The Ivy Cambridge Brasserie

You're walking past the colleges towards the river when you spot The Ivy's polished windows on Trinity Street—this is proper grown-up dining without the pretension. Inside, it's all Art Deco touches and contemporary elegance: banquettes, mood lighting, and the sort of place where your mates dress up for a birthday without it feeling forced. The menu reads like a greatest hits of British brasserie cooking—think beef Wellington, Dover sole, and lobster risotto—executed with enough precision to justify the prices. Come for lunch if you want something lighter, stay for cocktails that actually taste like someone cares.