I had the pleasure of celebrating the birthday of an old friend this evening, so we decided to pop in for a well over due visit to the Histon Smokehouse.
Located across the road from the green in Histon, this used to be the very popular Chinese restaurant, The Pheonix. Since its closure, i’ve had The Histon Smokehouse on my radar for a while but for one reason or another it’s always managed to escape me, so I was really excited to finally visit!
The village can be hard for parking but luckily the restaurant comes with half a dozen spaces around the back. This makes it very accessible for people coming from outside the village.
Leaving the car we noticed a lovely beer garden around the back, so we didn’t need to enter the restaurant itself. The sun was out and it was lovely and warm – what better way to spend an evening?
After grabbing a seat we were promptly greeted by the staff and given a menu. Having a look we noticed a selection of different types of food all fitted around the barbeque theme. Ribs, steak, sausages, and chicken. There were also vegetarian and vegan options, as well as salmon.
Prices seemed to be reasonable. As we were driving we decided not to drink, so we didn’t get to see the beer prices…but these days I’m often too afraid to ask. 🙈 Walking through the bar briefly I noticed Estrella on tap which is a crisp smooth beer good for summer drinking.
We ordered some Loaded Fries (to share) which came to £8. These are chips loaded with smoked meat chunks, spicy beans, and cheese. The portion was just about enough to share between three people and were bloody lovely. The smoked meat made the dish really pop!
Upon ordering a main you are allowed to pick one sauce and two sides from the menu. All the mains come with a side of coleslaw and a pickle as standard.
It was also reassuring to know that Histon Smokehouse proudly boasts that its ingredients are locally sourced by local suppliers.
My friend ordered the 6oz Flat Iron steak which came to £21. This was ordered medium rare which he said was mostly honoured. He thoroughly enjoyed his steak overall and would recommend it.
I ordered the Korean BBQ ribs which were well presented on a plate with Histon Beans (Spicy beans) and corn on the cob.
The ribs were quite tough on the outside but became more tender towards the middle. I was expecting slightly more for my money here if I’m honest, though I suppose inflation is chipping away at the sides at the moment?
The corn on the cob was incredibly juicy and succulent. It appears to be boiled rather than grilled but was absolutely delicious. I think I prefer it this way!
I love the decorating at the Histon Smokehouse. They have some really imaginative ways of expressing themselves. I was particularly fond of the plant pot made of jeans 😂
It’s worth noting that they have a 30 seat function room available upstairs. They also have stalls available in the back of the garden which are available for hire. This gives Histon Smokehouse great flexibility to host events or projects.
For more information on Histon Smokehouse make sure you check out their website.
Don’t forget to check out what the rest of The Cambridge Foodies have to say about Histon Smoke House…
Got a cheeky table last night at Histon Smokehouse (thank you football!) and what a cracking little place!
Summary:
Service: 10/10
Food: 8.5/10
Atmosphere: 8/10
Value: 9/10
Best service we’ve had in a while anywhere, quick to deliver, great with my coeliac requirements (their staff were knowledgable and reassuring) and friendly!
Food was banging. Great quality meat and delicious sauces. Portion sizes were good – a touch on the larger side for me! What would have made it a 10? Chips were slightly undercooked and not seasoned enough, and ribs were slightly too cripsy on the edges (hardly something to moan about!). Dessert lush sticky toffee pudding (delicious but not GF) and I had a choc orange Jaffa stack – really flavoursome and good textures there!
Feels like a really nice local vibe (has market stalls), looks like they’re just branched out into brunch too. And above all for me, another coeliac GF-friendly local place! – Leanne. Ehren
We were greeted by an amazing host and as we were first in the restaurant, had a choice of tables.
The service was quick, friendly. Took time to chat and go through the menu.
2 adults English breakfasts and one kids. Bottomless tea, coffee and an apple juice.
On the background, just so it can be heard was playing Bill Withers live from Carnegie Hall. Maybe not to everyone’s taste but I thought it was rather nice.
Food was quick. Bacon was perfect, sausages were amazing and the eggs cooked to perfection.
There was nothing on the plate that was not right and the beans served in a little mug rather a nice touch. £23 for the three of us, would have paid more.
Definitely returning – Sava Tihov
Thanks for reading! 👍
The Cambridge Foodies 