Nestled alongside the River Cam, just a short train ride north of London, you’ll find the city of Cambridge. With a long and rich history behind it, the city is famed for its status as home to the University of Cambridge, but it has a whole lot more to offer than lectures and an impressive roster of alumni.
Winding cobbled streets, vast medieval architecture, and sprawling green spaces all make Cambridge a beautiful, idyllic location for a weekend getaway. Pass your time in the city by going on a leisurely (or not) punt along the river, watching a show at the ADC Theatre, or exploring what the Fitzwilliam Museum has to offer.
And of course, we have to talk about the Cambridge food landscape. The city has some incredible food offerings, which we’ve pulled together in our guide to the Best Restaurants in Cambridge.
If there’s anything the Cambridge student population loves, it’s brunch, so there are plenty of options for you to choose from in your hunt for the best Cambridge brunch.
With over 20,000 students attending the university, contributing to the city’s population of over 140,000, and around 8.1 million tourist visitors a year, Cambridge’s restaurants and cafes can get a little busy, especially on the weekends around brunchtime.
Students can easily nip into their college dining halls for brunch and avoid the city’s queues (top tip: certain colleges sometimes open up their halls to non-student visitors). But, if you’re not a University member, finding your perfect brunch spot can be an overwhelming feat, especially in a city full to the brim with hipster cafes serving up a thousand variations of avocado on toast.
But fear not, we’re going to walk you through some of the best brunches in Cambridge, so that you can navigate Cambridge’s brunch-scape with ease.
Fitzbillies
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First up, is it even a Cambridge-related guide if it doesn't include Fitzbillies? We don’t think so... Fitzbillies is a student staple and incredibly popular with tourists on weekends (picture queues down the pavement), but we understand why. Its brunch menu is vast, and ever so slightly difficult to choose from, but we can’t complain. Unless you’re in a group of more than six people, Fitzbillies don’t take brunch bookings, so you have to take your chances and just walk in – definitely worth the risk for even a glimpse of those Chelsea buns!
Where: 51-52 Trumpington Street, CB2 1RG
Book now: Fitzbillies
Michaelhouse Cafe
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With its huge selection of beautifully baked pastries, cakes, and biscuits, as well as an extensive hot food menu, Michaelhouse is a dreamy brunch spot. Sit back in a beautiful church venue and indulge in the likes of scrambled eggs with crème fraiche and chives, porridge with berry compote, honey, and toasted almonds, and Michaelhouse’s signature waffles. If a boozy brunch is your style, you can also order wine and fizz to wash it down with. Be careful though: Michaelhouse is closed on Sunday mornings until noon for church, so we recommend you carefully schedule in your brunch visit!
Where: St Michael's Church, Trinity Street, CB2 1SU
Book now: Michaelhouse Cafe
Hot Numbers Coffee Trumpington Street
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A staple amongst Cambridge brunchers, Hot Numbers is the stuff of Cambridge brunch dreams. There’s no need to book, but weekend brunch service can get super busy, so we recommend coming earlier to beat the rush. Served 8am-3pm daily, it can be hard to choose what to go for amongst Hot Numbers’ delicious offerings. Avocado toast is done three ways, our favourite of which is with Nduja, pickled fennel, feta, chilli, cherry tomatoes, and pumpkin seeds. The café also offers up incredible fluffy buttermilk pancake stacks. Toppings change, as does the menu, but the pancakes have previously been adorned with edible flowers – a beautifully decorated brunch plate that will look very cute on your Instagram stories.
Where: 4 Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QA
Book now: Hot Numbers Coffee Trumpington Street
The Locker Cafe
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Served daily until 3pm, brunch at the family-run Locker Café is a cosy, homemade affair. The toasted crumpets with mascarpone, walnuts, berries, and maple syrup are perfect for those of us with a sweet tooth, and a popular vegan special – smashed avocado sourdough with sunblushed tomatoes and piquante peppers – provides an exciting twist on a brunch classic if you're craving savoury. The café is dog friendly, making it the perfect spot for a post-dog walk brunch in Cambridge city centre.
Where: 54 King Street, CB1 1LN
Book now: The Locker Cafe
The Copper Kettle
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Brunch at The Copper Kettle means a classic selection of brunch goods, overlooking arguably the most famous College in the University. The CK Full Brunch means a mountain of eggs, bacon, sausage, beans, mushrooms, tomato, and toast, whilst the CK Veggie Brunch swaps out the meat for smashed avocado. Keeping up with the café's Mediterranean influence, the Turkish breakfast (served all day) is a platter of cheddar and Turkish white cheese, tomatoes, cucumber, and olives, served up with fried eggs, Turkish sausage, and bread and honey. If you’re early enough, you can also order from the breakfast menu, which includes some particularly tempting ‘hash brown puffs’ and waffles with chocolate sauce and fruit.
Where: 4 King's Parade, CB2 1SJ
Book now: The Copper Kettle
Bill's Cambridge
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If you like an earlier brunch (ie. You get too hungry to wait past noon for your food), then Bill’s Cambridge might be a good spot for your brunch. Its breakfast menu, which is served until 11:30 everyday of the week, is full of plenty of brunch appropriate dishes, including the standout Bill’s Big Brunch. Bill’s also offers a completely vegan alternative, which is great if you’re brunching in a big group with lots of dietary requirements.
Where: 34-35 Green Street, CB2 3JX
Book now: Bill's Cambridge
The Ivy Cambridge
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The Ivy Cambridge does brunch on Saturdays, Sundays, and bank holidays, from 11am-3:45pm. The brunch menu is vast, and has lots of options we wouldn’t necessarily consider to be the obvious brunch option (truffle arancini?), but this can be handy if you’re dining in a group and some of you are on a breakfast wave, and others a lunch wave. As it’s The Ivy, there’s also a gorgeous selection of cocktails and alcoholic drinks to choose from, to liven up your brunch experience.
Where: 16 Trinity Street, CB2 1TB
Book now: The Ivy Cambridge
Grain and Hop Store
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Brunch at the Grain and Hop Store is a relaxed and delicious affair. Served everyday from 10am-12pm, you’ll find a splendid array of options up for grabs, including a full English, eggs Benedict, granola with yoghurt and fresh fruit, and bubble and squeak. The bottomless brunch offering is held Saturday and Sunday between 11am-2pm, and includes bottomless prosecco, pale ale, mimosas or bloody Marys for just £25 per person.
Where: 69-76 Regent Street, CB2 1AB
Book now: Grain and Hop Store
Novi
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Although it’s especially popular for its bar and cocktail menu, Novi puts forward an impressive selection of brunch options. Its brunch menu features dishes you might be surprised to see suggested – sauteed kale and creamy feta, or asparagus and broad bean fritters – but they're delicious, nevertheless. You can also rest assured that all your old favourites are on there, including a full English (which can be made vegetarian or vegan) and, interestingly, an American breakfast comprised of homemade waffles, smoky bacon, fried chicken, and maple syrup.
Where: 12 Regent Street, CB2 1DB
Book now: Novi
The Old Bicycle Shop
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Situated on the site of a former 173-year-old bicycle shop (makes sense, doesn't it?), the Old Bicycle Shop is a beautifully historic building offering up a gorgeous food and drinks menu for brunch in central Cambridge. Brunch is 10am-3pm everyday of the week, with plenty of food to choose from if you drop by. American pancakes with a range of toppings, eggs done five ways, and Croque Monsieur are just some of the plates you can opt for in this location. The selection of brunch cocktails is particularly appealing, including Mimosas, bloody Marys, and espresso martinis. Brunch, cocktails, and a beautiful setting – what more could you ask for?
Where: 104 Regent Street, CB2 1DP
Book now: The Old Bicycle Shop
Indigo Coffee House
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If you’re after a more lowkey, casual brunch, it might be worth wandering over to Indigo Coffee House. A small, independent coffee house situated just off Cambridge’s King’s Parade, it’s a cosy space within which to have a relaxed brunch. Choose from a vast selection of hot drinks, an ever-changing array of homemade cakes and baked goods, and an equally variable menu of toasties and hot sandwiches, and have yourself an adorable little brunch in a beautiful, cobbled Cambridge street.
Where: 8 St Edwards Passage, CB2 3PJ
Book now: Indigo Coffee House
Espresso Library
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Book for brunch at Espresso Library and be treated to a short but sweet brunch menu which offers everything you could ask for in a brunch. Fluffy pancakes, a bacon bap, and an egg and salmon protein bowl all make an appearance on the menu, as well as a classic avocado toast, which you can choose to spice up by adding on a variety of toppings, including tahini, sun dried tomatoes, halloumi, and prosciutto. We also recommend keeping an eye out for the café's selection of cakes and fresh juices and smoothies. Located not far from Cambridge’s Grafton shopping centre, Espresso Library is the perfect spot for brunch before a day of shopping.
Where: 210 East Road, CB1 1BG
Book now: Espresso Library
Browns Cambridge
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Browns’ bottomless brunch comes in at a starting price of £35 per person (£55 if you want Champagned included), for which you can choose from a strong selection of food and beverages. Prosecco, Bloody Marys, Aperol Spritz, or Bellinis are all unlimited for your hour and a half brunch session, and the food menu is refined and carefully thought through. Brunch is our favourite meal of the day, and Browns certainly delivers with this one.
Where: 23 Trumpington Street, CB2 1QA
Book now: Browns Cambridge
Looking to venture a little further than Cambridge for your next brunch? Take a look at our top brunch picks in London.
Words by: Cara Rogers