Lemon Tree Deli Cafe 🍋 – Ely

It has been a long time coming but I finally managed to visit ‘Lemon Tree Deli Cafe ‘on the Ely square. I am amazed it has taken me this long to visit (as I walk past at least once a week) but for one reason or another it manages to escape me.

Advert – Lalbagh Indian restaurant, Bourn.

This is mostly because it is always busy, which is only a sign of its popularity but it only makes me want to visit even more. It was a quiet Wednesday afternoon and they had extra seating set up outside as the weather was nice – so now was my time to strike!

The place is very much what you would expect from a cafe/deli. There is a good selection of cakes, cookies, and scones, as well as savory items such as sausage rolls, sandwiches, paninis, and pastries. There is also tea and coffee available.

I also noticed bottled beers in the fridge, ranging from Birra Moretti and Peroni, to Saxby’s cider and Wildwood spiced ales. The fridge also contained some nice looking cheeses from Suffolk, Somerset and Cornwall.

The cafe is small but it has a lot of character and they really make it their own. There are decorations all over the place, including bunting.

I had my newborn baby with me so we had a tank of a buggy with us and a load of bags, so it was great to be able to sit outside where we didn’t need to worry about space (like a lot of other cafes in the city).

There is a selection of different types of balsamic vinegar and olive oil available. The ‘fig and date vinegar’ and the ‘garlic olive oil’ particularly caught my fancy.

The cake selection isn’t huge but there were several things which stood out. Prices for cakes hovered around the £3 mark and cookies £2. The staff were friendly, chatty, and prompt.

We decided to try the ‘coffee and walnut cake’. This was a very nice take on it, which my wife and I both enjoyed sharing.

The flat white coffee is very nice and balanced too. There was no bitterness and the portions were generous. Probably one of my favourite coffees in Ely, actually.

We also grabbed a ‘blueberry cake with lemon frosting’. This was delicious in its own right but what made it stand out was the blueberries on top. They were fantastically juicy and very flavourful. I would love to know where they sourced them from.

It was a short and sweet visit but overall I thought that the Lemon Tree Deli Cafe is a great place to sit on the Ely market square and watch the world go by. It is very suitable for a baby in a buggy, as you do not have to worry about space while sitting outside. The service is excellent and the prices were fair. I can see why Lemon Tree Deli Cafe is popular, as I can see myself grabbing a beer and sitting out in the sun over the summer. I have a feeling that there is a lot more to this cafe and I look forward to exploring it more again in the future when I have more time. Ely really is a great place for cafes.

Thanks for reading.

  • The Bamboo: A Little Slice of Japan on Chesterton Road

    The Bamboo: A Little Slice of Japan on Chesterton Road
  • Between Buns – A burger joint that also does a killer roast dinner! – Royston

    Between Buns – A burger joint that also does a killer roast dinner! – Royston
  • King Street is a great place to eat

    King Street is a great place to eat
  • 13 Weeks – Nigerian food on King Street

    13 Weeks – Nigerian food on King Street
  • Le Spice, Ely – Consistent quality.

    Le Spice, Ely – Consistent quality.
  • Big Grill Mediterranean opens on Mill Road

    Big Grill Mediterranean opens on Mill Road
  • Exploring Cambridge Food & Drink Week (9th-17th May)

    Exploring Cambridge Food & Drink Week (9th-17th May)
  • My Experience @ Ely Eel Festival 2026

    My Experience @ Ely Eel Festival 2026
  • Xiao Spots: Hong Kong Fusion, St John’s Street

    Xiao Spots: Hong Kong Fusion, St John’s Street
  • Pizza maths: Why Pizza Size is Deceptively Exponential (The Pizza Company, Cambridge)

    Pizza maths: Why Pizza Size is Deceptively Exponential (The Pizza Company, Cambridge)
  • A Second chance: We’re Back in the Finals!

    A Second chance: We’re Back in the Finals!
  • Grill Plug Food Van on Cherry Hinton Road

    Grill Plug Food Van on Cherry Hinton Road
  • JWD Hand Pulled Noodle Bar comes to Cambridge

    JWD Hand Pulled Noodle Bar comes to Cambridge
  • Limora, Ely’s brand new restaurant!

    Limora, Ely’s brand new restaurant!
  • Restaurant 22: The Very Essence of Cambridge

    Restaurant 22: The Very Essence of Cambridge
  • Taj Tandoori – Pan-Asian fusion in Cambridge

    Taj Tandoori – Pan-Asian fusion in Cambridge
  • Borshch Time: A Taste of Ukraine in the Heart of Cambridge 🇺🇦

    Borshch Time: A Taste of Ukraine in the Heart of Cambridge 🇺🇦
  • ​A long-awaited return to the Shilpa Indian Restaurant, Papworth Everard

    ​A long-awaited return to the Shilpa Indian Restaurant, Papworth Everard

Discover more from The Cambridge Foodies

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading