Michaelhouse Café is somewhat of a hidden gem in Cambridge. With its entrance tucked slightly away off Trinity Street and Cambridge’s main market square, it can be difficult to spot, especially since it’s actually situated within St Michael’s Church. From the outside, it just looks like a (very beautiful) church, but inside it’s a whole world away from the kind of dusty location you might have been dragged to as a child for Sunday service.
A beautiful interior, with high ceilings and huge stained-glass windows, makes Michaelhouse look more like a museum than a café. Its ground floor is open and bright, with plenty of little nooks to tuck yourself in and have a moment of peace away from the busy city. A winding staircase leads up to a small balcony, which overlooks the entire café and is ideal for people-watching. Michaelhouse is also a popular study spot, so you’ll often find students set up for the day with books, laptops, and an endless supply of tea. If you want to feel like one of the Cambridge locals, it’s definitely worth stopping by.
The cafe serves up a splendid selection of breakfast, brunch, and lunch to town and gown alike. It’s really big on working with local suppliers, so your cooked dishes at breakfast and lunch are made from fresh, locally-sourced ingredients.
The jewel in Michaelhouse’s crown is perhaps its incredible counter selection of freshly baked and hand-crafted cakes, pastries, and sweet treats, made in-house by the café's patisserie trained chef. The vast selection of treats on offer changes daily, but past offerings have included biscoff dark chocolate brownies, blueberry and almond teacakes, and gluten free lemon drizzle cake.
Michaelhouse Café is open everyday of the week for you to get your fix. The only downside? It's closed on Sunday mornings for church.