Guidebook for Orwell
Food Scene
Here are some of our local favourites. Cambridge is full of places to eat but I have focused on the more independent offerings in this Guidebook.
All opening hours may be somewhat different at the moment due to Covid, of course, so I would always recommend that you check individual websites.
Nice, cosy and relaxed pub with tasty, simple food and a friendly welcome. Tables outside at the back, too. Our favourite pub in Grantchester.
6 locals recommend
The Blue Ball Inn
57 BroadwayNice, cosy and relaxed pub with tasty, simple food and a friendly welcome. Tables outside at the back, too. Our favourite pub in Grantchester.
Our local pub, just a short walk away. The food is very good - they get quite busy so it is a good idea to call ahead.
The Chequers Orwell
22 Town Green RdOur local pub, just a short walk away. The food is very good - they get quite busy so it is a good idea to call ahead.
Yuva Fine Fusion
51 Old N RdDelicious Indian/ Nepalese food. They also do a takeaway service.
A buzzing little cafe with delicious Sicilian food to eat in or take out. They have just extended their cafe and I feel it has lost a little atmosphere but the food remains absolutely delicious and can just as easily be ordered to take away and have a picnic.
56 locals recommend
Aromi
1 Bene't StA buzzing little cafe with delicious Sicilian food to eat in or take out. They have just extended their cafe and I feel it has lost a little atmosphere but the food remains absolutely delicious and can just as easily be ordered to take away and have a picnic.
There are two Fitzbillies in Cambridge - both have a bakery and a cafe serving great coffee and lovely food.
60 locals recommend
Fitzbillies
51-53 Trumpington StThere are two Fitzbillies in Cambridge - both have a bakery and a cafe serving great coffee and lovely food.
Really lovely little coffee shop run by enthusiasts who take coffee very seriously.
12 locals recommend
Bould Brothers Coffee
16 Round Church StReally lovely little coffee shop run by enthusiasts who take coffee very seriously.
Great local restaurant with friendly, relaxed atmosphere and good food in the middle of Cambridge.
35 locals recommend
Pint Shop
10 Peas HillGreat local restaurant with friendly, relaxed atmosphere and good food in the middle of Cambridge.
This is a great restaurant with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere and really good food. They have an outside terrace and are also offering a collection service.
Provenance Brix + Mortar
Hill Farm RoadThis is a great restaurant with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere and really good food. They have an outside terrace and are also offering a collection service.
This is a really fab, buzzy place for a coffee or lunch - or they do take away wood-fired pizzas during the day and until 9pm some evenings. They roast their own beans and the coffee is great - and the cafe has loads of space (including outside) and a warm welcome.
7 locals recommend
Hot Numbers Roastery at Shepreth
Dunsbridge TurnpikeThis is a really fab, buzzy place for a coffee or lunch - or they do take away wood-fired pizzas during the day and until 9pm some evenings. They roast their own beans and the coffee is great - and the cafe has loads of space (including outside) and a warm welcome.
Really lovely little family-run Italian restaurant about 2 minutes drive from us. Great food, relaxed and friendly atmosphere and they do take away pizzas, too.
La Pergola Restaurant @ The Wheatsheaf
Cambridge RoadReally lovely little family-run Italian restaurant about 2 minutes drive from us. Great food, relaxed and friendly atmosphere and they do take away pizzas, too.
Really friendly, relaxed cafe in Cambridge serving good coffee etc and lovely food. Tables outside as well as in.
11 locals recommend
The Locker Cafe
54 King StReally friendly, relaxed cafe in Cambridge serving good coffee etc and lovely food. Tables outside as well as in.
Arts & Culture
This is a wonderful place - part contemporary art gallery, part home of an avid collector of art and artefacts. It has a calm, peaceful atmosphere and is a special place to while away some time. There is now a good cafe and a lovely little shop.
106 locals recommend
Kettle's Yard
Castle StreetThis is a wonderful place - part contemporary art gallery, part home of an avid collector of art and artefacts. It has a calm, peaceful atmosphere and is a special place to while away some time. There is now a good cafe and a lovely little shop.
This is a gem of a museum and art gallery. Entry is free and they hold some brilliant exhibitions but their permanent collection is also huge and full of fascinating and beautiful things.
235 locals recommend
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Trumpington StreetThis is a gem of a museum and art gallery. Entry is free and they hold some brilliant exhibitions but their permanent collection is also huge and full of fascinating and beautiful things.
This little gallery has frequent exhibitions which are very varied and always worth seeing. It is a lovely, calm space. It is free to get in and is within the grounds of Downing College.
Heong Gallery, Downing College, Cambridge
This little gallery has frequent exhibitions which are very varied and always worth seeing. It is a lovely, calm space. It is free to get in and is within the grounds of Downing College.
Sightseeing
This beautiful National Trust House and park is just down the road. You can walk to it from our house through the woods.
If you don't fancy looking around the House, you can walk through its extensive and beautiful parkland but the House and gardens are well worth a visit.
66 locals recommend
Wimpole Hall
This beautiful National Trust House and park is just down the road. You can walk to it from our house through the woods.
If you don't fancy looking around the House, you can walk through its extensive and beautiful parkland but the House and gardens are well worth a visit.
The sculptor Henry Moore's former home, studio and sculpture gardens.
Beautiful setting to explore the artist's work. About 50 minutes by car from us.
Open April - October - worth checking the website for full opening hours.
29 locals recommend
Henry Moore Foundation (Henry Moore Studios & Gardens)
The sculptor Henry Moore's former home, studio and sculpture gardens.
Beautiful setting to explore the artist's work. About 50 minutes by car from us.
Open April - October - worth checking the website for full opening hours.
There are several museums attached to the University and they are all worth a visit. Do check opening times though as they do vary:
https://www.museums.cam.ac.uk
New Museums Site
14 Pembroke StreetThere are several museums attached to the University and they are all worth a visit. Do check opening times though as they do vary:
https://www.museums.cam.ac.uk
Shopping
This is a lovely little collection of independent shops: clothes, furniture, flowers, gifts and food. it's a great place to browse and find presents and there is also a lovely cafe.
19 locals recommend
Burwash Manor
This is a lovely little collection of independent shops: clothes, furniture, flowers, gifts and food. it's a great place to browse and find presents and there is also a lovely cafe.
Open every day, this is always a good place to wander. great fruit and veg but also lots of quirky stalls with good ideas, secondhand books, jewellery and food.
42 locals recommend
Cambridge Market Square
Market HillOpen every day, this is always a good place to wander. great fruit and veg but also lots of quirky stalls with good ideas, secondhand books, jewellery and food.
Small local deli with a limited but good range of freshly baked goods and treats. Just over the hill via Barrington in a pretty village - 5 minutes drive from here.
The Little Pantry
21 Church StreetSmall local deli with a limited but good range of freshly baked goods and treats. Just over the hill via Barrington in a pretty village - 5 minutes drive from here.
Nice things to do
Tiny House Retreats are wonderful therapists who will come to the you in the studio to provide a range of treatments: massage (eg Swedish, Aromatherapy), facials and manicures. They will look after individuals, couples and a group of guests and I can wholeheartedly vouch for the wonderful treatment. Have a look at what is offered here:
https://www.tinyhouseretreats.co.uk
Esse runs yoga, Pilates and barre classes and offers a wide range of therapies and facials. It also has a lovely shop full of clothes, beauty bits and healthy supplements. It's a welcoming, relaxing space and a great place to spend some time.
ESSE Retail & Therapy
30 Station RdEsse runs yoga, Pilates and barre classes and offers a wide range of therapies and facials. It also has a lovely shop full of clothes, beauty bits and healthy supplements. It's a welcoming, relaxing space and a great place to spend some time.
Punting is a Cambridge tradition and, as well as being great fun, is a brilliant way to sightsee from a different angle. Gliding along the river, looking at the Colleges and gardens from the other side is as romantic or hilarious as you could wish, depending on your mood!
Hire a punt and propel yourselves or take a punt tour - the tours are really fun, very informative and also, if you don't know what you're doing, are the only way to guarantee making progress down the river!
There are lots of punting companies - we tend to recommend Scudamores, Trinity College or Granta Punts. The only thing to avoid is the punting touts who approach visitors in the street and charge too much.
32 locals recommend
Scudamore's Mill Lane Punting Station
Mill LanePunting is a Cambridge tradition and, as well as being great fun, is a brilliant way to sightsee from a different angle. Gliding along the river, looking at the Colleges and gardens from the other side is as romantic or hilarious as you could wish, depending on your mood!
Hire a punt and propel yourselves or take a punt tour - the tours are really fun, very informative and also, if you don't know what you're doing, are the only way to guarantee making progress down the river!
There are lots of punting companies - we tend to recommend Scudamores, Trinity College or Granta Punts. The only thing to avoid is the punting touts who approach visitors in the street and charge too much.
Pick up a punt in the grounds of the College. Self hire only so if you want a tour, use one of my other recommended punting companies.
39 locals recommend
Trinity College
Pick up a punt in the grounds of the College. Self hire only so if you want a tour, use one of my other recommended punting companies.
A walking tour of Cambridge is a great way to find out more about the history and beauty of the place. This particular company are well-established and very good. They are the only tour guides able to take groups on a tour inside King's College Chapel. Have a look at their website for tour options.
Cambridge Tour Guides
18 Rose CrescentA walking tour of Cambridge is a great way to find out more about the history and beauty of the place. This particular company are well-established and very good. They are the only tour guides able to take groups on a tour inside King's College Chapel. Have a look at their website for tour options.
Drinks & Nightlife
This is a really good local gin distillery with a showroom set up for evening events. From time to time there is a food van outside and the distillery becomes a pop up restaurant.
Cambridge Distillery
20 - 22 High StreetThis is a really good local gin distillery with a showroom set up for evening events. From time to time there is a food van outside and the distillery becomes a pop up restaurant.
A really fun microbrewery which often has a food van on a Friday night. It has a great party atmosphere.
BrewBoard Limited
B3 Button EndA really fun microbrewery which often has a food van on a Friday night. It has a great party atmosphere.
Essentials
Post Office
99 Cambridge RdJust down the road and is open from 8am - 7pm Monday - Saturday.
Village stores which is open every day including Sunday. Monday - Friday from 7am - 8pm; Saturday from 8am - 7pm;
Sunday from 8am - 4pm.
6 locals recommend
Post Office
99 Cambridge RdVillage stores which is open every day including Sunday. Monday - Friday from 7am - 8pm; Saturday from 8am - 7pm;
Sunday from 8am - 4pm.