Well Spent: Cambridge
Well Spent: Cambridge
The cafes and lidos that anchor mornings, the bookshops and record stores that offer pause, and the late-night counters that turn cold nights warm with wholesome food and human connection. It's a snapshot grounded in real routines and genuine affection, led by a team fully immersed in the rhythms of the city.
Our Partners: Stir Cambridge
Stir opened its first café in Chesterton in 2015, when founders Judith and Matt Harrison decided that if the neighbourhood didn’t have the kind of café it deserved, they’d build it themselves. Since then, they’ve scaled that instinct for community and quality into a group that now spans Cambridge, from the original Chesterton site and on-site bakery to Marvin’s on Green Street, Histon, the Old Swiss Laundry on Cherry Hinton Road, and Addenbrooke’s. They now employ more than 100 people, with more openings on the way.
Stir and Assembly Coffee began working together in summer 2022, and what’s continued to impress us since is the clarity of intention behind every concept they build. Whether it’s a café, a bakery or a hybrid space, they treat quality and consistency as one standard of excellence carried across food, drink and experience.
Jesus Green Lido
Jesus Green Lido is a slice of Cambridge history – an outdoor pool from the 1920s stretching around 90 metres, making it the largest pool in the city and one of the longest outdoor pools in the country. Best enjoyed early doors or on a blue-sky afternoon, this local institution is proof that simple pleasures are often the best spent.
Bacchanalia
Right in the hustle and bustle of Mill Road, Bacchanalia is busy, well-loved and packed with character. The exterior wall is covered by a mural of the Roman god of wine, Bacchus. Inside – a carefully curated range of beer, wine and spirits, shaped by genuine passion and knowledge, with quality at every price.
The Haunted Bookshop
Tucked off St Edward’s Passage, The Haunted Bookshop is stacked high with hidden gems. A narrow staircase between the shelves leads to even more treasures upstairs, and a local legend of a female spectre haunting the stairs makes the shop aptly named. A must-visit for book lovers and the curious alike.
Marvin’s
Marvin's is on Green Street, in the heart of the city. The sister shop to Stir Cambridge, it serves big, bold sandwiches and more – offering a solid pick for a satisfying lunch stop after a wander up and down the high street.
Cho Mee Supermarket
Family run since 1989, Cho Mee Supermarket, on eclectic Mill Road. What originally piqued our curiosity was the colourful hand painted signage and eye-catching storefront. Once you head inside, it’s packed with a vast selection of Asian groceries from floor to ceiling.
The Eagle Pub
The Eagle is a 17th-century, Grade II listed pub in central Cambridge, famous as the spot where Crick and Watson announced the DNA double helix. Packed with historic charm, the ceilings and walls etched with WWII graffiti, and hearty pub food, it’s a Cambridge institution.
Hilary’s Greengrocers
Hilary’s on Mill Road immediately draws you in with its colourful, characterful shop front – a familiar sight on the street since it first opened as a greengrocer in 1978. The family-run produce store still sits at the heart of the community, with fresh fruit and veg stacked inside. The broader business also now supplies hotels, restaurants and cafés across Cambridge.
Relevant Records Café
Relevant Records Café tucked towards the end of Mill Road, upstairs a café, downstairs a 1970s-styled vinyl emporium stacked with thousands of new and pre-owned records. Vintage pinball machines, live music, and community events add to the lively energy of the space.
Carlos BBQ
Owner Carlos greets everyone with a warm smile, complimentary tea and stories that keep you sat down far longer than planned. Generous portions of hearty, flavour-packed wraps and grills have helped make it a local favourite.
