Harden's says

Parker’s Tavern is the destination restaurant in the revamped University Arms Hotel overlooking Parker’s Piece; chef Tristan Welch (previously head chef at Pétrus, he also relaunched Launceston Place then worked on Mustique) heads up the kitchen, representing a return to his East Anglian roots.

survey result

Summary

£61
  £££
2
Average
3
Good
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

“A proper brasserie in a lovely refurbished hotel in the middle of Cambridge”“who would have guessed that the once-dismal University Arms would house such a charmer?”. Ex-Launceston Place chef Tristan Welch champions local East Anglian produce on a menu that provides comfort rather than foodie fireworks. Rebuilt several years ago, this long-established hotel has a fantastic position, overlooking Parker’s Piece.

Summary

£57
   ££
2
Average
2
Average
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

The “fantastic dining room overlooking Parker’s Piece” was a “welcome addition to the Cambridge restaurant scene” when it opened three years ago in the old University Arms Hotel under chef Tristan Welch (formerly of Launceston Place). It’s “good for a fancy family celebration” and “the food can be great on its day” – but by several accounts it “does not always quite match up to the surroundings, and sometimes service could be improved”.

Summary

£56
   ££
2
Average
2
Average
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

The formerly creaky old University Arms Hotel has been expensively transformed, and this – it’s new ‘pub’ – is a “wonderful room in Parisian brasserie style with high ceilings and mirrors”, and “with a brilliant view over Parker’s Piece”. Tristan Welch (once of Launceston Place) is at the stoves and has won some stellar newspaper reviews for his “high-end brasserie food”. But while survey feedback on it is mostly OK, it’s also pretty middling: “nice but not 100% perfect…”; “pleasantly consistent but a bit underachieving…”; “nowhere near as good as initial reviews suggested – shame as the setting’s great”. Still, it’s “well-placed to up its game in a city short of options”.

Summary

£56
   ££
2
Average
2
Average
4
Very Good
* Based on a three course dinner, half a bottle of wine, coffee, cover charge, service and VAT.

The formerly creaky old University Arms Hotel has been expensively transformed, and this – it’s new ‘pub’ – is a “wonderful room in Parisian brasserie style with high ceilings and mirrors”, and “with a brilliant view over Parker’s Piece”. Tristan Welch (once of Launceston Place) is at the stoves and has won some stellar newspaper reviews for his “high-end brasserie food”. But while survey feedback on it is mostly OK, it’s also pretty middling: “nice but not 100% perfect…”; “pleasantly consistent but a bit underachieving…”; “nowhere near as good as initial reviews suggested – shame as the setting’s great”. Still, it’s “well-placed to up its game in a city short of options”.

For 32 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).

Have you eaten at Parker's Tavern?

Restaurant details

No dress code

Prices

Traditional European menu

Starter Main Pudding
£13.00 £25.00 £10.00
Drinks  
Wine per bottle £20.00
Filter Coffee £3.25
Extras  
Service 10.00%
1 Park Terrace, Cambridge, CB1 1JH
Opening hours
Monday6:30 am‑10 pm
Tuesday6:30 am‑10 pm
Wednesday6:30 am‑10 pm
Thursday6:30 am‑10 pm
Friday7 am‑10 pm
Saturday6:30 am‑10 pm
Sunday6:30 am‑10 pm

Best British, Modern restaurants nearby

Pint Shop
British, Modern restaurant in Cambridge
£54
   ££
3
Good
2
Average
3
Good
Vanderlyle
British, Modern restaurant in Cambridge
£92
 ££££
5
Exceptional
4
Very Good
3
Good
Trinity
British, Modern restaurant in Cambridge
£70
  £££
3
Good
3
Good
3
Good

Best similarly priced restaurants nearby

Côte
French restaurant in Cambridge
£59
   ££
2
Average
2
Average
2
Average
The Three Hills, Bartlow
British, Modern restaurant in Bartlow
£60
  £££
3
Good
2
Average
3
Good
Old Bridge Hotel
British, Modern restaurant in Huntingdon
£61
  £££
2
Average
3
Good
3
Good