Nestled within a beautiful historic townhouse in the heart of Cambridge, Mercado Central offers a contemporary take on Spanish cuisine, with a selection of seafood, tapas, and steaks.

Cambridge has a diverse and exciting culinary landscape but Spanish restaurants can be hard to find. Mercado Central stands proud as a bastion of Spanish cuisine with a cult-like following with locals and tourists alike. In fact, it is one of the few restaurants in the city I have yet to hear a bad word about in the Cambridge Foodies community. 

The restaurant

The restaurant has a casual contemporary style with a minimalist layout. It is the sort of place that can pull off a casual meal or provide a formal occasion, making it a versatile place. There is an open plan kitchen in the entrance which offers reassurance, as well as an energetic atmosphere.

The views of Green Street from our table are stunning. It is one of my favourite streets in Cambridge and being able to watch the world go by from my seat really heightened my dining experience. If you are looking to book a table then I recommend requesting a window seat.

The menu

The menu is concise with a dominant focus on fish and seafood. There is also a specials board on the wall with a selection of grass fed beef steaks. I was delighted to see one of my favourite cuts of beef (rib eye steak) on the menu. I immediately knew from that moment what I was ordering 🤣

Scallops

Jamon Iberico, Jerusalem Artichoke, aged Sherry Vinegar

My guest opted for the scallops which were beautifully presented as a trio, with a thin layer of cured pork on top, known as Jamon Iberico. Normally, scallops are the sort of thing you are encouraged to eat down in one go but these bad boys were far too big for that. The ham really gave the scallops an exciting porky pop of flavour while the scallops themselves were absolutely beautiful. In fact, I cannot remember a time when I have had better…

Prawns

Gambas al Ajillo

Prawns are a good bench mark when comparing restaurants and no Spanish meal is complete without some Gambas al Ajillo on the table, so for me, this choice was a no-brainer!

The dish came with four large and very meaty prawns that were absolutely swimming in a butter sauce. How many times have you been met with a measly drizzle of butter, oil, or sauce with prawns? There is none of that here!

Garlic was applied liberally on top but this didn’t result in an overpowering flavour. The prawns themselves were absolutely divine with a soft texture and a fresh taste, clearly credited to Mecado Central’s passion with sourcing.

The wine

Percia Mi Villa Tinto, Rioja

Spanish reds are my favourite, so I couldn’t resist the urge to see what the wine menu had to offer. A rioja caught my eye called Percia Mi Villa Tinto.

It is described as…

“The unique 24-hour carbonic maceration of this wine allows for the preservation of the bright fresh fruit aromas and beautifully balanced acidity.”

It was a lovely deep wine with a good body. I have smooth flavour notes of blackcurrant that compliment even the likes of seafood.

Mains

Rib eye steak

Rib Eye Steak with Patatas, Mojo Rojo & Marrow Butter

The rib eye steak was served with a dollop of marrow butter on top and some mojo rojo sauce on the side. A garnish of salad and patata potatoes were also included on the side. I must admit, the dish looked like a work of art and the steak was cooked exactly as requested (medium rare).

The mojo rojo is a puree sauce made with red pepper and gives off a smokey and slightly spicy flavour. It complimented the patata potatoes perfectly and added a vibrant colour to the plate. The patatas themselves were unfortunately a very small portion and much softer than I prefer. An extra couple of potatoes would have made this dish more balanced but as they were, weren’t enough to meet the size of the steak.

The rib eye steak itself was a lovely cut and not scared to be a little fatty, adding great flavour. It was also charged by steak rather than weight, so you don’t need to worry about losing meat to the weight of the fat. It was my first time trying marrow butter but I think it may be my new favourite steak condiment. It had an incredibly rich flavour with a smooth texture that made it a dream to spread across the steak. It was incredible!

Monkfish

Wild Cornish Monkfish Jamon Iberico, Beluga Lentils, Celeriac

The monk fish jumped right off the menu and onto our table from the moment we saw it. It is one of my favourite fishes and not something I see often enough. It arrived garnished with jamon iberico with lentils and a celeriac sauce.

The fish was beautifully cooked with a succulent texture and light delicate flavour that was an absolute joy to eat. It was also thick and meaty, with hardly any fiddly bones to tend with. As with every dish this evening, the sauces were generous and the lentils plentiful, leaving no anxiety about making do throughout the meal. The lentils added a delicate earthy flavour that worked well with the fish.

Salad

I ordered a green salad for a side. For £5, I thought it was a good size and looked (and tasted) so fresh. It was covered in a lovely vinaigrette with a zesty punch.

3 Spanish Cheeses

We ended the evening with a selection of 3 Spanish cheeses.

🐑 – Manchego Rosemary Cured Cheese

🐐 – Ibores Paprika Semi Cured Goats Cheese

🐄 – Mahon Cow Cheese

Interestingly, each cheese came from a different animal. All were a type of hard cheese with a light and delicate flavour. The differences were subtle but enough to spark conversation. The general consensus was that the Manchego Rosemary cheese was the favourite but there wasn’t much between them.

The Spanish restaurant of Cambridge

Mercado Central offers a vibrant and sophisticated Spanish dining experience, with a creative menu filled with authentic Spanish dishes using British sourced ingredients.
The service is fantastic and highly attentive throughout, with dishes coming out promptly, served with more than just a garnish but also a warm friendly smile.

The food quality is superb, with fresh, seasonal ingredients that are beautifully presented in colourful and vibrant displays of art. This was emphasised further by ingredients that are carefully picked to offer a refined balance of flavours that work in perfect harmony. Quite frankly, we both left Mecado Central scratching our heads trying to think of a single criticism of our dining experience.

Mercado Central is by no means a cheap restaurant with a more mid-ranged price point, making it better suited for special occasions. But I personally feel the money we paid was worth every penny, with it being a “paying for quality” situation. If you are lucky enough to be able to afford to eat here more frequently then the interior doubles up as a casual dining experience too with no sign of elitism or pretentiousness.

Mercado Central is going straight into my list of Best Restaurants In Cambridge.

Bloody brilliant!