My 9 Top Italian Restaurants in Cambridge (by a Local!)

I live in Cambridge and love Italian food, which is lucky because there is quite a wide variety of Italian restaurants in the city, from basic chain places to family-run, independent eateries.

I’m going to ignore all of the chain restaurants in this guide like Zizzi and Carluccio’s – you know what those places are like already – and I’m going to focus on the small, independent places that I love, and which I’m sure you’ll love too.


italian restaurants in cambridge

Limoncello

📍 212 Mill Rd, Cambridge CB1 3NF

limoncello restaurant cambridge

💷 Cost: £££££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!

Limoncello has an Italian deli in addition to the restaurant, so you can sit alongside the delicious olives, meats and Italian foods, or sit in the courtyard garden at the back if you want some fresh air.

A more traditional Italian place, the salads at Limoncello are excellent, as are their pasta dishes, and I really like the atmosphere when sitting in the deli area – it’s just a lovely little shop.

limoncello cambridge seating
The deli and seating in Limoncello

They also have proper gelato, if you’re looking for something to take away.

Because Limoncello is very close to Tradizioni, my advice for choosing between them is if you want a lighter meal of salads, olives, bread and other deli-style foods then go for Limoncello, or if you want a heavier meal, then choose Tradizioni. That’s not to say that you can’t have a big meal at Limoncello, it’s more that it does deli-style food exceptionally well.

😋At a Glance:
Italian deli and restaurant


Scott’s All Day

📍 Mill Rd, Cambridge CB1 2AZ

scotts all day cambridge

💷 Cost: ££££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!

Not an actual Italian restaurant, I’ve included Scott’s because they are one of the best places in Cambridge for a pizza, with a wide menu of less common toppings along with the old favourites.

scotts all day pizza
The Garden House pizza from the Weekend Brunch menu. It was delicious!

Because they use sourdough for their pizza bases, with everything made on-site, and most of the meat that you can add to your pizza coming from Mill Road Butchers across the road, the flavours in the pizza are just fantastic.

It’s difficult to describe, but the base has a kind of softness that you don’t normally get with a pizza.

They also sometimes have 2-for-1 offers on their pizza depending on the day of the week and if you order takeaway in person. They don’t have this on their website, so you might want to call or wander down if you are looking for takeaway pizza.

If you want to eat in, then the windowless room at the back can be a little dark, but as Scott’s tends to always be full, you might need to book in advance and request a space near one of their big windows that fronts the restaurant.

There’s plenty of space in Scott’s for dogs to sit next to your table, and there’s always a really great atmosphere here – it’s one of my favourite brunch spots in Cambridge for a reason. Highly recommended.

😋At a Glance:
sourdough pizza


Tradizioni

📍 18-19 The Broadway, Cambridge, CB1 3AH

tradizioni cambridge

💷 Cost: £££££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!

Tradizioni is, as the name implies, a traditional Italian place offering a large variety of pizza and pasta. It’s fairly casual, but is definitely a restaurant rather than a cafe, and has seating outside on Mill Road in the summer.

tradizioni cambridge outdoor seating
Outdoor seating at Tradizioni

The food is really good here and not like some Italian places where it’s too greasy. Limoncello across the road is another excellent Italian restaurant (although not dog-friendly).

takeaway food from tradizioni in cambridge
Takeaway pizza and pasta from Tradizioni

Portions are big, and you don’t feel rushed. This is the kind of family-run place where you can sit all night, eating your pasta, drinking your wine and having good conversations with friends.

😋At a Glance:
chilled-out Italian restaurant


La Mimosa

📍 3 Thompsons Ln, Cambridge CB5 8AQ

la mimosa cambridge restaurant

💷 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 close on Sunday and Monday though.

Due to the location, this is more of a tourist restaurant, but there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as it is what you were expecting.

😋At a Glance:
tourist place with a large riverside terrace


La Margherita

📍15 Magdalene St, Cambridge CB3 0AF

la margherita cambridge

💷 Cost: £££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!

I first went to La Margherita in 2001 and it was well established then and I think that longevity speaks to the quality of this family-run restaurant.

It has a more traditional Italian menu, with primi and secondi courses, along with the usual selection of pizza, and a gelato bar for dessert!

There’s probably one of the largest variety of foods of any of the Italian places in Cambridge, so this is a better place for a picky eater.

I’ve been here a handful of times over the years and always enjoyed the food, although I think it might be topped by the likes of Tradizioni and Limoncello over on Mill Road, nowadays.

😋At a Glance:
popular central location


Aromi

📍1 Bene’t St; 30 Fitzroy St; 3 Peas Hill

aromi cambridge

💷 Cost: £££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!

Aromi has got a couple of locations nearly next to each other just off King’s Parade, and another fairly large shop near the Grafton Centre.

They are more of a deli-style cafe than a restaurant, with pizza served by the slice if you can’t handle the full thing.

You can get a lot of traditional Sicilian snacks like cannoli and the smaller branch in the town centre also has a gelato bar facing the street (which is not a patch on Jack’s just around the corner though).

There’s probably the widest selection of pizza in Cambridge at the Bene’t Street branch, making it ideal for a quick lunch, but as it’s also super-busy, not the best place for a romantic meal.

😋At a Glance:
Deli-style Italian cafe with pizza


De Luca Cucina

📍83 Regent St, Cambridge CB2 1AW

de luca cucina cambridge

💷 Cost: ££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!

I hear that De Luca is a very popular venue if you want to impress your date, but don’t want to spend too much in the process!

De Luca definitely looks more expensive inside than it actually is, and it really gives the impression of being a proper high-end restaurant.

The downside is that there isn’t a very wide selection of food available, but there is a long cocktail list which you can drink in the piano bar.

They also have “aperitivo” nights when you can get cheaper drinks, and pizza/pasta offers mid-week which make De Luca exceptional value for money.

😋At a Glance:
perfect for date night


Al Pomodoro

📍152-154 Hills Rd, Cambridge CB2 8PB

al pomodoro cambridge

💷 Cost: £££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!

Al Pomodoro is a family-run restaurant with everyone on the staff seemingly related!

There’s a wide selection of food and drink, and the building itself is very modern.

Personally, I don’t really like eating over here as the restaurant is right next to one of the busiest junctions in Cambridge, and the air quality always seems terrible. The architecture around here is also ugly 😁.

😋At a Glance:
modern Italian food


Maurizio Dining & Co.

📍44 Mill Rd, Petersfield, Cambridge CB1 2AS

maurizio dining cambridge

💷 Cost: £££ | 🍝 See Their Menu!

Maurizio’s always looks incredibly inviting, with the windows fully opened out in the summer so that you can see the pizza oven and the delicious food being prepared.

They had a variety of mannequins at the table in the window set up to eat dinner during the pandemic when all restaurants were closed, which was very endearing, and now they always seem to be full.

It’s your standard pizza/pasta/dolce place, but they do it all very well, and I always end up stopping here for something during the Mill Road Winter Fair, even if I don’t get here the rest of the year.

😋At a Glance:
cosy Italian restaurant


Which Italian Restaurants are in Cambridge City Centre?

  • Aromi has a few cafe-style places in the town centre that serve pizza and Sicilian snacks.
  • De Luca Cucina is a date-night Italian restaurant next to Parker’s Piece.
  • La Margherita is a chilled-out place ideal for groups, near Magdalene College.
  • La Mimosa is a tourist-centric restaurant by the river on Jesus Green.

Are There Are Italian Restaurants Near Market Square?

  • The two branches of Aromi are the only independent Italian restaurants near Market Square.
  • There’s also a Franco Manca nearby, and some other chain places.

Which Italian Restaurants Are On Mill Road?

  • Limoncello is my favourite Italian restaurant on Mill Road.
  • Tradizioni is a close second.
  • Maurizio Dining & Co. is also excellent for groups.

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