Welcome To Taste Trail - Start With The Night You Want

Cambridge is very good at making places look tempting on your phone. The harder bit is knowing where you’ll actually be glad you went.

Maybe it’s breakfast somewhere worth getting up for, lunch that turns into a lazy afternoon, a drink that somehow becomes dinner, or a night out where nobody is checking the time for the last train home.

That’s what Taste Trail is for finding the places, little discoveries and excuses to go out that make you think:

“Yep, fancy that.”

 A Meal That Takes Over The Day

If your Cambridge outing is built around food, YORI BBQ at 38–39 Green Street is the sort of place to make part of the plan, rather than squeeze in between coffee and errands.

Every table has its own grill, so some of the fun is cooking the food yourself, sharing dishes and arguing over who has overdone the next bit of meat.

It’s sociable, hands-on and probably not the place to wear your best white shirt.

You do have to do some of the cooking, but that’s really the point.

Go with friends, give yourself a bit of time and treat the meal as part of the entertainment rather than just somewhere to stop and eat.

 The £10 Takeaway Test

That £10 curry, pizza or noodle order can change shape fast once delivery, minimum spends and “just one extra” are added. 

Milton House Takeaway on Milton Road lists a £15 minimum for delivery; Double Seven on Cherry Hinton Road also delivers on orders over £15, with pickup available.

Before paying, compare the full basket for everyone eating not the headline price of one dish.

The cheapest menu is not always the cheapest meal.

A Longer Cambridge Night At Market House

Some wine bars are built for a quick glass; Market House looks like one designed to spend the whole evening.

The new venue at 12 Market Hill has taken over the former Don Pasquale premises and stretches across five floors, with a dedicated Wine Bar, international wines, plus British and Asian menus.

Add the cellar-like feel and views towards Market Hill, and it looks like a great choice when you want drinks and dinner without changing address, hopefully one Cambridge residents and visitors will be enjoying over the coming weeks and months.

Worth The Trip? Make It An Evening

The Whisky Café on Market Hill gives you a decent excuse to head out to St Ives for the evening.

It sits in the old Robin Hood pub, which closed in 2012 and finally came back to life in November 2024 after more than a decade shut.

So this is less “quick pub supper on the way home” and more “shall we make a night of it?”

If you fancy somewhere with a bit of history, food, drinks and enough going on to justify the drive from Cambridge, it looks well worth putting on the list.

Have a look at The Whisky Café before you set off and see if it feels like your sort of evening.

From Coffee To Cocktails

Permit Room on Trinity Street is the sort of place that can quietly turn one plan into another.

You might go in for coffee or something to eat, then stay for a few small plates, and before you know it somebody has ordered cocktails.

That’s the appeal.

It’s open from morning until late, so it works well when nobody in the group has quite decided whether you’re having lunch, dinner or just a few drinks.

Less “where are we going after this?” and more “shall we just stay here?”

One Quick Vote: Your Cambridge All-Rounder

Cambridge has plenty of outdoor tables.

Fewer make sitting outside feel like the point of going.

We’re looking for your honest take: the garden, terrace or riverside spot that gives you a better afternoon  plus the catches people only discover when they arrive.

 Is it booking-only, weather-dependent, tucked outside the city or better for drinks than a full meal?

Tell Us Your Outdoor Table.

Worth The Drive For A Family Meal

If you’re heading into Cambridge with the family and want somewhere that doesn’t turn ordering into a negotiation, Wagamama at Cambridge Leisure Park is an easy one to keep in mind.

It’s not really about hunting down the absolute cheapest kids’ meal.

The appeal is that there’s usually something for everyone, there’s room for families, and you’re not trying to persuade three different people to eat the same thing.

That can make it a handy planned stop when you’re coming in from further afield especially if the day already involves cinema, shopping or something else nearby.

Have a look at the current menu before you set off and see if it works for your lot.

A friend has one free evening in Cambridge and asks where they should eat, drink or go out.

You can only send them to one place. What gets your vote?

- The dinner that never lets you down  
- The pub worth crossing town for  
- The coffee-and-cake champion  
- The bar that turns into a proper night out  
- The local secret you’re surprised more people haven’t found  

Cast Your Vote using the button below.

One Quick Vote: Your Cambridge All-Rounder

You have one free Saturday. Pick the answer that sounds most like you:

A Coffee first, then a slow wander and something sweet.

 
B A proper lunch, a second drink and nowhere to be.  

C One excellent dinner, booked in advance and worth dressing up for.  

D Pints, cocktails, music and the possibility of a late finish.

Mostly A? You’re a daytime grazer.  
Mostly B? You’re here for the long lunch.  
Mostly C? You want a destination meal.  
Mostly D? Your Cambridge starts after dark.

Reply With Your Letter — We’ll Match You To A Taste Trail.**

That's All For This Week — But Before You Go…

The best Cambridge plans rarely stick to one address: coffee becomes a wander, lunch turns into a pint, and “one quick drink” develops a suspiciously late finish.

Keep this week’s Taste Trail nearby for the next time someone asks, “Where should we go?” or even send it to a friend or family member

We’ll be back soon with more places worth your time, money and appetite.

If you'd like to suggest a location you'd recommend you run a cambridge hospitality business or if drop us message. We would love to hear from you.