Wazwān restaurant (www.wazwan-lsq.com) and its sister cocktail bar Hungāma are Kashmiri-inspired drinking and dining destinations, that have launched on Leopold Square, in the heart of Sheffield.
Created by a multi-generational family of culinary experts, the venues combine authentic cuisine from the Indian Subcontinent with the best Yorkshire produce and traditional Kashmiri hospitality.
Wazwān and Hungāma take guests on a journey of discovery into rich Kashmiri culture and its tastes and customs, balancing time-honoured tradition with up-to-the-minute culinary and cocktail innovation. Traversing further than Kashmir, the offering also draws on influences from around the Subcontinent and showcases its fantastic melting pot of flavours, fit for the curious modern consumer.
The business is created by Yorkshire brother and sister team Yousef and Hibah Mahmood. The pair hail from a long line of culinary experts. Their grandfather and grandmother, Mohammed Sabir MBE and Fazilat Sabir, founded a Northern institution, the award-winning Aagrah restaurant group in 1977, and Fazilat still works with the Wazwān chefs on the creation of new food dishes, with her time-honoured recipes available on the menu.
Local suppliers are central to the venue’s philosophy, and a constant dialogue with producers ensures the finest ingredients all year round. The best fresh fruit and vegetables are carefully selected from Ahmed Foods in Bradford; meat is sourced from local Sheffield suppliers, and seafood comes from Warners in nearby Doncaster. The house beer and draught lines are brewed in Kirkstall near Leeds, chosen specifically for their perfect pairing with the Kashmir dishes.
Cutlery and crockery is made by family business Stephensons and Cooksmill in Manchester. The dramatic Ironstone presentation plates are dark, soot coloured stoneware with a beautiful metallic sheen that nods to Sheffield’s heritage as a steel town. Other design elements provide reference to the city’s industrial past, from steel fittings and copper cups used as drinkware.
Wazwān
Kashmir is a place of vim, vigour, and vibrancy. Nowhere is this clearer than in the kitchen. As flavoursome as it is diverse, Wazwān’s menu ranges from fares made famous at the Imperial Mughal Courts to favourites of street food vendors across India. The restaurant is a gathering place for modern foodies. It is deliberately accessible and inclusive at just £25.00 – £35.00 per head, including food and drink.
Guests can start by ordering Light Bites and Small Plates, designed for sharing, before moving onto the Grills, Curries and Biryanis and a host of sundries, all with a number of gluten- and dairy-free and plant-based options.
Hungāma
The fine people of Kashmir are no more strangers to making merry than any other. Hungāma is a fun and playful venue, offering light relief and embraces ‘masti’: the cheerful cheekiness that occurs when one indulges in a healthy libation. Its mission is to give drinkers a true taste of Kashmir, combining familiar flavours with far-flung ingredients.
Signature cocktails include the Qahwa Martini, made with an aromatic Kahsmiri spice blend, and Black & Gold, a long tipple brimming with complex flavours and made with vodka, ginger, honey and Kashmiri tea leaves. There is also an exciting menu of non-alcoholic cocktails for tee-totallers and those drinking less.
Sheffield’s Leopold Square
The venues are located on the vibrant Leopold Square, a jewel nestled in the heart of Sheffield; an exciting oasis of entertainment in a frenetic city. With its stunning Grade II listed architecture and destination bars and restaurants, Leopold Square is the ideal social destination for friends and family, from morning through to evening.
Opening Times
Wazwān:
Monday – Thursday (5.00pm-11.00pm), Friday – Saturday (5.00pm-12.00pm), Sunday (5.00pm – 10.00pm)
Hungāma:
Monday – Thursday (5.00pm – 11.00pm), Friday (2.00pm – 12.00am), Saturday (2.00pm – 1.00am), Sunday (2.00pm – 10.00pm)
(www.aagrah.com)
Twitter: @Aagrahgroup
Facebook: aagrah.restaurants
Instagram: @aagrah_leopold_square