“We put equal focus on delivering in food, drink, service, and environment. In terms of small producers, they are absolutely key to what we do, from brewers and distillers to bakers and coffee roasters. Working with similar small businesses to us makes all our businesses stronger. We use local suppliers as much as possible. Our fishmonger and butcher are both family-owned businesses. Our bakers and coffee roasters are Cambridge based, we work with local brewers to brew ‘collab’ beers. We have our own gin, distilled four miles away by The Cambridge Distillery.”

Chicken Scotch duck egg; Blythburgh pork chop with cockles and samphire; and whole roasted bream with fennel and clementine salad.

Rare to find anything half-decent to eat in central Cambridge that is not a chain or a disproportionately popular old place with a queue round the block. So hurrah for Rich and Benny, who converted this listed building in homage to the “Tom and Jerry” beer shops of the early nineteenth century. It has all those welcoming old vibes, plus dozens of local artisanal beers (and even more gins). Signs declare the three words of their philosophy: “meat, bread, beer” – one we also could live by. Especially if we were within reach of their counter groaning with pies, filled cobs, sausage rolls, and Scotch eggs.

“Lucky, lucky Cambridge.”

–Lisa Markwell, The Independent