The Tickell Arms

Modern European·
££££
·

SquareMeal Review of The Tickell Arms

Housed in a beautiful Grade-II listed former coaching inn, with a new conservatory overlooking a large pond, this village pub is as welcoming to drinkers as it is to diners. In good weather, sit outside in the lovely beer garden and sip one of their local real ales or a glass from the Languedoc-centred wine list, while getting the measure of the food offering. The menu covers smart pub classics, but the likes of smoked haddock fish cake with dill mayonnaise and smoked beef short ribs with red wine sauce for two are better than many of their rivals. Inside there are wood-burning stoves in the attractively modernised interiors for when the weather’s not so clement.


Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £30 - £49
Cuisines
Modern European

The Tickell Arms is featured in

Location

1 North Road, Whittlesford, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB22 4NZ

01223 833025 01223 833025

Website

Opening Times

Mon-Fri 12N-2.30pm Sat-Sun 12N-11pm

Reviews

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2 Reviews 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Michael P

29 March 2019  
Goes from strength to strength.

BoatLady

20 January 2013  
Food & Drink 4
Service 4
Atmosphere 3
Value 3.5
The first time I heard about The Tickell Arms was some 30 years ago when my parents has taken my brother for a special meal: the owner had apparently looked aghast at the casually-attired 11 year old, youth being no bar to the expectation of being properly attired in the pub's restaurant, and promptly lent him a jacket and tie. Times have changed: the charismatic owner of this infamous Cambs stalwart has long since retired and pubs with restaurants are ten a penny. But The Tickell (it seems to have dropped the “Arms” now, I can't think why, are limbs not trendy?) has been taken over by a small local gastro chain so I maintain high hopes for its integrity. The decor is in tune with London trends: quirky feather wallpaper adorns the walls, bowler hat lights illuminate the bar, but green leather banquettes and old fashioned architectural prints keep it from straying too far for rural folk into kookyville. They've done a good job of trying to integrate the 80s conservatory into the rest of the space but it still feels a bit echo-y on this empty Wednesday winter evening. There's not going to be any passing trade out here so I wonder if the food will be enough to make sure it's rammed at least at the weekends? Well, let me tell you, it is. The menu isn't long but all the dishes are traditional-with-a-twist appealing. I had a potted mackerel starter, beautifully creamy with chunky bits of fish and, nice touch, a tart rhubarb compote. Then we shared the beef wellington: a hunk of pink beef (perfectly cooked but sadly a touch bland in the meat itself) in a beautiful pastry with lovely pancetta sauce (which gave the dish the required hit of flavour) and a pile of some of the best pub chips around (crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside). We finished off with a good creme brulee and a deliciously unusual cider brandy. Service is friendly and competent. At around £100 (incl 3 glasses of house red but excl service) I thought it was well worth the journey. But will locals swallow the London pricing as well as the London decor? I don't know.
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