Cambridge

Photo by Kirsten Drew from Unsplash

Food and Drink

Restaurants 

There are a large number of restaurants in Cambridge catering to all budgets. For more informal food, check out the pubs section below, many of which also serve food. 

  • Giggling Squid- Thai restaurant on Wheeler St, housed in a beautiful venue. Ideal for large parties, typically has space for walk-ins during lunch, and has a range of vegetarian/vegan options. 
  • Pho  – Fresh and vibrant Vietnamese street food. Great if you’re looking for a lighter meal. Also located on Wheeler St. 
  • Dishoom Permit Room – An offshoot of Bombay-style restaurant group, Dishoom, this all-day bar-café on Trinity St is for those wanting to try some of the best Indian food in the centre of town (at a slightly higher price point compared to other options on this list). 
  • The MillWorks – A modern brasserie with an attractive waterside setting, located on the site of the old mill near Darwin College on Newnham Rd, a short 5-minute walk from Queens’. 
  • Tiffin Truck – For those looking for an Indian restaurant not too far from the venues. Located on Regent St. 
  • Franco Manca – Sourdough Neapolitan pizza at good prices, located in the heart of the city centre, opposite Market Square 
  • Market Square (range of food stalls) – Cambridge’s ancient market, home to traders for centuries, hosts a cluster of international street food stalls (King of Wraps is excellent if you’re looking for a quick vegetarian/vegan bite). Bring cash, many stalls do not accept card.

If none of these tickle your fancy, then there is a plethora of awesome eateries on Mill Road – Cambridge’s foodie hotspot!

Cafes and bakeries:

  • Trockel, Ulmann & Freunde – located on Pembroke St opposite the Earth Science Department and Sedgwick Museum. Run by a very friendly owner, offering a range of sandwiches, cakes, jacket potatoes, pasties and coffee. 
  • Indigo Coffee House – A charming little café, hidden way in St Edward’s Passage off King’s Parade. Take a moment to visit the two antiquarian bookshops next-door: G. David Bookseller and The Haunted Bookshop.
  • Fitzbillies Cambridge – Fitzbillies is a “Cambridge institution” and a must-visit during your time in Cambridge! Serves a range of pastries and sandwiches, but famous for their Chelsea Buns. Located on Trumpington Street, a 5-minute walk from Queens’ – with two other branches in the centre.
  • Bean Theory – A short walk from the conference venue on Newnham Rd, a specialist café with excellent pour-overs and a beautiful view of the Cam.
  • Pages – Next to Pembroke College on Trumpington St. Pages is a treat if you’re looking for very good coffee, cold brews and pastries. No laptops from 12!
  • Hot Numbers – A local favourite on Trumpington St, this café serves excellent coffee and brunch, and has a small garden area in the back. Ideal if you’re planning to visit the Fitzwilliam Museum, just across the road. 
  • Michaelhouse Cafe – Set within a beautiful church space, this café on Trinity St opposite Gonville & Caius College is worth a visit for the venue alone. 

Pubs

  • The Eagle – Drop by this legendary pub on Bene’t St, the favourite drinking spot for a generation of scientists from the (old) Cavendish Laboratory on Free School Lane (don’t miss the blue plaque on the discovery of DNA!)
  • The Bath House – Located right beside The Eagle on Bene’t St, this pub is a bit less busy and touristy compared to its neighbour, with good air-conditioning. 
  • The Mill – Next to University Centre on Mill Lane, an excellent pub overlooking Coe Fen. If the weather is nice, take your drinks outside and find a spot by the river and it’s just a 2 minute walk from Queens’. (Usually great for gluten free pints!)
  • Pint Shop – Featuring a wide variety of craft beers, this establishment on Peas Hill. 
  • Granta – With its prime waterside location on the river, Granta is a good choice for a drink very close to the conference venue.
  • Champion Of The Thames – “The Champ” on King St is just special. A tiny pub, highly acclaimed and much loved locally (20 minute walk)
  • The Punter – A charming pub with “scrappy authenticity” and a very nice courtyard, a few minutes away from Quayside (Cambridge’s ancient docks and river crossing). 20-minute walk and booking is a must. 

Places to visit and things to see: 

Photo by Bogdan Todoran from UnSplash

University colleges:

  • King’s College – Home to one of the finest examples of late Gothic architecture in the world, King’s College Chapel draws visitors from across the globe. Admission to the chapel and grounds is £18, but please feel free to ask a colleague from Cambridge University to take you in for free! 
  • St John’s College – One of the most impressive old colleges in Cambridge, with beautiful grounds along the River Cam, including the famous Bridge of Sighs. Admission is £17 but again, please ask a Cambridge colleague if they might take you in for free. 
  • Trinity College – Perhaps the most famous of them all, the academic home of Isaac Newton (note the apple tree on the lawn, and no, it’s not “the one”, but that’s never stopped any tourists). £10 entry fee, but again, speak to Cambridge colleagues.
  • Darwin College – Free to visit, Darwin has a beautiful setting on the River Cam and a distinctly welcoming and international atmosphere. Just a short walk through the Coe Fen nature reserve from the University Centre. 
  • Newnham College – Women’s college, right next to Darwin College, with free entry to the gardens which are quite beautiful. Part of the inspiration for Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own. 
  • Cambridge University Botanic Garden – Not a college but another piece of the University.. The remarkable gardens are located on Brookside, close to the Fitzwilliam Museum or a 5-minute walk from the station. It has a reasonable entry fee (£8.50 for adults, free entry for children 0–16). The greenhouse is quite spectacular and you can get some good food here too! Closes at 6pm. 

Museums 

There are many wonderful museums across Cambridge to see and all free to visit!

  • Fitzwilliam Museum – One of the oldest museums in the UK, the Fitzwilliam houses an extraordinary collection, spanning ancient Egyptian artefacts, Greek and Roman antiquities, and European paintings. Free admission, located on Trumpington Street, a 10-minute walk from Queens’. Also has a lovely café and museum shop, great place to pick up postcards and souvenirs.
  • Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences – The oldest of the University’s eight museums, the Sedgwick on Downing Pl is a must-see for Earth Scientists! You can also join the guided tour on 6th January (sign-up required). 
  • Zoology Museum – Free admission, home to a huge variety of recent and fossil animals. Have a coffee and cake, then pick up a souvenir from the museum’s shop, and look up at the 21-metre-long fin whale hanging from the ceiling!
  • Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology –  a museum of humanity’s history over hundreds of thousands of years, of world cultures over recent centuries, and of Indigenous life and art in the present. 
  • Whipple Museum – a museum full of scientific instruments and curiosities that is a total joy to visit. Opening times are a little sporadic; check ahead. 

Punting 

The quintessential Cambridge experience and the best way to see many colleges without paying entry fees. Most tours are fully guided and as it’s winter they’ll provide blankets. Best bet is to team up to reduce the cost. You can expect to pay from £25 and up for an hour guided tour. 

  • From Scudamore’s Mill Lane Punting Station opposite The Mill pub on Mill Ln, closest to the University Centre.
  • From Granta Moorings on Newnham Rd, next to the Granta Pub (if you go here, try a tub of The Saffron Ice Cream Company, sold at the entrance).
  • From the many providers on Thompsons Ln near the bustling Quayside, opposite Magdalene College, e.g., Scholars Punting or Cambridge Punters. These tend to be the cheapest.
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