Considering Cambridge’s abundant beauty, it is understandable why thousands of visitors flock here every summer. Yet the sudden influx of tourists can push the city from bustling to manic. Recently, I’ve been wandering further afield to escape the commotion. During my rambles, I’ve discovered that some of Cambridge’s best bites reside outside the city centre. Let me share some of my favourites with you…

Imp

A family-run café/ eco-shop, serving up coffee, pastries and Japanese-inspired lunches. Imp was somewhere I have been wanting to try for a while.

Though nestled just off busy Mill Road, Imp feels anything but hectic. I sat outside, sheltered from the heatwave by a shady tree. Inside, the café is cosy and inviting, full of wooden furniture and comfy cushions; the sort of place you could while away the hours on a rainy day. To the right of the space sits the eco-shop, a treasure trove of goodies.

Combining starters and sides, I made a meal out of dumplings, miso soup and seaweed salad. It arrived on pretty ceramic dishes, alongside wooden cutlery tucked into a wicker basket, which added to the homely feel of the place.

“The savoury seaweed married beautifully with the nutty sesame dressing”

The food did not disappoint. The plump dumplings burst with flavour, the zingy spring onion shining through. Slightly seared, they had a beautifully charred flavour, adding extra depth. I am a seaweed salad fiend; if it is on the menu, I will order it. This one was perfect; the savoury seaweed married beautifully with the nutty sesame dressing. Yet the miso soup stole the show – it was the perfect balance of savoury, sweet, and earthy. I loved the addition of both silken tofu and tofu puffs; the latter punctuated the soup’s earthy flavour with bursts of sweetness, while the former added a wonderful creaminess.

I was only halfway through the meal when I started to plan a post-exam visit. Perhaps you’ll make one too.

Kerb Kollective

This was the place I was most anxious about visiting. Sitting next to the Cambridge Museum of Technology, Kerb Kollective is located on the opposite side of town from me – certainly a long way for a cup of coffee.

If you want somewhere to escape the chaos of the city, Kerb Kollective is the place. The journey there took me beyond the tourist-packed areas of the Cam’s banks to a peaceful stretch where the river opens up. With the sun illuminating the water, I felt as if I were walking through a Mediterranean marina. Kerb Kollective sits just off of the river, the café and courtyard hidden behind a façade of plants.

The baristas were incredibly friendly, remaining patient as I fumbled over my order. On the counter sat an array of tempting baked goods; I only narrowly resisted the calls of a kimchi and cheese bun.

“A mellow coffee to suit the café’s tranquil ambience”

I sat in the courtyard, sipping my coffee. My cortado was mild and sweet; a mellow coffee to suit the café’s tranquil ambience. It’s clear just how embedded within the community this café is: in front of me, a group of students sat chatting and laughing; next to me, an elderly lady was absorbed in her book; behind me, a mother and son tucked into pastries. In the end, I was very glad I made the journey.

Kanto

I cannot convey how much I regret delaying my visit to Kanto. It’s been at the top of my must-visit list since last summer, but I never managed to make it over there. In the months that passed, the Filipino-Korean bakery was listed on The Good Food Guide’s 2026 list of ‘The Top 50 Best Bakeries in Britain’. After finally visiting, I can understand exactly why.

In contrast to the other places I’ve included, Kanto felt bustling. Since my friend and I visited on a weekday, the line was short; our fellow queuers moved with the familiarity of regulars. Staring at the display case, we were spoiled for choice. Eventually, we settled for an ube pandesal to satisfy my friend’s sweet tooth and a shio pan to suit my savoury preference.

Do not make my mistake and put off visiting Kanto. Dangerously decadent, the shio pan combined the fluffiness of brioche with the buttery layers of a croissant. The sweet and salty flavours played off one another perfectly, each sharpening the other. The pool of melted butter in the centre was the cherry on top.

“I cannot convey how much I regret delaying my visit to Kanto”

The ube pandesal shocked me. I famously lack any sweet tooth. My biggest gripe with desserts is when the taste of sugar masks the other flavours. But the ube pandesal was absolutely not too sweet. Instead, the sweetness enhanced the flavours of the filling, which had notes reminiscent of chestnuts and vanilla. I will say it again: don’t delay visiting Kanto!

I hope I’ve inspired you to venture beyond central Cambridge and indulge in the delicacies found at the city’s edges. If you do dare do so, I can promise that you won’t regret it.