The Cutters Inn has been a constant in the Ely food scene for years. Scenically located along the Great Ouse river, it’s usually one of the first places locals recommend when someone visits the city. It’s great for a pint with your mates and a meal out with the family, making it a versatile choice for all occasions. Where many places along the river have come and gone, The Cutter Inn has forever held steady, providing good quality and accessible pub grub for years.
Their beer selection is good, with even their generic beers being a slight step up from the usual Carling and Fosters you may expect from other pubs, with offerings of Madri and Staropramen.
Better yet, their offerings of locally produced craft beer, such as Juice Rocket by Three Blind Mice and ale by Milton Brewery, give the pub a chance to complete against places like 3@3 and Drayman’s Son. After all, offering a nice view of the river means nothing if you have to choke down crap lager with it. Luckily the team at The Cutter Inn have you covered. Read more about this in detail here.
My photos do not do The Cutters Inn justice but the pub is well presented and decorated in a very traditional manner. There are a lot of clocks on the wall which all tell different times (🤷♂️) along with rowing gear to add that river side charm.
As expected, the views from the pub are incredible. There is a reason why The Cutter Inn is one of the most popular places in the city, as it is able to show off the beauty of the fens. It feels like a slice of English paradise with rowers and boats pushing past and the trains running in the background over the railway line. It’s more than just picturesque…It’s wholesome!
The menu is fairly generic, which is not necessarily a bad thing. After all, it’s all about the execution. A lot of these pub dishes are widely available exactly because it is comfort food that people universally agree is delicious. Expect your fish and chips, burgers, gammon, steak, and roast dinners. Etc. The menu also changes seasonally to make sure ingredients are fresh.
Prices are towards the mid range. Don’t expect a cheap and cheerful pub meal but something which is reassuringly expensive, so you know you are getting a quality meal where you would not be afraid to take a relative or peer without embarrassing yourself. For example, my fish and chips come to approximately £19.
Speaking of my fish and chips, I was thoroughly impressed with my beer battered cod. The fish was huge and very meaty with no noticeable bones. The chip portions were fair along with a side of pea puree and tartar sauce which really complimented the dish. It would have been nice to have peas instead of puree but I think I am just being picky.
£19 for fish and chips may feel expensive but I was pleased with the quality. Keeping in mind that Rumbles is now charging nearly a tenner for a cod takeaway (without chips), the value starts to speak for itself, Especially when considering the mark up of eating by a riverside pub.
My wife had the chicken burger which looked absolutely fantastic. Unfortunately, she felt it was a little flat, especially since it was accompanied by a “very sad piece of lettuce” that left the burger quite bland. The cabbage was very well received, as were the chips. Speaking to her after that meal, she felt that the chicken meat was good quality but it lacked any relish, tomato, so felt very dry.
The dessert came under a 2 for £12 deal. I went for the strawberry cheese cake which was excellent. I think I might have got the last slice as a part of it was missing from the bottom but it was delicious none the less. My wife had the sticky toffee pudding which was painfully sweet. Personally, the sweeter the better but she felt like it might have been too sweet.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. It was great to see a wide selection of local beers and a well executed beer battered cod. It was a shame to see the chicken burger let the side down but I feel this could be something easily remedied with some sauce and greens.
There is no doubt that I will be back again, especially with summer now coming. I look forward to seeing what beers are on rotation after the beer festival.
Thanks for reading!
The Cambridge Foodies 