Nestled on Mill Road in Cambridge's historic city, Vanderlyle is a cosy restaurant committed to direct collaboration with farmers, growers, and producers. Under the guidance of chef Alex Rushmer, the team carefully selects local, ethical, and regeneratively grown ingredients, crafting a plant centric tasting menu paired with seasonal drinks. Sustainability is what makes the heart beat at Vanderlyle, with a collective mission to uplift traditional fine dining and prioritise the planet's well being, along with the mental and physical health of hospitality professionals.
Typically offering four weekly services, Vanderlyle prioritises a work life balance rarely found in this industry. Originally not focused on vegetable cookery, the delightful challenge of extracting flavours from plants, coupled with positive guest feedback, has solidified the team’s commitment to a meat and fish free menu. They champion local, regeneratively grown ingredients, advocating for positive changes among their suppliers whenever possible. Guests are asked to pay for their tasting menus in advance, to allow the kitchen to correctly prepare for dietary requirements and ensure that you get exactly what food you'd like to enjoy. Reservations get filled up pretty quickly, so be sure that you check out Tock at 12pm on the first Tuesday of each month to get a booking.
At Vanderlyle each dish is a masterpiece of flavour and innovation. Enjoy the oyster mushroom with milk bun and black pepper mayo, or delight in pan fried mooli with seaweed sauce and sea herbs. The menu features exquisite offerings like mushroom and ricotta tortellino with bordelaise sauce, rocket pesto, and pickled girolles. Treat your palate to refreshing cucumber sorbet with fresh strawberries, and polish off your experience with the Pump Street chocolate cremeux featuring yoghurt mousse, chocolate and tahini brownie, and candied chickpeas.