The Milestone, Kelham Island, Sheffield

They do 100 covers at the Milestone and it seemed like they were juggling them all at once. Time was when any noise at night in Kelham Island would have been suspicious, when the council acknowledged it was a dodgy area for kerb-crawling and substance abuse, when apart from the odd scrapyard it looked doomed to become another post-industrial urban wasteland, handily close to the city centre but seemingly a dark, lost world apart.

You can trace its rejuvenation to the near legendary Fat Cat pub and its Kelham Island brewery, fine independent enterprises that put down sturdy roots here 25 years ago just as the Little Mesters, the knife makers and scissor makers in their blackened workshops who once proliferated here, were closing down or being rehoused in the Kelham Island Industrial Museum.

Now, there's city living in converted silversmiths' works on the Don but unlike Manchester or Leeds, the new riverside doesn't overpower the old. Looking with the right eye, there's still character and charisma on Kelham Island, even the odd surviving Little Mester to keep it real.

And its pubs, bars and cafes are deservedly booming. They were spilling out of the Fat Cat; the Kelham Island Tavern has been reborn as a CAMRA centre of excellence; and the Milestone has just been voted Best Pub in Yorkshire in Welcome to Yorkshire's White Rose Awards – good going for a place that's only been open three years.

When it started up, it was a ground level gastropub with an upstairs restaurant. But the non-stop workload of two different menus put too much strain on the kitchen so a couple of weeks ago they combined the two menus into one, so it's all the same wherever you sit. Choose downstairs for long tables, the bar and the buzz of a crowd, upstairs for a bit more space under the exposed rafters with a moody photo mural of Kelham Island in the snow as a rare breach of their minimalist dcor policy.

Owners Matt Bigland and Mark Sheldon clearly know what people want from a neighbourhood gastropub. Tick real ale with local roots from the Kelham Island brewery. Tick their appreciation that car drivers want a better choice of soft drinks than Appletise or J2O; their non-alcoholic cranberry mojito crammed with fresh lime worked a treat. Tick really helpful staff who cheerfully moved us from a table under the loudspeaker when it was probably downright inconvenient for them. Ticks for making their own pasta and organic bread. Tick for a prime value – 12 for two courses – early bird menu.

With no need to rush, our table of two omnivores and two vegetarians put the full menu to the test and while there were still more ticks than crosses it wasn't quite A* all the way, especially for the vegetarians.

For starters, their warm chick pea salad had leaves, grated carrot and blue cheese and that was it, no more, no less, no lift-off. The courgette soup looked green and worthy and so it proved; a bit more seasoning wouldn't have hurt. By contrast, the salt-cured salmon – gravadlax by any other name – topped with crme frache and two miniature granary loaves was light and delicate while top marks went to a gorgeously crisp morsel of cod cheek scampi alongside a strip of cod terrine that was both robust and tasty.

Our veggie friends had more mixed results with their mains. The beetroot and sweet herb risotto was prettily pink but it mislaid the big, earthyessence of beetroot and the herbs were even less distinct. Big note to all chefs, everywhere, from novice to Michelin superstar: every vegetarian I know would sooner stay at home or starve than see yet another risotto on the menu.

The wild mushroom and bean casserole was much more original and satisfying, with broad beans, watercress and stewed mushrooms packing in bags of flavour.

The other mains were solid, too. The fish pie was impressively loaded with fish although, for both taste and texture, it would have benefited from conventional mashed potato instead of the ultra smooth potato puree. No arguments over a splendid whole plaice with brown butter sauce and celeriac remoulade. Curiously, some dishes came complete with vegetables; others needed side orders of potatoes or greens which were sportingly held to 2 per item.

Meat eaters look well catered for, too, with the likes of sausage casserole or the 20oz pan-handle steak or pork from Sheffield-reared pigs. The house Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, like the coffee, was good value.

For dessert, four spoons shared and unanimously approved of a chunky

slice of dark chocolate and almond cake topped with fresh fig and served with a delicious red wine ripple ice cream.

So is this the best pub in Yorkshire 2010? Well, no-one's going to agree on the criteria for that. When George Orwell tried to describe his perfect pub, he had to invent it. Not surprisingly, given

the pressure of such turnover, there were times when the cooking creaked.

But as we stepped back into the once forlorn streets of Kelham Island we felt impressed by our surroundings, well-fed, well-watered, happy with the bill, happy with the way we'd been looked after from start to finish, happy with the world. Not bad grounds for giving any pub top prize.

The Milestone, 84 Green Lane at Ball Street, Kelham Island, Sheffield,

S3 8SE. 0114 272 8327. [email protected]. www.the-milestone. co.uk. Open: Every day noon to 10pm (9pm Sun). Price: Dinner for two with wine, coffee and service 85.

YP MAG 9/10/10