The beautiful town of Cambridge is no-stranger to a pub. In fact, the small city is home to around 100 of them! Read on to find the best pubs Cambridge has to offer, including our personal favourites for a refreshing pint and some delicious pub grub.
Best Pubs in Cambridge
On the hunt for the best pubs in Cambridge? Here are two of my absolute favourites, so you know you can’t go wrong!
The Pint Shop
If you’ve read my Cambridge Itinerary, you’ll already have seen me rave about The Pint Shop. This Cambridge pub is in a beautiful Grade 2 listed building in the city centre.
Their list of over 20 tap beers are constantly changing and we find their bar staff really knowledgeable about what’s on offer. Rory has discovered some all time favourites here! If beer isn’t really your thing, choose from their selection of 70 gins or their classic cocktails.
Not only do they have fantastic selection of interesting beers, the Pint Shop also does great food. We love a meal here as the food is absolutely delicious.
Address: 10 Peas Hill, Cambridge CB2 3PN
The Eagle
The Eagle is, without a doubt, the most famous pub in Cambridge.
Dating back to 1667, it’s one of the oldest watering holes in the city. As a result, the Eagle is steeped in history. You’ll find the walls and ceilings covered in names and squadron numbers, left by RAF servicemen from World War Two.
Fun Fact: In 1953, Francis Crick publicly announced that he had discovered the structure of DNA in the Eagle Pub!
Address: Bene’t St, Cambridge CB2 3QN
Website: https://www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/pubs/cambridgeshire/eagle/
Pubs in Cambridge City Centre
Looking for a pub in Cambridge city centre? These great pubs will be just a short walk away, so you can spend more time enjoying yourself and less time travelling across the city.
The Cambridge Blue
The Cambridge Blue is a popular local haunt in the city centre. They specialise in real ales and have won multiple awards over the years.
The walls of this quirky old pub are filled with vintage beer trays. You’ll often find it busy with students and locals enjoying the fantastic selection of beer and the traditional pub grub menu.
Fun Fact: Cambridge Blue is the colour used by Cambridge University sports teams since the mid-20th century!
Address: 85-87 Gwydir St, Cambridge CB1 2LG
Website: https://www.cambridge.pub/the-blue/
Town and Gown
The Town and Gown is one of the best pubs in Cambridge city centre. Located in Market Passage, it’s a unique space as it houses both a pub and a theatre.
The Theatre takes the place of the building’s form Arts Cinema and hosts various events, including plays, live comedy, and themed bingo nights!
But if you’re just looking for a drink and some delicious food, have no fear – the Town and Gown pub has got you covered. Their menu is fantastic with a range of small and large plates (the gluten-free options are some of the best in the city!).
The decor is quirky and modern with seats built from giant beer barrels and harlequin booths, making it a fun place to spend the evening.
Fun Fact: the phrase ‘town and gown’ is used in famous university towns such as Cambridge, Oxford, and St. Andrews to refer to the two distinct communities that live there. ‘Town’ refers to the local population and ‘gown’ refers to the academics and students.
Address: 8 Market Passage, Cambridge CB2 3PF
Website: https://www.townandgown.co.uk/
The Grain and Hop Store
If you’re looking for a more modern pub in Cambridge, then the Grain and Hop Store is the place to be! This cool spot is housed in a former factory and has a fabulous tiled bar. It even has its own shuffle board table, making it the perfect place to hang out with friends over a drink.
Address: 69 Regent St, Cambridge CB2 1AB
Website: https://www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/pubs/cambridgeshire/grain-hop-store/
Pubs in Cambridge by the River
One of the best parts about Cambridge is the beautiful River Cam that runs through it. And what better way to spend a sunny day in the city than sitting in a lovely pub by the river, lapping up the good weather? These pubs are all near the River Cam (often with great views of people attempting to punt!).
Fort St George
This Greene King pub is a cosy spot for a drink with a beautiful wooden beamed ceiling. It’s one of the best options when the sun is shining in Cambridge, thanks to its location right on the River Cam. It has a sizeable beer garden, making it the ideal place to soak up the sunshine.
Whilst the food and drinks are good but standard, the great location is really what makes this pub shine.
Address: Midsummer Common 11, Cambridge CB4 1HA
Website: https://www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/pubs/cambridgeshire/fort-st-george/
The Mill
We loved our meal at The Mill – thanks to the delicious food and cosy atmosphere.
This waterside pub in Cambridge is right next door to Scudamore’s boats, making it the ideal place to refuel if you’ve worked up an appetite punting on the river. Their menu focuses on pub classics, such as scampi and chips, and beef burgers. But you’ll also find some more modern twists like the Korean chicken wings.
The Mill can fill up quickly due to its prime location, so make sure to book a table if you want food!
Address: 14 Mill Ln, Cambridge CB2 1RX
Website: https://www.themillpubcambridge.com/
The Anchor
The Anchor is another popular pub in Cambridge by the river. They have a number of seats inside that overlook the boats, as well as an outdoor terrace where you can watch the punting in action.
The Anchor’s claim to fame is that the founder of Pink Floyd, Sid Barrett, used to hang out there before making it big time!
Address: Silver St, Cambridge CB3 9EL
Website: https://www.anchorcambridge.com/
The Granta
You’ll find The Granta on a quieter spot of the River Cam between the centre of Cambridge and Mill Pond.
If you want a drink and some food with beautiful views of the river and some greenery, you can’t beat The Granta.
The food here is also delicious. They do a mean fish and chips and have plenty of veggie options.
Dog-lovers will be happy to know that The Granta is also dog-friendly, so feel free to bring your ppoch along for some fun in the sun.
Address: 14 Newnham Rd, Cambridge CB3 9EX
Website: https://www.grantacambridge.com/
Best Dog-Friendly Pubs in Cambridge
Want to bring your furry friend along for a drink or two? Check out the best dog-friendly pubs in Cambridge!
The Free Press
The Free Press is a lovely old-fashioned pub down one of the quieter streets of Cambridge, making it popular amongst locals.
It gets its name from the building, which used to be a printing press shop. The place is fittingly decorated with printing memorabilia and newspaper clippings. If you’re looking for a cosy place to enjoy a drink with friends on a chilly day in autumn, you won’t go wrong with The Free Press.
Address: 7 Prospect Row, Cambridge CB1 1DU
The Pickerel Inn
The Pickerel Inn is widely considered the oldest pub in Cambridge. It’s been serving patrons since the 16th century (and the actual building dates back to the 15th century!), so you know that you’ll be in good hands.
You’ll still find much of this place’s original charm with its beamed ceilings and fireplace, and you won’t miss it on the street thanks to it’s baby blue exterior. The Pickerel Inn is the epitome of a traditional British pub and is a great spot to get cosy on a stormy evening.
And, of course, this historic pub in Cambridge is dog-friendly!
Address: 30 Magdalene St, Cambridge CB3 0AF
Website: https://www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/pubs/cambridgeshire/pickerel-inn/
Cambridge Brew House
The Cambridge Brew House is a pub and micro-brewery in the city centre. If you’ve got a beer enthusiast in your group, this could be the perfect spot to head to.
They started brewing at this location in 2013 and now have a range of award winning craft and cask beers on offer.
You can even book their ‘beer and bites’ experience, which includes a 3 course meal with beer pairings for £35 per person. One of their beer experts will be on hand to explain the beers and brewing process to you whilst you sit back and enjoy.
Address: 1 King St, Cambridge CB1 1LH
The Cambridge Tap
Once a bank, this building is now home to the Cambridge Tap, where you can find amazing food and delicious cocktails. Grab yourself the ultimate cheat meal here with fantastic burgers, dirty fries, and chicken wings.
This modern spot is full of fun decor that adds a much more contemporary twist to the traditional pubs on this list.
Address: 32 St Andrew’s St, Cambridge CB2 3AR
The Mitre
You’ll find The Mitre right in the centre of town. Its old-fashioned charm and English pub menu makes for a classic experience.
The Mitre actually stands on the site of two former inns: The Blackmoor’s Head and The Cock and Magpie. The former’s earliest recorded license was in 1752 although the spot wasn’t known as The Mitre until 1881.
Address: 17 Bridge St, Cambridge CB2 1UF
Website: https://www.nicholsonspubs.co.uk/restaurants/eastofengland/themitrecambridge
The Salisbury Arms
If you fancy a pizza, head to The Salisbury Arms! This pub is known for it’s fantastic fresh pizzas, made to order. And if you head there on Monday, you can grab them on a 2 for 1 deal!
The interiors here a fun and quirky with a more modern feel. It’s also not too far from the train station, so the makes a good place to fuel up on your way into the city to explore.
Address: 76 Tenison Rd, Cambridge CB1 2DW
Live and Let Live
Live and Let Live is a popular old-fashioned pub in Cambridge that’s popular amongst locals. Here you’ll find a wood burner fire place, wood panelling and floorboards, and beamed ceilings.
There’s a real warm community-feel and you could easily be forgiven for thinking you’d stumbled into a countryside pub.
They’re also surprisingly well-known for their selection of rum!
Address: 40 Mawson Rd, Cambridge CB1 2EA
The Old Ticket Office
The Old Ticket Office is conveniently situated next to the train station. This charming old building is a beautiful spot to sink a few drinks with friends.
I particularly love the railway touches that have been added to the design here with booths that feel like old-fashioned train carriages and a sign for the old ticket office above the bar. They’ve done a great job of restoring the building to make a fun atmosphere with plenty of character.
They also do great food with plenty of veggie and vegan-friendly options on offer.
Address: Unit 1, Cambridge Railway Station, Cambridge CB1 2JW
Website: https://www.oldticketoffice.com/
The Maypole
The Maypole has been a family run pub since 1982. The Casiglione family bring together the best of British and Italian, offering up fantastic traditional Italian food, like arancini and calamari and great British beers.
The Maypole is one of the few remaining free houses in Cambridge (meaning it’s not tied to any particular brewery). This means they’re able to sell a great variety of beers, including a number from smaller local breweries.
With the selection of interesting beers and amazing food, it’s no wonder this pub is so popular!
Address: 20A Portugal Pl, Cambridge CB5 8AF
Website: http://maypolefreehouse.co.uk/
The Punter
This snug pub has heaps of charm with its blue painted window frames and window box plants.
Whilst it’s a cosy spot to hunker down in the winter, the best time to visit (in my opinion!) is in the summer, so you can make full use of their wonderful outdoor seating area. Filled with climbing plants and colourful parasols, this really does make a wonderful place to while away a sunny afternoon in Cambridge.
Their food menu is nice and varied with options such as crispy potato skins, chicken schnitzel, and leg of lamb.
Address: 3 Pound Hill, Cambridge CB3 0AE
Website: http://www.thepuntercambridge.com/
Pubs in Cambridge FAQs
The following pubs in Cambridge are dog-friendly: The Granta, The Pickerel Inn, Clarendon Arms, Fort St George, Cambridge Brew House, The Cambridge Tap, and The Free Press
