Fusion, Sheffield

There are two things that make this cafe one of the most popular in Sheffield; the fresh, organic food, whose seductive smells drift out from the cobbled courtyard of the Butcher Works, and the energy and cheerfulness of its staff.

The cafe's home - a restored Victorian factory with a distinctive chimney where cutlery makers and grinders once worked - is also unique and part of Sheffield's industrial heritage.

The current occupants are continuing the tradition, showcasing the work of artisans now based on the site in a gallery at the back of the cafe.

Poetry and other literary events are also staged at Fusion in the evenings. I chose it as the venue for my own reading of Cuban poems with Chilean guitarist Sergio Contreras (see Travels With A Pen).

As you enter, you'll be greeted by a cheerful team in maroon polo shirts and green aprons cooking and preparing behind the counter.

No matter how busy they are - and Fusion gets very busy with queues out of the door at lunchtimes - they always have time for a smile and hello.

Fusion's blackboard menu changes daily with hot and cold dishes. Staples and favourites include Moroccan lamb pasties, Spanish tortilla with peppers or goat's cheese quiche - these come on their own or with colourful and wholesome salads. There are always specials, usually a stew or a fish dish among them.

On a cold day, the soups, made from fresh organic vegetables such as spinach and potato, are not only substantial but delicious, and are served with a choice of fresh organic bread baked and sold on the premises, including gluten and yeast free.

Next to the till, you can't help but notice the giant, gleaming coffee machine with its eagle on top. It may resemble something from a 1950s sci-fi film but it also happens to produce one of the best cups of coffee in the city. (I have this on good authority from an Italian friend).

Fusion is also popular with staff at Sheffield Hallam University, The Work Station and other offices in the Cultural Industries Quarter who hold informal meetings there.

Gluten-free orange and polenta cake is a favourite of mine and equally popular with those not on a restricted diet. The lemon drizzle cake and chocolate fudge brownies are also top of my list - but be warned, you won't be able to eat for hours after the latter.

Whichever treat I plump for I like to enjoy it with either camomile and lavender tea from The London Tea Company - or the unusual Chai Green Tea, which has the wonderful aroma of cardamom.

Chef/restaurateur Melvin Jarman is the driving force behind Fusion's success. He's very much hands-on, apron and all, and at 10 am pops out to source his ingredients for the day (without the apron) and like the other members of the team, works tirelessly to maintain standards.

Like other popular cafes in Sheffield, it's virtually impossible to find a table between 1 and 2 pm, and because the food is prepared on the spot, you may have to wait longer than usual - but it's well worth it.

P.S Follow chef Komal on her own blog Girl Who Ate The World. Komal and colleague Oliver also won the Sheffield Telegraph Barista of the Year competition 2011. See Sheffield Telegraph Barista of the Year

Gusto Italiano, Sheffield

Gusto has now moved to Norfolk Row, S1

Stepping in to Gusto Italiano on Church Street is like arriving on the Italian Riviera.

The cold and damp of the English winter instantly evaporates as you are greeted with the smell of freshly ground Italian coffee, pizza, and a dazzling smile from a waiter in figure hugging black trousers and white shirt.

The walls of this stylish and highly popular cafe are hung with photographs of Positano, Amalfi and Sorrento whose azure skies and pastel coloured buildings instantly lift the spirits.

But what draws people back time and time again, is the food and the service.

Boss and chef Esterina Celva makes it all herself - and there is an impressive range, from sandwiches to lasagne or meatballs, antipasto such as grilled vegetables and olives - or my own personal favourite, slices of fresh pizza with either mushroom or vegetable toppings.

The sausage and fennel casserole is a great winter warmer, the subtlety of the fennel contrasting perfectly with spicy chunks of small sausage.

Gusto boasts that it uses the best quality olive oil and this is probably one of the reasons the food tastes so good.

Then there are the desserts ...

If you want coffee with a little something to accompany it, try the large, soft irresistible amaretto, or pistachio and chocolate biscuits kept in glass sweet jars on the counter. I have recommended them to friends who, like me, found themselves instantly hooked.

But the big guns are the gateaux. Not for the faint-hearted or those on a diet, my partner and I once ordered chocolate fudge cake as a treat. It arrived beautifully presented on large, white dishes with a scoop of pistachio ice cream.

The latter happens to be my favourite flavour, since I first tried it in Nice as a penniless student.

I had been selling ice creams on the beach, only just earning enough to pay the fees of the campsite where my sister, friend and I was staying.

The three of us had to trudge along the beach in the searing sun, weighed down with a box of drinks and choc ices in either hand and a tray of doughnuts round our necks shouting: "Chi-chis, beignets, glaces, boissons fraiches!"

Nearby was a plush shopping mall with an ice cream parlour. This was the real thing - not mass produced ice creams like the stuff we were selling, and I spent each hot and difficult day fantasising about trying one of their cones.

At the end of the summer, I made sure I had just enough Francs left to realise the dream. It was pistachio flavour I chose - a large, creamy swirl.

The pale, vibrant green - the colour of new shoots - was intriguing to the unsophisticated 19-year-old me, that and the idea of using a nut to flavour ice cream. But it worked, and I can still taste it today.

The experience was heightened by the fact we'd been living on tins of sauerkraut and sausages and lentils for a month - the cheapest food we could find in the supermarche. I still can't face sauerkraut today.

Back at Gusto, the ice cream (hand made) was just as good and combined with the dark chocolate of the gateau was too divine for words.

And so to the service.

The glamorous Esterina with her partner Bruno runs a tight ship. She expects customers to be greeted, seated and served promptly with smiles and politesse. At lunchtimes (between 12 and 1 pm particularly) Italian temperament can bubble over if staff aren't living up to the high standards - all part of the authentic atmosphere.

If you want a table at Gusto you need to arrive early to beat the rush. Word has got around that it's one of the best lunchtime eateries in town.