The following is a list of places to eat and drink in Cambridge. It is partial, in two senses, and lacks any consistency of style; most entries are written shortly after a visit to the place described, so I can't be relied on to be sober at the time. You might find some more coherent, comprehensive, etc. pages on a similar topic somewhere on the CAMRA web site.
If you have contributions to add, feel free to send them to me; I might add them to this. If you know of a better-organised list of similar nature, please tell me about it. I already know about Gareth's list, which seems to be much better organised than this. Each entry here ends with the date on which I last checked that the information was valid; updates tend to come in bursts several years apart. Pubs I frequent tend to get moved towards the top of the list.
Telephone numbers are given as from the UK; if you're in Cambridge, you can elide the leading 01223. Foreigners should replace the `0' at the start of the number with their nation's way of getting a foreign line followed by 44 (the code for the UK); so Cambridge numbers have 01223 replaced by international+ 44 1223 then the local number.
on its epoynmous road in Cambridge. This can be reached quite easily from the railway station: come out the pedestrians' back exit, under the cycle bridge, from the station car park, head North parallel to the railway line until you've crossed Mill Road and you're on Kingston Road and almost in heaven.
It serves a wide range of real ales, one very nice bottled Breton cider and a good variety of wines. It's the showcase of the Lidstones brewery.
It serves excellent food each lunchtime and evening, except that it's closed on Monday lunchtime. It stays open (for drink) through the afternoon at the weekend.
The staff are wonderful and you'll be expected to treat them with the respect they so thoroughly deserve - and to keep a polite tongue in your head. Eddy/2001/October.
on Newmarket Road between the Corner House and the railway bridge.
They serve Charles Wells' beers and Jim Cassells' fine East Anglian cider (along with some less interesting ones).
Aside from Sunday, they serve good Thai food until 9pm; it's often hard to find a place to sit down, though one usually materialises by the time your food arrives; or you can order the food as a take-away. Be sure to pay attention to the Thai lass who comes round shouting out numbers: she gets understandably impatient if you don't answer when she gets to yours; so learn to decipher that accent.
They host bands on some Friday and Saturday evenings; and there's a pool table. Eddy/2001/October.
a spacious suburban local with a pool table unless it has a band on (Friday and Saturday generally). You'll find it in Chesterton, on the High Street, just by the junction with Union Lane.
Monday night is quiz night, Tuesday hosts crib and similar games. A pool team and a darts team have it as home turf in their respective leagues, at least one of which has its matches on Thursdays in season.
Sometimes mistaken for an antipodean consulate. Eddy/2001/October.
in Milton on the High Street. It's a pleasant pub run by a loony, called Nick, and his family.
They have several beers from the Nethergate brewery and stock Jim Cassells' cider (brewed in Shelford).
They serve food at such of the usual times as I've asked for it; and Thursday night is balti night (until 9pm).
They have a beer garden and a pétanque set. The resident fluffy cat is the cutest creature in the entire universe, albeit she's a bit blind. Eddy/2001/October.
is on the High Street, in Chesterton, at about number 169; on the left just after the chicane, for those travelling away from Cambridge.
One half is a very nice Vietnamese restaurant, the other is a boozer. Eddy/2001/October.
in the back streets between Mill Road and the Railway Station. Serves several Real Ales and Jim Cassells' cider. Serves food, but I can't presently vouch for when. Eddy/2001/October.
run by Chris and Debbie, who used to run the Free Press, so I guess the rowing crowd has moved there now. It's friendly, smoke-free and quiet - i.e. it has no juke-box or similar.
They stock Jim Cassells' fine East Anglian cider, along with various beers.
It's on Gwydir Street and has plentiful space out back for sitting in the open air (so smokers do have somewhere to go). Eddy/2001/October.
on Newmarket Road between the Coldhams' lane turn-off and the Wrestlers. It's a pleasant suburban local with a pool table, may contain nuts (according to the sign one day) and does food until 10pm. Eddy/2001/October.
in Girton is run by Dave and Cynthia, who used to run the Haymakers and now have slightly more peace and quiet. They serve good food along with usual beers and ciders. A warm welcome. Eddy/2001/July.
is on its eponymous street in Cambridge. Telephone: Cambridge (01223) 313937.
Bed and breakfast; £18 per person/night; they have a twin room, a single room and a double room.
Food noon to 3pm and 6pm to 8:30 pm, except Sunday when they only do 12:30 to 2 pm. The food ranges from snacks (including the best beef sandwiches anywhere) to meals worthy of a restaurant. I can, especially, vouch for the sizzling beef. Eddy/1994/July/21
a smoke-free pub with amiably odd architecture and may still be associated with rowing.
It's in the area known as `The Kite', between the Grafton Centre and Parker's Piece, within stumbling distance of the Cricketers (where the police drink) and the Elm Tree (which does good Jazz some nights).
Food to 8:30 pm. Eddy/1994/October/11
always has a band and a friendly atmosphere. It's on East road just opposite Matthew street; it's where you reach East road on the way from the Grafton centre down the obvious shopping street (Burleigh Street) towards East road. Telephone: Cambridge (01223) 570063. Their gig list now appears on the web ;^>
Eddy/1996/May/21
Assorted Real Ale, including Gales'
Cider: `Scrumpy' Jack on tap, Red Rock in bottles, ...
Food to 9pm; includes acceptable veggie option. Eddy/1994/Jul/21
has a really nice courtyard which is currently a bit hard to get at nicely. Sometimes employs doormen.
It's on Bene't street, between King's parade and the Guildhall/Corn Exchange.
Food to 9pm (unless they run out) except Friday, Saturday and Sunday (no evening meals). Eddy/1994/July/21
does Jazz on Wednesday nights (except during the summer).
It's on Maid's Causeway just before it becomes Newmarket road (which is closer to town than some folk realise).
It does food well into the evening - until 10 pm if I remember right. This includes Sunday nights. Eddy/1994/July/21
is on Newmarket Road, between the 'Lizzie way roundabout and the point where it becomes Maid's Causeway.
It does food, including Sunday lunch, but I don't know its hours. Thursday night is quiz night. Eddy/1994/July/21
Maintained by Eddy.