With Cambridge’s street food scene more vibrant than ever, we round up some of our favourite gourmet traders
Steak and Honour
The burgers served up by Steak & Honour have achieved cult status in Cambridge since they first opened the hatch of their super-cool red Citroën H Van back in 2012. Run by Leo and David, both Michelin trained chefs, the vans (they acquired a second last year) roam the streets of Cambridge, popping up regularly at places like Hot Numbers and Cambridge Wine Merchants, as well as being part of the foodPark collective and organising pop-up dining events in partnership with Jack’s Gelato (under the Over the Tracks name). The menu changes regularly but you’ll always find the Classic: a juicy Riverside beef patty, served in a brioche bun made by a local baker and topped with lettuce, onion, gherkin, French mustard and Heinz tomato ketchup. Veggies can tuck into the Shroom (flat mushroom with American cheese), and there’s a range of seasonal sides and desserts on offer too. Best burgers in town? We reckon they just might be.
Fired Up Pizza
Authentic thin and crispy bases, slathered in punchy tomato sauce and the most deliciously gooey, bubbling mozzarella, Fired Up’s pizzas are without a doubt some of the best in Cambridge. Cooked, rustic style, in traditional wood-fired ovens, the dough for the pizzas is made by a local family bakery and the sauce is made with crushed Italian tomatoes and just a pinch of salt. Toppings-wise, there are tantalising options like chorizo, fresh chilli and rocket or wild mushrooms, smoked garlic and parsley, as well as less traditional pizza combos like the slow roast pork with chargrilled leeks and smoked chilli jelly. Find this pop-up pizzeria at foodPark Cambridge, as well as other events and festivals around the area. Fired Up are also available for private hire. Follow them on Twitter to find out where to get your fix @FiredUPizza.
Nanna Mexico
Most Cantabrigians will be familiar with Nanna Mexico, the funky Mexican eaterie with branches on Regent Street and Petty Cury. It’s something of a local institution, serving up a mouthwatering range of tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, tortas (huge Mexican sandwiches) and of course, the famed Big Ass Burrito. The Nanna Mexico story began on the mean streets of the barrio bravo in the 1950s, when a lady called Margarita began to sell home-made meals from her kitchen table. Simple, delicious and nourishing, they became a hit with local workers, and decades on, that’s exactly the spirit that her grandson Luis Navarro, Nanna Mexico’s owner, seeks to bring to the streets of Cambridge. The recipes and ingredients of Margarita’s kitchen inspire Nanna Mexico’s dishes to this day, and authenticity, freshness and great value are the name of the game. You can find the Nanna Mexico street food van at locations around Cambridgeshire including Cowley Road and the West Cambridge site – follow @nannamexico to get the lowdown.
Jalan Jalan
Another member of the foodPark gang, Jalan Jalan serve up fantastic, freshly made south-east Asian street food. Pick up exotic bites like the Con Dao Banh Mi: fish and spring onion patties with shrimp and red pepper pate, served with lime and black pepper mayo, or sample Jalan Jalan’s fresh spring rolls with lettuce, pineapple and omelette, served with Bun Cha dipping sauce. There’s also awesome laksa (a spicy Malaysian soup) on offer, which is loaded with shredded chicken and omelette, rice noodles, fresh coriander and lime in a coconut milk and fish broth. Follow them on Twitter @JalanJalanUK.
Dogtown Dogs
Lamentably not a permanent fixture on the local street food scene, but one well worth tracking down when they do make the trip to Cambridge, Dogtown London can regularly be found at hip Fitzrovia nightspot The Social, as well as festivals up and down the country. Dogtown wanted to elevate the humble hotdog into a thing of gastro beauty, and they sure have succeeded. Choose between free range pork, beef or organic smoked tofu for your dog, or combos like the Big Smokey (a double-smoked giant Polish Kielbasa style pork hotdog) or the Carmen Miranda, which comes topped with mango, chili, pineapple and lime relish. The must-try though (and it’s a tough call) is the Chili Cheese Dog – which comes with six-hour beef and bone marrow chili, beer cheese sauce, sour cream and crushed tortilla chips. Having fallen in love with their heavenly hotdogs at foodPark’s North Pole Cambridge street food market, we’re glad to hear that they’re planning to return to the city over the summer – stay tuned to their Twitter for more info: @DogTownLondon.
GoGo Gogi Gui
A unique offering on the local circuit, GoGo Gogi Gui brings a taste of Korean street food to Cambridge. Run by brother and sister Raphael and Rebecca, the pair began the venture with a goal of sharing their love of Korean food and creating inventive fusions with Western cuisine. Served on a brioche bun, the burger choices include the Goji, which consists of succulent Bulgogi (marinated beef), with gochujang mayo and kimchi – Korea’s national dish – a spicy, sweet and sour dish made with fermented cabbage. The Gui meanwhile features sizzling marinated pork, or the Dakgalbi comes with stir-fried sesame chicken. Extras include seaweed, marinated bacon and Koleslaw (coleslaw with a tasty Korean twist). As well as being part of foodPark Cambridge, GoGo Gogi Gui also host special events in the area, such as this month’s pop-up at Rhode Island in Cherry Hinton (17 June). Follow them @gogogogigui on Twitter and at gogigui on Facebook to keep in the loop.
Churros Bar
We can’t get enough of the very naughty but very nice deep-fried goodness on offer at the Churros Bar. Soft and fluffy on the inside and satisfyingly crunchy on the outside, these doughnut-like treats are home-made using local ingredients, and come with a range of tempting dips. Options for dunking include Belgian milk chocolate, salted caramel, dulce de leche, cream fudge sauce, melted Lindt balls and peanut butter sauce. Heaven.
The Wandering Yak
Good street food doesn’t have to be meaty, as proved by The Wandering Yak. A family-run business, you’ll find their van roaming the streets of Cambridge and Ely serving delicious Middle Eastern-inspired vegetarian and vegan street food. The menu is regularly updated, but staples include the Flat Yak (home-made flatbread pizza with toppings such as smoked aubergine, pomegranate and lime pesto); Yak Wrap with your choice of filling (try the chilli tofu); and Yak Pack meze box featuring Turkish kisir bulgur and herby salad with pomegranate, plus either falafel, feta, tofu or salty halloumi. After something smaller? Their selection of Yak Snacks include home-made pea hummus with flatbread for dipping and Greek yoghurt with honey, more pomegranate and pistachio. Find them at the Mill Road Feast, 7 June and at Burwell Feast on 27 June. They also pop up at foodPark events – find out more at their website.
Guerrilla Kitchen
Cambridge has been going nuts for the insanely good bao served up by Guerrilla Kitchen, and rightly so. Pillowy soft steamed buns enveloping delicious fillings like tender pork belly with fresh cucumber and rich, sticky hoisin – you have to try these Chinese inspired delicacies to appreciate quite how mind-blowingly tasty they are. Also on the menu you’ll find the Fat Hen, filled with lip-smacking grilled chicken, teriyaki mayo, ginger and peanuts, as well as the Guerrilla Kitchen’s take on the humble pot noodle, a steaming pot of goodness containing rice noodles, chicken broth, lemon grass and bean sprouts. Track down Guerrilla Kitchen at foodPark Cambridge, popping up regularly at The Free Press pub, as well as other festivals and events. Follow them at @GuerrillaKitch and spread the #bunlove.
Warming Your Cockles Coffee Co
Founded last year by film-maker, writer and coffee connoisseur Emily Blickem, Warming Your Cockles serves up tasty treats and top-notch Union hand-roasted coffee from the adorable Gertie (a converted Piaggio Ape). The WYC story started when Emily spent time travelling around Australia and New Zealand, where she developed an obsession with great coffee and became inspired to bring a taste of Antipodean café culture to the streets of Cambridge. With regular morning pitches near Cambridge Station, and lunchtime spots with foodPark Cambridge at the Science Park and the West Cambridge site, this friendly mobile café has won the hearts of many locals for its craft coffees, indulgent Ghirardelli hot chocolates and delicious home-made cakes. Expect the likes of WYC’s signature banana choccie loaf, as well as gluten-free goodies like the lemon polenta and orange and almond cakes. During the summer months there will also be a range of icy cold-brew coffees on offer.
Jack’s Gelato
There’s not much better on a sunny day than a scoop of something cold, and in Cambridge, we’re lucky enough to have an ice cream innovator of the highest order roaming the streets and selling his wares. Jack van Praag had been creating exquisite ices in top-end kitchens around the world since the 1990s, as well as working as a pastry chef and head chef, before setting up his well-loved gelato business in Cambridge. All of his creations are handmade in Cambridge using top quality ingredients (often including herbs from his own allotment) and he’s known for his intriguing flavour combinations. Recent additions to the menu include Earl Grey and Plum, Chelsea Bun, Marmalade Sorbet and Vanilla Marsala. You can get your fix from the Jack’s Gelato tricycle at various locations around Cambridge – for updates on his whereabouts follow him on Twitter @jacks_gelato.
Buffalo Joes
If a feast of ‘buffalo’ chicken wings and BBQ pulled pork rolls with slaw sounds like something you’d like to get involved with, waste no time in seeking out Buffalo Joe’s. This Stateside-inspired joint, which also pitches up in Bishop’s Stortford, has been getting lots of love across the Cambridge foodie scene. For the full Buffalo experience, we’d recommend the Triple Threat (£15)… @buffalojoes87
foodPark
foodPark brings together the cream of Cambridge’s vibrant street food scene to host pop-up dining events around the city. Including the likes of Steak & Honour, The Tin Kitchen, Juice Box and more, the foodPark market can be found at the West Cambridge site every Wednesday, Cambridge Science Park on Thursdays and at CB1 near the train station each Friday (all lunchtime markets run 12pm to 2pm). Keep an eye on the website for details of future special events, inlcuding the next foodPark Night Market, set to take place in July,
