The Punter

You're walking down Pound Hill towards the Backs, and suddenly you've found yourself at a place that feels properly embedded in Cambridge life rather than existing for tourists alone. The Punter does that clever thing where it's genuinely good for a casual weeknight pint but also somewhere you'd take someone if you actually wanted them to eat well. The kitchen takes care with seasonal British fare—proper fish and chips, interesting pies, the kind of sides that suggest someone's thinking about balance. It's the sort of spot locals return to because it doesn't pretend to be anything it's not.