Another feather has been added to the culinary cap of St Ives booming foodie scene, with the opening of Whisky Cafe on Market Hill. The restaurant offers modern takes on classics dishes, all served in contemporary surroundings, making this an exciting place to visit for locals and visitors alike.

A place for grownups

The Whisky Cafe has a 13+ age policy. This may divide opinions but it transforms the restaurant into a welcome retreat for adult guests seeking a peaceful escape and a sophisticated experience.

The Whisky Cafe immediately impressed me with its stunning bar as I entered. This was compounded by the wooden staircase that added a warm character and historic charm to the venue. Light rained in from the south facing windows, adding a serene atmosphere to the more contemporary dining area, making it ideal for a meeting between friends or for special occasions.

The Whisky

The bar has a welcoming warmth that was enticing me to take a seat and indulge in a cheeky drink or two. I can genuinely imagine myself propped up against it, putting the world to rights with a few friends for an evening.

True to its name, the establishment boasts an impressive array of spirits, with an emphasis on whisky. This places the Whisky Cafe as a prime destination in town for those who appreciate the finer things in life.

As an avid whisky drinker myself, I was keen to study their selection (click here). It is an impressive range, offering not only whisky from the heavy hitting countries like Scotland, Ireland, and Japan but also drams from across the world, such as Taiwan, Denmark and England. Despite this, the menu was quite rightly predominantly Scottish and was divided up into different regions of Scotland, from the popular Speyside and Highland regions, to more niche tastes like the Lowland.

I was pleased to see one of my favourites, The Balvenie Caribbean Cask on the menu, but for £20 for a double, I was slightly taken aback. Maybe I am slightly out of touch with the cost of everything these days but you can buy an entire bottle of this for £65. Despite this, I can perhaps still envision it being a quality but expensive after dinner night cap but my initial thoughts of the Whisky Cafe being a sanctuary for people who enjoy an intimate evening of drinking the finer things in life quickly evaporated.

The Menu

The menu was divided up into small and large plates, giving you the chance to do the tapas thing or dine in the more traditional sense. It isn’t a huge menu but there is everything you could want from fish, steak, and vegetarian dishes.

Though the menu has a British leaning, there are a few select dishes that take influence from other parts of the world to keep things fresh and interesting. Prices hover around the mid-ranged territory, giving me a reassuring expectation of quality to match the bar. There are also bargains to be had, with their lunch menu deal, offering a starter, mains, and dessert for about £20.

Chicken Skewers & Fries

My wife ordered the Gochujang chicken skewers from the small plate part of the menu. These were made with chicken thigh and were garnished with spring onion and toasted sesame. This Korean take added a light red colour with a spicy kick. The chicken was surprisingly tender for chicken thighs and plenty meaty.

The house fries were absolutely beautiful and one of the highlights of my visit. Served as a modest portion, the thin-cut chips were perfectly cooked, adding an incredibly crispy texture on the bite. The paprika salt gave it a spicy flavour and rich orange colouring that brought it all together nicely. The fries came presented with jalapeno mayonnaise that doubled up the spiciness in a refreshing way that didn’t feel overpowering.

Jerk Brick Chicken

One dish that I couldn’t resist on the menu was the Jerk Brick Chicken. Jamaican food is not commonly found in Cambridgeshire, so it is always worth trying when the opportunity arises.

It is a vibrant dish of visual beauty, with two large chicken chunks swimming in a bright orange pool of pineapple Habanero sauce. The charred corn added yellow pops giving the dish an attractive autumn theme colour.

The chicken was juicy and had a lovely charcoaled skin that really added flavour. The pineapple really brought the habanero sauce to life with sweet flavours that invigorated the senses! The entire dish was absolutely superb!

Crushed Potatoes

I wasn’t sure what to make of the crushed potatoes but they arrived exactly as I had envisioned in my head. It was a novel idea that felt fun and a little different. They appeared baked and squashed in a way that still managed to hold onto their structural integrity. A small pot of mole verde was put on the side, adding a nutty flavours sauce and a bit of much needed colour. Overall, it was a nice dish that served its purpose.

Sautéed Greens

The sautéed greens are a simple and straight forward dish that was executed brilliantly. It is just a mix of kale, spinach, and broccoli that has been cooked in a pan with some oil. The nut garnish added a crunchy texture and made it an exciting addition to any dish it accompanied. I highly recommend giving this one a go.

As we were visiting for lunch, we skipped desserts and asked for the bill. The staff were fantastic from start to finish. I noticed an attractive outdoor seating area that was inviting me to revisit during the summer time.

A refined experience

While the Whisky Cafe’s motto might be “celebrating the untraditional dining experience” the comforting familiarity of the experience made it the complete opposite. This isn’t a criticism but a genuine compliment, as it is the kind of traditional bar-restaurant every town deserves: a sanctuary of quality spirits set within an atmosphere that feels like a blissful escape from the everyday. Their crowd-pleasing menu, executed with an exciting edge, only solidifies its appeal.

I look forward to returning!