Where to eat and drink

If you're staying in Cambridge for more than a day, you'll need sustenance. Here are some places we recommend.

1) The Maypole is a lovely family-run pub that does great food. The menu is half British pub standards and half Italian. It's hidden away next to parking garage, but is worth seeking out. Also highly recommended is The Granta, near Newnham, a bit of a walk, but right on an old mill pond, teaming with wildlife and featuring spectacular views. Best in nice weather, but the food is decent. There are many good ethnic restaurants in Cambridge; there's a particularly good Thai place called Sala Thong near Newnham, as well as a great noodle bar called Dojo on Mill Lane. There are several good curry houses, notably Curry King (behind The Mitre pub). You can't really go wrong with any of the Thai, Chinese or Indian places in the city centre.

2) There are two pubs named The Castle, confusingly, but both are good. One is on Castle Hill (near Jesus College) and the other is on St Andrew's Street (near the Crowne Plaza). Both offer good food and good service; the Castle on St Andrews offers slightly fancier food, but both are recommended.

3) All Bar One is a large chain, but the outlet on St Andrew's does good food and good wine at reasonable prices, in a good location. The Tapas menu in particular is recommended.

4) Hotel du Vin is a beautiful boutique hotel that also has a lovely cafe and champagne bar. A nice place to spend a quiet evening, and directly across from the Fitzwilliam Museum.

5) Pizza Express is a good option for simple food; the location on Jesus Lane (near the college) is housed in the former quarters of a Cambridge club, and has a handsome interior. The food is okay, and is much loved by children.

6) There are many other pubs and restaurants in Cambridge, which I hope you'll enjoy searching out. There are however a few to avoid. The Regent, for example, is home to quite a a few fights in the evening. Also, I wouldn't recommend The Baron of Beef for the same reason. If in doubt, check with us, and we can give you our opinion.