Hotel du Vin Cambridge

Everything from the service to the furniture is perfectly pitched somewhere between swish & informal at this slice of vintage Hotel du Vin in the heart of Cambridge. Take a look around: there’s an atmospheric, sofa-filled library for lounging, a labyrinthine basement bar full of secluded snugs, & a cosy cigar shack. Amidst all this is the bustling bistro, decked out in Franglais style. The menu is safe, ingredients are fresh & the cooking assured, from a belly-warming artichoke & chestnut soup to a sprightly piece of black bream with young leeks & peach purée. Wild venison comes with cranberries & chocolate sauce, while heartier choices could include braised oxtail with dumplings & onglet steak. The superb wine list roams through France, but also does justice to the rest of the world.