One of those ‘best-kept secrets’ you need to know about
Accessed via a discreet doorway in the market square, just along from Don Pasquale, lies 12a, one of Cambridge’s best-kept nightlife secrets. Press the buzzer and sweep up the stairs where you’re greeted with a beautiful, Prohibition-inspired members’ club with plush leather armchairs, intimate lighting and a glittering bar laden with rare spirits. The very definition of old-school glamour, it sets the scene perfectly for a late-night rendezvous over cocktails.
Stick with a classic (the Clover Club is excellent) or go off-piste – the expert mixologists will be happy to create a bespoke tipple just for you using ingredients from the staggeringly well-stocked bar. A drop of artisan absinthe here, a glass of fine wine there and you’ll be in the mood to make it a late one – fortunate, then, that 12a is open until the small hours on Fridays and Saturdays.
Non-members are welcome, but if you do want to become a fully fledged 12a-er, an annual membership will get you discounted drinks, access to live gigs and free tasting sessions and other benefits – plus, members are prioritised over non-members if the place gets busy.