I still refuse to believe that it’s nearly 21 years since my uni life in Cambridge ended. Even back in the early 2000s Cambridge was a pretty foodie city. In recent years, though, its foodie credentials have boomed.
I have a huge list of restaurants and cafes in Cambridge that I want to visit – and I’ll hopefully be sharing some of those on here soon! This most recent trip, though, was my son’s first introduction to the city, and we needed to find somewhere quick, easy and child-friendly for a lunch stop.
That place was Smokeworks on Free School Lane. The fact that Smokeworks has been around for 11 years boded well – and we were lucky enough to get a table without booking.
One side of the building operates as a bar, with the other side the restaurant – but that’s not all. Downstairs you’ll find The Puck & Pong Society, whose beer pong games and shuffleboard tables make up Smokeworks’ “basement room of fun”.
The place has a very industrial feel with its exposed pipework and slightly run-down vibe. There’s neon signage everywhere and a light-up service board that shows which tables need attention. How do the team know? Well, there’s a switch beside every table, which you simply twist when you need something (a great source of entertainment for the child!)
The menus are VAST: ribs, chicken, buns, dogs, mac & cheese, wings…you’ll be spoilt for choice. You’ll also find platters piled high with BBQ meats and serving between one and four people: we’re definitely doing this next time! We went slightly lighter, though, knowing we had plenty of walking to do post-lunch.
The kids’ menu (for children aged 11 and under) is priced at £7 and includes a main, one side and an ice cream sundae. The child was pleased to see that his menu featured puzzles, colouring, games and jokes…and also that it featured halloumi.
The halloumi sticks were thin and crisp around the edges, with a beautiful BBQ flavour (“the best halloumi I’ve ever had!”, he proclaimed. He chose corn on the cob for his side (juicy and tender with plenty of melted butter) and the pickle mayo for dipping – he loved the tang.
The ‘Mr Whippy ice cream sundae’ turned out to be more of a milkshake (with a choice of flavours) but he of course didn’t complain. This was thick and delicious, and it didn’t last long!
With no fewer than five different mac and cheese options available, I was spoilt for choice. In the end, it was the buffalo variety (£13) that swayed me. It was a decent sized bowl of pasta with plenty of sauce, topped with succulent, crispy chopped chicken tenders, salty crumbled blue cheese, a drizzle of blue cheese sauce and plenty of buffalo sauce, offering a good whack of both flavour and heat.
In all honesty, the toppings were more exciting than the mac and cheese itself: while tasty enough, I’d have expected a richer flavour from a dish that contained Smokeworks’ “signature four cheese sauce”.
The real star of the show was the loaded beef fries (£10.50). This mountain of crisp, thin-cut fries came laden with plenty of tender, slow-cooked BBQ beef brisket, crumbled blue cheese, blue cheese sauce and a scattering of crispy onions. The flavour of the beef was insane, and cemented our decision to return for a meat platter to share.
The clientele at Smokeworks was certainly varied: couples, groups, families with young children, solo diners. It seems to be a spot that has universal appeal, and with a diverse menu (and delicious drinks), it’s easy to see why. We’ll be back in Cambridge for a meatier feast soon…