[Invite] – click here

There are many quality restaurants in Newmarket but I rarely get to venture out this way. This has meant that most of the town has been left unexplored on the Cambridge Foodies blog. I was delighted to be invited by the good people at The Pantry to explore their menu and learn a little bit more about what this town has to offer.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from The Pantry before I visited but I quickly learned that it serves modern British and classic cuisine, making this a versatile restaurant and a real crowd pleaser.

The restaurant

The Pantry has a traditional rustic charm, that mostly comes from the wooden tables, chairs, and floors. This is further complimented by a lovely looking bar around the back, with a wide selection of spirits on display (making it a great place for drinks as well as a meal).

The interior gives off a comfortable and relaxed vibe, with a flurry of style, making it balanced enough for any occasion, smart or casual. It has a lovely mellow atmosphere with dim lighting (making photos and videos a nightmare 🤣).

The restaurant is in The Guineas shopping centre, so it’s technically under a roof but there was outdoor seating too. As you can see from the photos above, you can sit outdoors while still having a cover over your head. This makes it a suitable place to eat or drink outside during the spring and autumn, when it might be a little too cold at other places. This is a good thing to keep in mind if you’re an outdoors person.

The pork belly

We were served by a delightful waitress who  knew the menu inside and out. We decided to put our trust in her and let her pick the dishes. She was particularly passionate about the pork belly, that she claimed to be the best thing on the menu. 

After tasting it, we both had to agree with her. It was not only the best dish of the night but it may very well have been the best pork belly I can remember. The fat was beautifully rendered, with the pork being soft and crispy. There was a sweetness to the glaze that I couldn’t quite put my finger on but signed off the flavour perfectly. It was delicious!

Chicken teriyaki

The chicken teriyaki was well presented with a grilled lime and a garnish of coriander. The chicken wings were soft, tender, and a good size but I found the flavour to be a little anemic.

Scallops

The scallops were absolutely beautiful. Just like with the chicken teriyaki, the dish was served in a variety of colours, making it an attractive display that fits in with the style of the restaurant.

The scallops were served in a leak and pancetta cream sauce, giving it a mild oniony flavour, with an exciting porky pop. The pancetta is a type of cured pork belly but isn’t smoked like bacon, giving it a lighter and less salty taste, which worked with the creaminess of the sauce in a balanced and delicate way, rather than dominating it.

The scallops were soft and slowly melted in my mouth but they still had enough give to remind you that you had something substantial in your mouth. Their light and clean flavour worked beautifully with the cream sauce.

Smash Burger

I simply had to try their double smash burger. This big and juicy monster pulled off the trick of being a smash burger and a classic beef burger at the same time. The patties were almost too thick to be a smash burger but were cooked like one, making a thick juicy burger with a satisfying crispy skin. This really did it for me and was brought to life by their bacon jam, which added a lovely sweetness.

The brioche bun was not only soft and gentle but heroic and strong enough to hold everything together with very little trouble. So many burgers fall flat on the integrity test but the smash burger at The Pantry passed it with flying colours  Their American cheese added a gooey texture that brought everything together into a well round and complete burger that ticked all the right boxes.

Whole roasted flounder

From the moment I saw the flounder on the menu I was intrigued. I have been really enjoying my fish lately and this is one I haven’t tried before, so I was excited to give it a go. The fish is roasted whole and served with boiled new potatoes and tiny shrimp, with a serving of butter.

Unsurprisingly, this bottom feeder fish was light and delicate, resulting in a subtle flavour, made for the more refined palettes (in other words, completely wasted on the likes of me 🤣). As the flounder is served whole, it comes with all its bones, making it fiddly to eat. I ordered this dish with an open mind and a certain level of intrigue but it wasn’t for me. With that said, I know there are people out there that will appreciate this and I cannot argue that it was well cooked. The Pantry deserves credit for serving something a little different.

Broccoli and green beans

We ordered a side of broccoli and runner beans which came served salted and peppered. I got hints of sage(?) that worked quite nicely. The green beans and broccoli were both fresh and crunchy, that proved to be a versatile dish that accompanied everything it came with.

Cheese board

I don’t usually enjoy ordering a cheese board at restaurants because I am frequently left disappointed. More often than not, the portions are measly and the cheese is too hard, with overly fancy crackers that are more focused more on presentation rather than tastes. However, with The Pantry being a deli, I decided to give it a try…and I am so glad I did.

The board comes with stilton, brie, and what I think was this smoked applewood(?).

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the cheese board was one of the strongest I have had at a restaurant. A particular star of the show was the brie, which is one of the stickiest I have ever had. It spread across the crackers beautifully and had a tangy flavour that really impressed us both. 

It was gorgeous!

The stilton was also a strong contender, offering a punchy flavour and a soft creamy texture. The smoked apple wood was perfectly fine, but it didn’t particularly stand out.

The crackers were very nice, though I felt that considering the size of the cheese portions (which were quite generous for a restaurant cheese board) weren’t quite enough, so we were left over with extra cheese. I think an extra few crackers would have been appreciated here and perhaps a different type of cracker to work with the variety of cheeses on the board.

A stylish restaurant for all occasions

I am really struggling to think of a situation where The Pantry wouldn’t be a great choice. The cause of the balance of being casual yet stylish, with a menu that has a little something for everyone, including dishes that are a little unusual, while still be reasonably familiar.

Personal highlights for me were the pork belly, cheese board, and the smashburger. The staff team were enthusiastic and frankly excellent all round. Not only would I recommend The Pantry to Newmarket locals but all people from across the area and throughout Cambridgeshire.

Thanks for reading.