Whether you want a boozy catch-up with friends or a nutritious post-workout feast, start your weekend right at one of these excellent eateries
Hot Numbers
Speciality coffee and exceptional brunch fare are standard at Hot Numbers, with branches on Gwydir Street and Trumpington Street, as well as a roastery and cafe in Shepreth. Must-tries include the buttermilk pancake stacks, artfully presented avo on toast, and bacon sarnies – which are arguably the best in Cambridge.
Scott’s All Day
This Mill Road hang-out is a great option for a weekend catch-up with friends or family, with upbeat tunes, friendly service and a great brunch menu. Food-wise, think American-style pancakes with lashings of maple syrup, sourdough toast, and a generous full English with sausage patties from Mill Road Butchers, not to mention the Cambridge-famous brunch pizza. Pair that with fizz (go bottomless for unlimited prosecco on tap) and you’ve made ‘just another Saturday’ into a celebration.
Cambridge Cookery & Bistro
From buttery homemade croissants and sugar-dusted cinnamon knots to hearty shakshuka and skagen on rye bread, Cambridge Cookery’s brunch menu is filled with delicious treats. The space has a bright, Scandi-cool feel inside, or outside there’s a cute terrace overlooking the neighbourhood park, which is heated in winter.
Fin Boys
A newcomer to the city’s brunch circuit, Fin Boys has been making waves with its fishy take on the classic fry-up, featuring swordfish bacon and fish sausages. Other intriguing dishes on the brunch menu include Vietnamese scrambled egg with Dorset crab, and the ‘fruit de mer’ with lobster, oysters and prawns in bloody mary sauce.
Fitzbillies
A Cambridge classic, this Trumpington Street bakery and cafe is primarily known for its famous buns and cakes, but the brunches are also fantastic. The full English (or ‘Full Fitzbillies’ in this case), is top-notch, with plump sausages, flavour-packed smoked bacon and chunky hash browns, while plant-based eaters can enjoy a vegan edition, featuring grilled cheese and toms, avocado and mushrooms. Eggs can be ordered royale, florentine, scrambled with smoked salmon or as shakshuka, while the American-style pancakes – with Chelsea bun syrup and rashers of crisp bacon – are unmissable. Boozy brunch fans might be interested to know that Fitzbillies also serves brekkie cocktails – including bloody marys, mimosas and bellinis. A great start to your day!
The Ivy Cambridge Brasserie
For brunch with a side order of glamour, it’s got to be The Ivy. Breakfast is a multi-course affair at this glittering Green Street venue, where you can indulge in starters of asparagus drizzled in hollandaise and mains of eggs benedict with chips, or hot buttermilk pancakes replete with berries, yoghurt and warm strawberry sauce. The full Ivy drinks list is available from early until late, including everything from champagne to black forest G&Ts.
Six
For brunch with a view, head to the Varsity’s sixth floor, where you’ll find the hotel’s sleek in-house restaurant. Sip on a spiced bloody mary and drink in the views of Cambridge’s skyline, enjoying decadent dishes such as eggs florentine and chips. One for a special occasion.
Stir
At Stir, a bustling neighbourhood cafe in Chesterton, your brunch can be healthy or indulgent. Enjoy protein plates, colourful buddha bowls and berry granola, or for something a little more decadent, try the generous brunch boards, laden with bacon, halloumi, poached eggs, chilli jam and thick slices of sourdough from Stir’s own bakery.
MillWorks
If you’re in search of a buzzy spot to have brunch with some pals, MillWorks is just the ticket. Sip on a cocktail and feast on French toast with berries, pancakes, fry-ups or – for something a little different – Korean barbecue chicken with spicy mooli and sesame BBQ sauce.
