Local guide to the best food in Cambridge

Cambridge’s food scene has been steadily growing over the past few years and is now officially thriving. So much so, in fact, that finally – whether you’ve won the lottery or only have a tenner in your back pocket – you can eat well in the city.

1. Michelin stars
Arrive in East Anglia’s university town with cash to spare and you should really head to Daniel Clifford’s Midsummer House. The restaurant has held two Michelin stars for nine years now and for good reason. Their 10-course tasting menu is sheer perfection; just leave room for the handmade chocolates.

But that is certainly not your only fine-dining option nowadays. If you’ve saved yourself some pennies by staying in the Cambridge Central Travelodge then you are moments from Alimentum, Cambridge’s other starred establishment. Their fixed price menu is a steal at only £18.50 for two courses. You can savour it throughout lunch and until 7pm.

2. BBQ to veggie…and cakes to die for

If you want to eat well without the fine-dining price tag then options are wide and varied. Those of a meaty inclination should head straight to The Pint Shop, where meat, bread and beer are the staples – with the meat cooked over hot coals for added flavour. Oh, and there are over 50 gins to work your way through as well. Lunchtime hunger pangs can be deliciously eased at Afternoon Tease on King Street. They advertise daily specials on their social media accounts, so look out for beauties such as avocado and feta on sourdough with chilli jam. Or if you’re peckish earlier on, then their new Stack O’ Crumpets is brunch perfection. But don’t leave without cake; every one is divine, but the Chocolate Guinness is magnificent.

3. Thai and cocktails

Book your stay at the Travelodge Newmarket Road and there are some great world cuisines on your hotel doorstep. The Thai on offer at The Wrestlers just down the road is the best in Cambridge. And The Orchid, just under Cambridge’s only subway, serves high-end Chinese food, expertly mixed cocktails and glorious desserts. Plus it even has a range of karaoke rooms upstairs that you can book up for a night out with a difference!
4. Street food
Visitors booked into Cambridge Central Travelodge are in for a budget-friendly treat just down the road at foodPark street food collective, which runs every Thursday and Friday lunchtime. There are normally three or four hot lunch options served from midday until the food runs out – from burgers to tacos, pizzas to Kati rolls. Get something tasty and a drink for under £10 and experience the best street food Cambridge has to offer.
5. Bargain pulled pork and bourbon

SmokeWorks in the city centre is another great option if you have a strict budget – their motto is ‘Slow cooked. Fast’. Think classy BBQ food with bourbon and beer to wash it down with. They serve ribs, pulled pork buns and smoked chicken wings with the essential chips, coleslaw and pickles on the side. Whatever you do though, leave room for the salted caramel milkshake. A drink, full meal and one of those shakes can come in at under £20, so this is perfect food if you crave something that tastes great, arrives fast and doesn’t cost the earth.