13 Amazing Places to Eat By The River in Cambridge (by a Local!)
LOOKING FOR THE BEST CAMBRIDGE RESTAURANTS BY THE RIVER?
You’re in the right spot! Living in Cambridge like I do has its perks, and dining by the river is one of them. There’s something special about having a meal while watching the punts go by (and trying not to laugh at the people who can’t control theirs).
I’ve spent many weekends trying out Cambridge’s riverside restaurants, looking for that perfect blend of good food and great views. And guess what? I’ve narrowed down some of Cambridge’s best spots that offer just that.
So, whether you’re up for a laid-back lunch or a chill dinner scene, these riverside joints have got you covered. Dive into delicious meals while soaking up some of the best views Cambridge has to offer. Here’s to good food, relaxed vibes, and the simple pleasure of a riverside view. Enjoy!
The Mill
📍 14 Mill Ln, Cambridge CB2 1RX
⭐️ Rating: 4/5 | 💷 Cost: £££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!
The Mill is a small, traditional pub that also serves food, and as the name suggests, is right next to the River.
There’s plenty of wooden beams and fireplaces inside, but the real reason The Mill is on this list is because they offer takeaway pints in the summer, which you can carry over to Laundress Green and Coe Fen.
The whole area gets absolutely full of people picnicking in good weather on Friday evenings, and it’s a really pleasant atmosphere. If you want a drink by the river in Cambridge, The Mill is where you should go.
The beers are pub-standard, so you’re not really going to find much in the way of real ales or craft beers here, but there is a good gin selection and plenty of summer cocktails.
The food selection is actually pretty decent though, and it’s very cosy inside for those winter nights.
This is really the pub to visit on a nice summer’s evening if you only want a drink outside, or in the colder months if you want food by a roaring fireplace.
There are no tables outside, but you can clearly see the river if you are sat by the windows on that side.
😋At a Glance:
drink a pint by the river.
The Waterman
📍 32 Chesterton Road, Cambridge
⭐️ Rating: 4/5 | 💷 Cost: £££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!
For a good meal, an excellent choice of drinks, including craft beers, and a relaxed atmosphere you can’t go wrong with The Waterman.
Cosy traditional pub inside, with a sun trap courtyard garden out the back, you and your dog are welcome to pull up a chair wherever you want.
The menu at the The Waterman is as eclectic as the mix of people you are likely to encounter at the bar. It is not extensive but does have some delicious vegan and vegetarian options, as well as lighter bites and a kids menu.
The miso roasted aubergine has been known to tempt me away from the lamb shoulder on occasion but I remain faithful to my lemon posset whenever I manage dessert.
Although the rear terrace doesn’t look over the river directly, you are about as close to the river as you can get.
The Waterman also has 8 boutique rooms where dogs are also welcome to stay.
Top Tip – The small cafe next door, No30, is run by the same owners and serves great coffee and breakfasts if you do happen to be staying nearby. It is, of course, also dog friendly.
😋At a Glance:
casual dining and acccommodation
Fort St. George
📍 Midsummer Common 11, Cambridge CB4 1HA
⭐️ Rating: 5/5 | 💷 Cost: £££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!
The Fort St George is part of the Greene King chain of pubs and restaurants and so food wise you know what you are getting.
It’s good food, with a decent selection of drinks, though nothing to write home about. What it lacks in inspirational cuisine, it more than makes up for in location and in the atmospheric 16th Century building.
Right on the River Cam, the Fort St George is in a great location, especially if you have had a long walk along the river watching various crews rowing up and down the water.
This dog friendly restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating options, with the outdoor area even having its own bar in the summer.
Being right on Midsummer Common it can get busy, like everywhere in Cambridge, but so far I have never had a problem grabbing a table when I arrive.
If you want to sit directly on the riverside in Cambridge and eat unfussy pub food, then Fort St. George is the ideal spot.
😋At a Glance:
food and drinks by the river
Six at Varsity Hotel
📍 24 Thompsons Ln, Cambridge CB5 8EQ
⭐️ Rating: 3.5/5 | 💷 Cost: ££££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!
Six is one of those places you go to for the view.
It’s located at the top of the Varsity hotel (on the sixth floor), with floor-to-ceiling windows giving you a pretty special view of Cambridge and some balcony seating in the summer. There’s also a terrace on the roof above where you can have cocktails if you have space after eating.
Six have a fairly diverse menu, but the view is the real star of the show.
Cocktail choice is strong at Six, but they are one of the most expensive options for dinings, and are probably a better bet for afternoon tea.
😋At a Glance:
amazing city views
Graduate Hotel
📍 Granta Pl, Mill Ln, Cambridge CB2 1RT
⭐️ Rating: 5/5 | 💷 Cost: £££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!
Formerly the Garden House hotel, the newly refurbished Graduate has been refitted to a very high standard, with the two story wall behind reception fitted with a jigsaw puzzle of punts.
Next to the Cam, the Graduate is the place to for dinner by the river in Cambridge, as you can sit in their garden right on the river’s banks if the weather’s good. Otherwise, you still get a good view from within the hotel restaurant.
Prices are mid-range for Cambridge, and the food was always excellent when I used to go in the Garden House days.
😋At a Glance:
eat outside next to the river.
Las Iguanas
📍 Quayside, Bridge St, Cambridge CB5 8AB
⭐️ Rating: 3.5/5 | 💷 Cost: £££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!
Las Iguanas has a branch of their Latin American inspired restaurants right next to the river on the Quayside in Cambridge.
One of the main punting stations in Cambridge is right outside if you want to combine dinner with a trip down the river.
There’s no outdoor seating, although there are big windows with views over the riverside and Magdalene College, and plenty of seating which means that you usually don’t have to book in advance.
😋At a Glance:
chain restaurant with plenty of seating
Galleria
📍 33 Bridge St, Cambridge CB2 1UW
⭐️ Rating: 5/5 | 💷 Cost: ££££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!
Galleria is a small, family-run restaurant right next to the river in a very popular part of town.
They have a very large drinks menu, but also serve high-end food including a few vegan and vegetarian options.
Galleria is a small place, so you tend to have to book if you are coming on an evening, although lunchtime is usually a little more relaxed.
They also have a few seats at the side of the restaurant on a balcony overlooking the river, the Colleges and the punting below, which is a lovely place for a special dinner.
Note that you cannot pre-book these tables or any of their other outdoor tables on Bridge Street at the front of the restaurant, as there is no protection from the elements. It’s still recommended to book, and you can then request an outdoor table on arrival if the weather cooperates.
😋At a Glance:
family-run restaurant with riverside balcony
The Riverbar Steakhouse and Grill
📍 3 Thompsons Ln, Cambridge CB5 8AQ
⭐️ Rating: 4/5 | 💷 Cost: ££££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!
Part of the Varsity Hotel, the Riverbar Steakhouse is the place to go if you are looking for a fancy steak in a nice restaurant setting.
Prices are pretty high, but you get a wide variety of meat and can be assured that you are going to get your steak cooked exactly as you request it.
There’s no outdoor seating, but there are a few window seats which have a great view over Magdalene College and the river, thanks to being one floor up.
The entrance can be a little hard to find, as it’s down a narrow alleyway behind the main entrance to the Varsity Hotel, just a few steps away from the river.
😋At a Glance:
lots of steaks!
La Mimosa
📍 3 Thompsons Ln, Cambridge CB5 8AQ
⭐️ Rating: 4/5 | 💷 Cost: £££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!
A family-run Italian restaurant located right on the riverfront, La Mimosa is a fantastic place for lunch or dinner in the summer, when you can sit on the terrace directly overlooking the river and the people heading off on their punts.
There’s plenty of seating both inside and out, but as they are bordering Jesus Green, it can actually be just as nice to get a pizza to take away to eat on the grass of the riverbank, if the weather cooperates.
There’s a wide selection not only of pizza, but also pasta and salads, plus an excellent Aperol spritz. Do note that they do close on Sunday and Monday though.
😋At a Glance:
Italian with large riverside terrace
The Tivoli
📍 16 Chesterton Rd, Cambridge CB4 3AX
⭐️ Rating: 4/5 | 💷 Cost: £££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!
The Tivoli recently reopened after a refit and is now one of the most unique places in Cambridge.
There’s only a few seats on the terrace that have river views, but it does back onto the river. The main reason you would come here is for the mini golf and shuffleboard, which are inside the building and are both reasonably priced.
There’s only burgers and pizza available, plus the usual beers, so this is definitely not a foodie place, but it is a lot of fun to play a game of crazy golf on one of their two 9 hole golf courses if you have a small group.
😋At a Glance:
pizza, burgers and mini golf
Midsummer House
📍 Midsummer Common, Cambridge CB4 1HA
⭐️ Rating: 4/5 | 💷 Cost: £££££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!
With two Michelin Stars, Midsummer House has long been the most innovative restaurant in Cambridge, although there is now much more competition from the nearby Restaurant 22 and Van Der Lyle’s on Mill Road.
They sometimes have offers that make the prices a little more palatable, but Midsummer House is always going to be one of the most expensive restaurants in Cambridge – you could easily spend over £350 per person for the eight-course tasting menu and wine flight.
Still, if you want a really special meal, then Midsummer House is it.
😋At a Glance:
2 Michelin Stars
The Anchor
📍 Silver St, Cambridge CB3 9EL
⭐️ Rating: 4/5 | 💷 Cost: £££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!
With plenty of seating on their riverside terrace right on the waterline, The Anchor is an ideal place for a casual meal while watching the punts go by.
There’s not a huge menu, but all the standard pub-food is covered.
The Anchor is the place you go for it’s location right in the heart of one of the more touristy parts of town, and for the views over Laundress Green and the river.
😋At a Glance:
large riverside terrace
The Millworks
📍 The Watermill, Newnham Rd, Cambridge CB3 9EY
⭐️ Rating: 5/5 | 💷 Cost: £££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!
If you can get one, there’s a few tables outside The Millworks right next to the millpond with lovely views over Coe Fen.
This side of the river tends to be less touristy and more relaxed than a little further upriver at The Anchor, and I’ve eaten here quite a few times.
The small plates are the real stars and are ideal for lunch, with the grazing plate perfect to share between two.
Even if there are no outside tables available at the front, there is a terrace at the back for outdoor dining, or sit inside the old watermill itself, where the waterwheel is still preserved in situ (and still turns).
😋At a Glance:
in an old watermill
Which Cambridge Restaurants Have a View?
- The best view from a restaurant in Cambridge can be had at Six. Located on the sixth floor of the Varsity Hotel, Six has stunning views over the city from the floor-to-ceiling windows.
- The Millworks has lovely views over the mill pond if you sit in one of the few spaces outside the front.
- You can watch (lots of) people punting from the outdoor dining spot at The Anchor.
- Galleria has a good view over Magdalene College and one of the punting stations.
- The Graduate has a very relaxed garden that borders a quieter part of the river, with views over Coe Fen and of the occasional kayaker.
Which Cambridge Restaurants Have Outdoor Seating?
Most Cambridge restaurants have at least some outdoor seating in summer. Standouts with plenty of outdoor seating include:
- The Fort St. George.
- The Waterman.
- The Anchor.
- The Graduate Hotel.
Cambridge restaurants with more limited outdoor seating include:
- The Millworks.
- Galleria.
Read More:
The actual cheapest punting in Cambridge
Find the best spas in Cambridge
Every dog-friendly restaurant in Cambridge
