Fantastic Christmas feasts and where to find them, courtesy of Cambridge’s cafes, street food trucks and restaurants
– ☕️ Casual Cafés ☕️ –
Café Foy
Nestled on the banks of the River Cam, you’ll find the ever-inviting Café Foy, whose menu is a certified crowd pleaser for all seasons. This Quayside charmer is known for its satisfying soups and small plates, as well as a selection of properly scrumptious home-made cakes and top-quality coffees. Cafe Foy is the perfect place to relax as you watch the punts go by on the river – we’d recommend a brunch time visit to get your hands on one of the eatery’s showstopping sourdough toasties, with a warming (or alcoholic!) drink to ward off the winter chill, of course. cafefoy.com
Fitzbillies
No list of Cambridge café recommendations is complete without fan favourite Fitzbillies. Now in its centenary year, Fitzbillies has garnered nationwide fame for its deliciously sticky Chelsea buns, but come Christmas time, it’s all about the homemade mince pies and meringue snowmen. Get your fix at the original branch on Trumpington Street, or hit up the branch over on Bridge Street. fitzbillies.com
Scott’s All Day
On Mill Road’s most bustling corner, Scott’s All Day is a neighbourhood cafe by day and a pizzeria by night. The bright and airy room has been carved from two century-old shop fronts with huge windows on two sides, featuring stripped-back interiors that reveal endearing original features and create a comfortable, casual space. With great coffee, brunch and lunch in the day, and sourdough pizza, locally brewed beer and cocktails in the evenings, Scott’s is a sure-fire choice for a festive pit stop. Plus, you can get half price pizzas all day every Wednesday – and from 1 November, you can order the new festive pizza with roasted Brussel sprouts! scottsallday.com
Tom’s Cakes
Hitting that sweet spot over on Mill Road is Tom’s Cakes, which is nothing short of a shining beacon of hope for lovers of baked goods everywhere. Every sweet treat they serve has been lovingly home-made by the team, and makes the perfect pit stop after a long day of shopping – or even just as a post-work winter treat. They also do a cracking selection of savouries and snacks, so you can pop in for a hearty breakfast or lunch break.
Tom’s Cakes is also going the extra mile to make sure your Christmas tastes as delicious as possible. From rich, luxury fruit cakes to yule logs and fairytale gingerbread houses, the extensive range of festive goodies is bound to tempt you over the festive period. Plus, you can snap up a beautifully packaged gift box – filled with a selection of Tom’s Christmas specialities – or grab a £5 or £10 gift voucher to treat a loved one (or yourself…) to a slice of seasonal sweetness. tomscakes.co.uk
Relevant Records
Music-lovers may be familiar with Relevant Records for acoustic reasons, but the vinyl vendor also boasts its very own cosy café, providing a handy mid-shop retreat just up the stairs from the record racks. With toasted sandwiches, fresh salad bowls and tasty brunches, the café’s menu packs a real flavour punch – the Mexican brunch is a real winner. We love to head there during happy hour for a couple of cocktails and a homemade pizza too; you really can’t go wrong with the café’s trademark friendly, laidback atmosphere. relevantrecordcafe.co.uk
– 🌎 International Inspiration 🌍 –
Pho
Pho, the healthy Vietnamese restaurant on Wheeler Street, has the perfect menu for a pit-stop from Christmas shopping or a festive celebration with friends and family. The majority of the menu is gluten free, from indulgent starters like crispy baby squid and spicy chicken wings, to healthy pho noodle soups and rice bowls. With a great wine list, amazing cocktails, loads of vegan options and a kids’ menu to boot – there really is ‘something Pho everyone’. And if you’re feeling a bit run down or hungover from a little too much festive activity, pho noodle soups have been known to be the best cure. You can also try out Pho’s new lunch special: from opening until 4pm on Mondays to Fridays, you can get prawn (or vegan prawn-less) crackers, a main and a drink, all for £9.95. phocafe.co.uk
Guerrilla Kitchen
Cambridge’s street food scene has really upped its game in recent years, and Guerrilla Kitchen is without a doubt one of the jewels in its crown. Local food lovers can’t stop raving about its steamed bao selection, from the classic Fat Hen – criminally crispy chicken with gochujang dressing and spring onions – to the newly added Korean Tofu (a spicy, deep-fried vegan blessing), Guerrilla Kitchen’s menu is always evolving – and always bound to impress. And now that you can get your own Steam at Home bao kits, there’s no more using the wintery weather as an excuse to miss out! guerrillakitchen.co.uk
Kura Kura
If it’s Sri Lankan and southern Indian street food you’re after, Kura Kura is truly your best bet. The multicoloured van tours the region offering a solid selection of authentic Asian street food dishes, roasting and grinding its very own aromatic spice blends on site. Try the spicy kalu pol pork curry for a real hit of heat, or for milder tastes, check out Kura Kura’s crispy and succulent take on the classic onion bhaji, served with a refreshing yoghurt raita. kura-kura.co.uk
– ✨ Something Special ✨ –
Browns
With exceptional service and a menu to suit every occasion worth celebrating, Browns brasserie is a fail-safe choice for a festive meal. The restaurant is known for crafting seasonal showstoppers, offering delicious dishes and accompanying cocktails that will have you feeling merry in no time. This year’s three-course festive menu – which is available from 17 November to 30 December – features an array of culinary delights to choose from. We’re planning on going for the duck liver parfait with hazelnut praline to start, braised blade of beef with bubble and squeak for the main, and some daringly decadent salted caramel profiteroles to finish. You can find all of Browns’ festive offerings, including the indulgent five-course Christmas Day menu, over on the website. browns-restaurants.co.uk
The Three Hills
Who’s to say you can’t have fun on a table of six? This year, The Three Hills in Bartlow is determined to deliver a Christmas you’ll remember. Think burning log fires, heated stone floors, twinkly lights, beautiful decorations, Christmas carols and – of course – delicious festive food. The Christmas Day and Boxing Day menus are both available to book now, as well as the festive party menu, which is available from 25 November for lunch and dinner and includes a two-course and three-course option. Head to The Three Hills’ website to see what the chefs have in store for you this holiday season. thethreehills.co.uk
Madingley Hall
When it comes to celebrating a special occasion, Madingley Hall is well equipped to meet your dining needs. Christmas is no exception, and this year’s menu is a seasonal celebration of all of your festive flavour favourites. There’s plenty of choice to accommodate special dietary requirements, too, including vegan and gluten-free options for each of the three courses. Highlights include the salmon gravadlax with pickled beetroot and gin crème fraiche, the glorious thyme and garlic roasted Norfolk turkey with all the trimmings, and the spiced pineapple upside down cake with champagne sorbet. Make sure to book your celebratory meal in advance to avoid missing out. madingleyhall.co.uk
Vanderlyle To Go
Don’t fancy venturing out to eat? From the start of November, Vanderlyle is offering Sunday lunch collections, so you can enjoy the seasonal, locally sourced, vegetable-led, produce-driven dishes that have been available to take away from this Mill Road favourite since March. Each multi-course meal costs £20 per person, with a range of add-ons to choose from including wine, cheeseboards and matched soft drinks created by the restaurant’s team – and not forgetting the limited-edition Vanderlyle To Go tote bag. Perfect for drawn-out Sunday afternoon dining with your friends. Book via Tock at exploretock.com/vanderlyle: new reservations are released every Wednesday at 10am. You can also sign up for the restaurant’s weekly newsletter by visiting vanderlyle-restaurant.com/mailing-list
– 🎄 Festive Favourites 🎄 –
The Petersfield
Charming and cosy, The Petersfield is a top choice for a classic Christmas shindig, and this year, its offering is set to be even more special. Get in the Christmas spirit(s!) with a classic turkey roast with all the trimmings, a warming plate of plant-based goodness, or indulge in some shareable bite-sized buffet bowls. You can also order your drinks safely from the comfort of your table using The Petersfield’s very own City Club app. All of the menus and booking details can be found online – get in there quick so as not to miss out! thepetersfield.co.uk
The Architect
For an alternative festive feast, The Architect’s Christmas menu could be just the ticket. The fish and chip and pie and mash pros know how to make a hearty meal, so whether you want a beer-battered cod fillet, or your turkey roast encased in pastry, The Architect’s got you covered. We’re eyeing up the Christmas pudding cheesecake for dessert, too. You can pre-book the Christmas party menu – available from 1 to 24 December – using the online form on the Architect’s website. thearchitectcambridge.co.uk
Buffalo Joe’s
Buffalo Joe’s legendary Wing Van has been spicing up the Cambridge food scene for several years now, and its burgers and wings are as tempting as ever. Most often found serving up devastatingly tasty wings, burgers and fries at street food collective foodPark, the menu at Buffalo Joe’s can see you through even the chilliest of winter nights. Our top picks are the sweet and sticky Korean wings with chilli and crushed wasabi peas, or the buffalo fried chicken burger with candied bacon and sriracha mayo. Add a side of sea salt-tossed fries and you’re good to go. buffalojoes.co.uk
Steak & Honour
At this point, we could write a whole book about just how incredible Steak & Honour’s burgers are, but all we can do is implore you to try them for yourself. The vibrant yellow and bold red vans are known for churning out just about the best American-style burgers in existence, so it’s no wonder that there’s a constant flurry of customers that follow them across the county. Now that the bricks and mortar restaurant on Wheeler Street is offering a more stationary source of satisfaction, you can get your burger fix while staying sheltered from the cold. There’s also the option of ordering your own DIY Burger Kit from Steak & Honour’s website, so you won’t even need to leave the comfort of your own kitchen. steakandhonour.co.uk
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