A new pub on the site of the former Howes Cycles shop, pays tribute to the building’s heritage and offers some tasty delights
The Cambridge food and drink scene is the gift which keeps on giving at the moment, and this hip new eaterie on Regent Street is one of the most exciting new openings of the lot.
The Old Bicycle Shop is located at the site of what was Howes Cycles – which recently closed its doors after an impressive 173 years of service, making it one of the oldest bike shops in the UK.
The new pub pays homage to the building’s history in more ways than its name, with the design featuring bicycle-inspired touches like handlebars and gear cassettes as ornaments around the place. There’s no denying it’s a stylish fit-out, with an industrial vibe reminiscent of its sister pub, the Cambridge Brew House (owned by City Pub Company, who also run The Mill).
It’s the food which has really piqued our interest though, and we love the look of the quirky menu that features loads of local ingredients and has plenty of vegan, veggie and gluten-free options. Choose from mains including carrot and parsnip hash browns with wild mushrooms, white bean and chive aioli or a posh kebab, featuring marinated slow roasted shoulder of lamb with coriander and ginger slaw and saffron aioli.
There’s a killer cocktail list too, featuring the likes of the Marginal Gains (Beefeater gin, Matcha tea powder, fresh lime juice, sugar and rosemary) and Darwin’s First Ride (Chivas Regal whisky, Amaretto and orange), so named because Charles Darwin reportedly bought his first bicycle from Howes.
As well as lunch and dinner, the beautiful brunch menu offers dishes like sweet potato pancakes with berry compote, toasted almonds and yoghurt, as well as breakfast faves like eggs Benedict and bacon baps.
