Parker’s Tavern

Cambridge, UK

Finding polished service and tight, confident cooking in an all-day brasserie outside London is not always an easy task. But in the heart of Cambridge, Parker’s Tavern at the University Arms hotel pulls it off with collegiate charm. Overlooking the green sweep of Parker’s Piece, walls filled with artworks above red leather banquettes, the mood here is chic yet playful. Chef Lee Clarke’s background under Marco Pierre White and Albert Roux shows in the discipline: the menu is straightforward without being predictable. Since arriving last year, he has put East Anglia’s best ingredients at the forefront: sweet Maldon oysters from Essex and pork belly from Lincolnshire’s Grasmere Farm are spot on, while a terrine of Suffolk pork is both rustic and refined. A braised ox cheek and bone marrow pie for two will have to wait for a return visit – and there will be one.

Words by Rod Mackenzie

This article was taken from the July 2025 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.