Cambridge pubs and Coffee shops

I have to confess that I am not a pub person. I have always preferred watching the world go by, from a coffee shop window. Well Cambridge has an abundance of both, both old and traditional and young and contemporary. Regarding coffee shops there have been many great ones over the years that have come and gone only to be replaced with the likes of star bucs and Neros. Not that I am completely adverse to their presence. Fortunately there are several more traditional ones that have weathered the test of time, albeit with the odd refurbishment, but these have to be searched out. I will try and list the best ones I know and frequent.

Cambridge is a young city, I don’t know what the average age is, but it has to be low. Over the last ten years, some unnamed genius in town planning dept must have had an eureka moment and decided what was right for Cambridge and its development, as something has been going right recently and the city has been transformed. There is obviously a European city model somewhere in the back office as today there are more coffee shops with outside seating, more places of leisure and entertainment than ever before, which have all added up to create a rather good city, I would say!

I don’t intend to list all the pubs in Cambridge here, just a few outside the city limits and that are easily reachable if you had 100 more steps left in your legs after a days walk around the city.

Pubs to the east

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The first four pubs are all situated just a short stroll across Parkers piece if you are coming from the city centre, and right behind the police station. I would access them from a small passage,illustrated here which runs along side Parkside school. Its easy to miss the passage but its right opposite the coach station shelters. Well worth hunting out as it’s a charm filled passage with some of the most sought after and character town cottages around. (see below) The Cricketers pub (Not surprising then to find out that it is the drinking and meeting place of the cricketers who play most Saturdays on the park during the cricket season.) is just at the end of the passage which opens into a nucleus of pubs and a hair salon too. TheFree Press is just to the right a bit further along. By entering this secret labyrinth of back streets you have chanced upon the start of an area of Cambridge called the Kite. I remember this area well as the art dept of what is now Anglia Ruskin University, in my day called unceremonious the C.C.A.T. was located here. The whole area was re-developed many years ago and most of the more run-down areas made way for what is now, the largest shopping centre in Cambridge, the Grafton Centre. The Kite, just north of these streets was know for its squats and a popular late night eatery called Waffles.

Pubs just of centre

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Kings street is a city centre back-street that hosts coffee shops, music shops and restuarants. These three pubs all convey the character of years of wear and tear, and are all unique in quality and feel and clientelle, (mainly locals I would say) To visit The Old Spring and the Fort St George you could take a gentle early evening stroll along the river from Bridge Street. There is a small path that will connect you to Jesus Green and from there just follow the river to the Fort St George. The Old Spring is just a cross over the iron foot-bridge.

Pubs to the north

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These three pubs are all only five min walk north of the river. Cross the river in Bridge street, you will pass many town pubs on the way which are all worth a visit too. Beyond these pubs there is not much but residential streets and then Cambridge runs out of land and the countryside engulfs you.

Pubs to the west and south

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Follow the path across the meadows from the Mill pond for only 300 metres and you come the the Granta. This is one of Cambridge's most peacefull and beautiful spot. Newnham rd has a host of good quality restaurants to choose from. The Panton, Cross Keys and Alma are a walk back towards the south along Lensfield rd.

Mill Rd

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Hidden in almost every side street off Mill rd you will find pubs. I have chosen to list some of the most popular but there are many more if you look. Each has its own unique character. The Cambridge Blue has a garden at the rear to enjoy during the summer month. Most serve good quality pub grub.