting of a toilet attendant pulled from an old logbook, back when Public was literally just a public toilet. There’s a lovely, lazy kink and rhythm to it that Totally Okay, a local design studio, really ran with.

Who makes your aprons?
They were made by Syd & Mallory over on Devonshire Street. They specialise in handmade clothing and vintage wares. They’re all one-offs, and each has a different letter from the Public logo. Pretty cool.

What’s your house shot?
It would have to be Bulleit Bourbon. But it we’re feeling fancy, our Queen of Jalisco cocktail is a real house favourite. It’s based on a banging dessert I had at Tommy Banks’ restaurant, The Black Swan at Oldstead. Lovage infused tequila with a chicory root tincture. Can’t beat it.

How many of your menus have been ‘lost’ since you opened?
They were put together by the guys and gals over at Sheffield’s ASAP. Over the last eight months or so we’ve had 134 of them stolen. That’s including the one you just slipped into your bag.

Where do we go from here?
There’s almost too many places to mention! Head over to Steam Yard for a banging coffee and kronut combo. Then on to La Biblioteka for some solid reading material. Get to Piña for some tacos and tequila. Stop at Clobber Calm Supply Co. to check out their wares. Finish up at Ashoka for some absolutely incredible Indian cuisine. Honestly, I could go on!

Words by Will HALBERT