The Best Restaurants in Cambridge, UK: My Favourite Places to Recommend
Looking for the best restaurants in Cambridge, UK? From handmade Yunnan dumplings and tiny Mill Road bistros to riverside lunches and Michelin-starred dinners, here’s all the Cambridge foodie stops I’d make room for on your trip.
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I’ve been back to Cambridge several times now, and somewhere between the colleges, punts and bookshops, eating my way around the city has become one of my favourite parts of returning.
On recent trips, that’s looked like handmade dumplings and Yunnan dishes at The Dumpling Tree, and a very tried-and-true plate of fish and chips with a cold pint inside The Pickerel Inn.
But don’t let Cambridge’s scholarly charm fool you; there’s a side of the city that has a genuinely serious fine-dining scene. Midsummer House has two Michelin stars, Restaurant Twenty-Two has one, and Fancett’s, Mercado Central and Vanderlyle make the Guide too.
So whether the mood is dumplings and chilli, steak and a pint, a Michelin tasting menu or a quick city-centre lunch, here’s all the Cambridge restaurants I’d genuinely save.
Shall we?
P.S. – Once you’ve worked out where you’re eating, use my best things to do in Cambridge guide to explore in between!
About the Author
Hi, I’m Candace — a London-based travel writer and content creator who traded the East Coast of the US for the charm of the UK back in 2016. London’s been my home ever since.
On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of thoughtfully crafted London, UK, Europe and Worldwide travel guides alongside lots of insider London tips, honest hotel and restaurant reviews and advice for content creators.
P.S. – For more trip inspiration, travel videos, and behind-the-scenes adventures, be sure to follow along (and say hello, if you fancy) on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube.
🗞️📺 As featured on the BBC, USA Today & Recipe.TV.
Quick Overview: The Best Restaurants in Cambridge, UK
| Restaurant | Best for | Area |
|---|---|---|
| The Dumpling Tree | Handmade dumplings and Yunnan cuisine | Perne Road |
| Fancett’s | French bistro food and date night | Mill Road |
| Mercado Central | Spanish food in the city centre | Green Street |
| Restaurant Twenty-Two | Michelin-starred special occasion | Chesterton Road / Jesus Green |
| Midsummer House | The full Cambridge fine-dining splurge | Midsummer Common |
| Vanderlyle | Plant-led tasting menu | Mill Road |
| Fin Boys | Seafood | Mill Road |
| The Cambridge Chop House | British food, steak and beer | King’s Parade |
| Bread & Meat | Affordable lunch | Bene’t Street |
Plan Your Cambridge Trip
Where I’d stay: For an overnight or weekend trip in the city centre I’d recommend University Arms beside Parker’s Piece, or Graduate by Hilton Cambridge if you want to be right on the River Cam.
Getting to Cambridge from London: You can get to Cambridge easily by train in less than 1 hour. Compare London to Cambridge train times and fares here, then use my Cambridge day-trip itinerary once you arrive.
The experience I’d book first: Punting. For a first trip, I’d book this shared River Cam tour by university student guides. For the different options, prices and what I’d choose, read my punting in Cambridge guide before you go.
Stay connected: Set up your UK eSIM before your trip so your mobile data is ready when you arrive.
For extra peace of mind: I personally recommend using VisitorsCoverage to compare travel insurance options before your trip—it’s my go-to for finding the right cover whenever I travel.
Where to Eat in Cambridge: City Centre or Mill Road?
If you’re only in Cambridge for a day, eating in the city centre will make your life much easier (in particular, Mercado Central, The Cambridge Chop House and Bread & Meat all slot neatly between the colleges, market and river without sending you across town for lunch).
But if you have more than one meal to play with, I’d use at least one of them as an excuse to wander out to Mill Road.
Fancett’s, Vanderlyle and Fin Boys all sit along the same stretch, mixed in with cafés, international grocers and independent shops. It’s also much more lived-in than the polished streets around King’s Parade.
On that note, for a first visit, I’d plan to keep lunch near the sights, then let dinner take you somewhere you probably wouldn’t pass by accident. If you’re staying overnight, that works especially well with my weekend in Cambridge itinerary.
1. The Dumpling Tree: Best for Yunnan Food and Handmade Dumplings
Best for: handmade dumplings, Yunnan food and a dinner worth leaving the historic centre for.
If you’re happy to travel a little beyond the college streets for dinner, The Dumpling Tree is one I’d make the effort for.
The dumplings are folded by hand every day, with fillings ranging from pork and Chinese chives to prawn and celery, lamb and coriander, beef and onion, chicken and mushroom, plus veggie options too.
But the name can be misleading in the best possible way: I wouldn’t come here and order dumplings alone.
The rest of the menu leans into Yunnan cooking from south-western China, with dishes like pan-fried Yunnan cheese dusted with Sichuan pepper, crispy twice-cooked pork belly with chilli and garlic, thousand-layer pork with pickled mustard greens and “Crossing the Bridge” rice noodles assembled with steaming broth and toppings at the table.
It’s on Perne Road rather than somewhere you’ll wander past between King’s and the market, which is exactly why I’d save it for an overnight dinner!
2. Fancett’s: Best for a French-Inspired Bistro Dinner
Best for: date night, a small-room bistro dinner and French cooking without committing to a full tasting menu.
Fancett’s is the sort of Cambridge restaurant you could easily waste an entire evening in. It’s a French bistro, but the menu follows whatever its suppliers have at their best rather than sticking to the same dishes year-round.
Their ever-changing menu has earned them a well-deserved spot in the Michelin Guide, with highlights like their twice-baked cheddar soufflé and pear tarte Tatin—in other words, all the buttery, saucy, pastry-heavy goodness you’d want from French comfort food.
3. Mercado Central: Best Spanish Restaurant in Cambridge City Centre
Best for: Spanish food, sharing plates, good wine and an independent restaurant in the city centre
Tucked into a townhouse on Green Street, Mercado Central is only a short walk from Trinity College—but the reason to go here lies far beyond its city centre convenience…
The kitchen pulls from both the British Isles and Spain, with northern Spain—especially Galicia and the Basque Country—shaping much of what ends up on the table.
Expect things like wild Cornish fish, acorn-fed Ibérico pork and grass-fed British beef, and the marbled presa Ibérica and tarta de Santiago to do you right in.
I’d come hungry enough to order for the table: pick at some croquetas, something from the fish counter, pork or beef from the charcoal grill, then add the tarta de Santiago if it’s on.
4. Restaurant Twenty-Two: Best for a Michelin-Starred Special Occasion
Best for: birthdays, anniversaries or a special lunch or dinner in the city
Restaurant Twenty-Two occupies an 1892 Victorian house just off Jesus Green and the River Cam, and is fabulous for a special dinner in the city.
Husband-and-wife team Sam Carter and Alex Olivier took over the restaurant and earned its first Michelin star in 2023, and their menu is nothing to sniff at.
The menu shifts constantly with the seasons: one week you’ll find chalk-stream trout with cucumber, wasabi and seaweed; the next, Ibérico pork with spring peas and radishes, or Manjari chocolate with coffee, Marsala and tonka.
You can take your pick between short and full tasting menus, or simply visit for lunch if you want the Michelin-star experience without it taking up your whole evening.
P.S. – Let them know about any dietary requirements before you book; unfortunately, they can’t cater to severe or life-threatening allergies.
5. Midsummer House: Best for Cambridge’s Biggest Fine-Dining Splurge
Best for: two Michelin stars, a serious celebration and a Cambridge dinner that’s a big part of the trip.
If you want Cambridge’s best-known fine-dining address, it’s Midsummer House.
Daniel Clifford has been cooking here for more than 25 years, inside a Victorian house beside Midsummer Common. One minute you’re looking at cattle grazing on the common; the next you’re sitting down to a two-Michelin-star tasting menu. Very Cambridge.
The cooking is creative and quite happy to take a strange-sounding combination seriously. Case in point: their lychee parfait with Jerusalem artichoke yoghurt, preserved rose and matcha tea…
It’s a big splurge on the list, so book it if dinner in Cambridge is part of the occasion.
6. Vanderlyle: Best for a Plant-Led Tasting Menu
Best for: plant-led fine dining in Cambridge
Vanderlyle is a Cambridge booking I’d save for when you want a meat-free dinner that still tastes incredible.
Chef Alex Rushmer and the team work closely with farmers and growers, focusing on local, ethical and regeneratively grown produce. Interestingly, they didn’t originally set out to become a vegetarian restaurant; instead, the kitchen gradually committed fully to cooking without meat or fish.
The tasting menu changes with the seasons and lets the produce be itself rather than trying to mimic meat. Vegan and gluten-free versions are also available with notice.
P.S. – Tables are released a month at a time on the first Tuesday of the month, and dinner takes around three to three-and-a-half hours. In other words: not one to decide on at 6pm.
7. Fin Boys: Best for Seafood in Cambridge
Best for: seafood, changing daily menus and letting the day’s catch decide dinner.
At the city-centre end of Mill Road, Fin Boys builds its menu around whatever fish has come in that day.
Their delicious à la carte menu runs at lunch and earlier in the week, while Friday and Saturday evenings switch to a six-course set menu; be sure to check what they’re serving close to your visit.
And the flavours here travel too—with oysters, taramasalata, fish soup, ponzu, XO sauce and Goan fish curry all dipping in and out of the menu.
If seafood in Cambridge sounds like a bit of you, add this to your list!
8. The Cambridge Chop House: Best for British Food Near King’s Parade
Best for: steaks, chops, Sunday lunch, real ale and staying right in the middle of historic Cambridge.
The Cambridge Chop House sits directly on King’s Parade, so if your day already revolves around King’s College, lunch or dinner could hardly be easier.
The menu leans proudly British: steaks, chops, unusual cuts and seasonal mains, plus starters like haggis fritters with beetroot and whisky mayo, pork crackling with apple sauce and grilled lamb-heart skewers with salsa verde.
Beer matters here too. The Chop House pours real ale from the cask alongside lager and keg beer, and Sunday gets its very own dedicated roast menu.
I’d choose it when you’re in the mood for steak, a proper roast or something unmistakably British (and you don’t fancy leaving the old centre to find it).
9. Bread & Meat: Best Affordable Lunch in Cambridge City Centre
Best for: a big lunch, takeaway and eating well in Cambridge without sacrificing half your sightseeing time.
Bread & Meat has been feeding Cambridge since 2014 from a tiny Bene’t Street spot, specialising in roast-meat sandwiches, poutine and bowls.
Their formula is satisfyingly simple—roast meat, sourdough bread and sauces made from scratch—and the sandwiches are anything but dainty.
There are no bookings, so just rock up to eat in or take away. It also slots really nicely into a Cambridge day trip.
Best Cambridge Restaurants With a View
If you want the scenery to do some of the work at dinner, consider:
- Garden House inside Graduate by Hilton Cambridge, with views of the River Cam directly outside and a menu that leans Mediterranean and fire-cooked, with seasonal meat, fish and vegetables.
- SIX on the sixth floor of The Varsity Hotel & Spa, looking out over the Cambridge skyline with a modern British menu and seasonal roof terrace above. Amazing for drinks and sunset views too.
P.S. – If the hotel is part of the appeal too, check out my Cambridge hotel guide for more places to stay around the river and city centre.
More Cambridge Restaurants & Pubs I’d Save
- The Oak Bistro for an independent British-European bistro near the centre—especially lovely if you can get a table in the courtyard.
- The Pickerel Inn for an old Cambridge pub on Magdalene Street. I’ve stopped here for a pint and some very decent fish and chips; with roots going back to 1608 and a past life as a gin palace, it feels exactly like the sort of pub you hope to stumble into in Cambridge.
- The Anchor for a drink or pub meal beside the River Cam. One of my favourite Cambridge memories is sitting here while punts drifted past, so I’d happily build it in before or after following my punting in Cambridge guide.
- Aromi for Sicilian-style pizza, pastries and an easy Bene’t Street meal. I’d keep it in your back pocket for the moment you want something good and central without turning dinner into a big thing.
Where to Eat in Cambridge on a Budget
Cambridge can get expensive surprisingly fast, but lunch absolutely does not need to turn into a tasting menu.
I’d start with Bread & Meat for a very serious sandwich or Aromi for Sicilian-style pizza and bakes.
Cambridge Market Square is useful too, especially when you want street food in your hand and to get straight back to sightseeing rather than sit through a long lunch.
And if what you really need is coffee, brunch or something sweet…
A Few Cambridge Cafés Worth Saving
For coffee, brunch and bakery stops, there are a few names I’d keep close.
I’d absolutely save Norfolk Street Bakery on Station Road (one of my personal favourites near Cambridge station), Fitzbillies for the obligatory sticky Chelsea bun, plus Bould Brothers, Hot Numbers and Espresso Library.
Read my full Cambridge café guide for all my recommendations!
Should You Book Restaurants in Cambridge?
For dinner, yes—especially if there’s one restaurant you’d be genuinely annoyed to miss.
I’d book Midsummer House, Restaurant Twenty-Two, Fancett’s, Vanderlyle and Fin Boys in advance rather than hoping the perfect table appears on the day (most likely not).
Bread & Meat is the complete opposite—just turn up!
Also bear in mind that Fancett’s is closed Sunday and Monday, while Midsummer House is closed Sunday to Tuesday.
Final Thoughts on the Best Restaurants in Cambridge
If I were back in Cambridge tomorrow, I’d happily return to The Dumpling Tree, then somehow convince myself there was still room for a pint at The Pickerel Inn.
For somewhere new, Fancett’s would be my small-bistro night, Mercado Central my Spanish dinner in the centre and Fin Boys the seafood pick. If the meal itself was the occasion, that’s when I’d start looking at Restaurant Twenty-Two or Midsummer House.
If you’re only in Cambridge for one day, choose one meal you’re properly excited about and let my Cambridge day-trip itinerary work around it. And if you’ve got the weekend, I’d make sure at least one dinner takes you beyond King’s Parade.
Have the best trip—and please eat well—in Cambridge!
Happy travels,
Candace x
FAQ: Best Restaurants in Cambridge, UK
What Are the Best Restaurants in Cambridge, UK?
For my shortlist, I’d look at The Dumpling Tree for Yunnan food and handmade dumplings, Fancett’s for a French-influenced bistro dinner, Mercado Central for Spanish food and Restaurant Twenty-Two or Midsummer House when you want Michelin-starred dining.
Is There a Michelin-Star Restaurant in Cambridge?
Yes—Cambridge has two Michelin-starred restaurants. Midsummer House has two stars and Restaurant Twenty-Two has one. Fancett’s, Mercado Central and Vanderlyle are all in the Michelin Guide as well.
What Is a Must-Eat Food in Cambridge?
If you want one very Cambridge sweet, make it a Chelsea bun from Fitzbillies, which has been baking since 1920. But for a full meal, I wouldn’t force one “local dish” as Cambridge is better known for its independent restaurants than anything else.
What Are the Best Affordable Restaurants in Cambridge?
For a cheaper meal, I’d look at Bread & Meat, Aromi or the food stalls at Cambridge Market Square. Or check out cafés in Cambridge for small bites.
What Are the Best Restaurants in Cambridge City Centre?
For somewhere central, I’d choose Mercado Central for Spanish food, The Cambridge Chop House for British food and steak, or Bread & Meat for a quick lunch. Aromi is another easy Bene’t Street option.
Where Should Vegetarians and Vegans Eat in Cambridge?
Vanderlyle is the special-occasion standout as the entire tasting menu is plant-led (with vegan and gluten-free versions available too). The Dumpling Tree also has several vegan dumplings and Yunnan dishes.
What Are the Best Asian Restaurants in Cambridge?
My pick is The Dumpling Tree for handmade dumplings and Yunnan cooking. Order the dumplings, but leave room for one of the Yunnan dishes or the Crossing the Bridge rice noodles too!
Where Should You Eat in Cambridge With Children?
For an easier family meal, I’d look at Bread & Meat, Aromi or The Cambridge Chop House, which has a children’s menu. Fancett’s doesn’t take under-12s for dinner, while Restaurant Twenty-Two doesn’t accept children under 12 or babies.
What Are the Best Cambridge Restaurants With a View?
For a River Cam setting, choose Garden House at Graduate by Hilton Cambridge. For skyline views, SIX at The Varsity Hotel & Spa has a sixth-floor restaurant and seasonal roof terrace.
Is Cambridge Worth Visiting for Food?
Yes. Mill Road independents, Michelin-starred dining, historic pubs, Yunnan food, Spanish cooking and genuinely good casual spots all give you much more to work with than the cafés beside the colleges. If you’re deciding whether to make the trip at all, my is Cambridge worth visiting guide covers the rest of the city too.
Do You Need to Book Restaurants in Cambridge?
For dinner, I’d reserve anywhere you would be genuinely disappointed to miss. That includes Midsummer House, Restaurant Twenty-Two, Fancett’s, Vanderlyle and Fin Boys. Bread & Meat, meanwhile, is walk-in only.
Plan the Rest of Your Cambridge Trip
Still planning? Here’s the rest of my Cambridge guides for what to do, where to eat and stay, punting, tours and what else to see nearby.
Cambridge Itineraries & Things to Do
- The Best Things to Do in Cambridge, England: My Favourite Sights, Food Stops & Local Gems
- Day Trip from London to Cambridge: The Perfect One-Day Itinerary
Where to Eat & Stay
- The Best Restaurants in Cambridge, UK: My Favourite Places to Recommend
- The Best Cafés in Cambridge, UK: My Favourite Places for Coffee & Brunch
- The Best Hotels in Cambridge, UK: Where to Stay in the City Centre
Punting & Tours
- Punting in Cambridge: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go
- The Best Cambridge Tours, UK: Walking, University & Punting Tours I Recommend
