La Raza has been a consistent fixture in Cambridge for as long as I can remember. It brings back many fond memories of live jazz events during my early twenties. But on this bright Tuesday evening, it was their commonly lauded tapas that drew me back. Hoping to enjoy the sunshine, I made my way over to see if their outdoor seating was still available.

Al Fresco Dining

While Cambridge boasts some lovely pub gardens, genuine al fresco street dining is surprisingly scarce. We haven’t quite adopted that European flair for spilling out onto bustling streets, creating those wonderful city break vibes with people enjoying food and wine. It makes you wonder why, especially since Cambridge is one of the big European tourist cities which enjoys some of the driest and warmest weather in the country.

La Raza’s long stretch of outdoor seating sprawls down the beautiful historic street of Rose Cresent. Located just off the Cambridge Market and only a couple of steps away from Kings College, it is the perfect location for visitors and tourists. One of the most appealing things about its location is that it is quiet, tranquil, with very little foot traffic for central Cambridge, giving you the best of both worlds. One minor niggle is that the alleyway is surrounded by very tall buildings on each side, creating more shade than I would like for an al fresco setup.

Wine

I opted for their house wine, a fruity Spanish red called ‘El Zafiro, Extremadura’. It was a light and fun Shiraz that is accessible enough to go with absolutely anything, even fish.

A medium glass was £6.80, with a bottle setting you back £28, but with the Tuesday tapas meal deal a glass of wine or beer is reduced to a mere £2.50 – making it impossible to resist!

Here is to mid-week drinking! This really is the holiday experience! ☀️🤣

The Tapas Tuesday Deal

There are two deals available.

2 Tapas Dishes, 1 side, and a soft drink for £17.50 or you can add an extra £2.50 for a glass of wine or beer on top. Any other platters ordered on top also gets an additional 25% discount.

With their individual tapas dishes coming to between £7-8 and their sides between £5-8, this proves to be a significant saving.

Serrano Ham Salad (gf)

The Serrano ham salad was served with blue cheese, tomato, and red onions.

The ham was absolutely beautiful. It is dried and cut paper-thin, adding a crispy texture that compliments the salty pork flavour. The blue cheese took this dish to the next level by giving each bite a pungent taste with a contrasting creaminess.

Utterly superb!

Meatballs (gf)

The stand out dish this evening was undeniably the beef and pork meatballs. I was genuinely surprised by their size, with each meatball resembling something only slightly smaller than a tennis ball.

Both meatballs were generously coated in a vibrant tomato sauce which was invigorated further by a thick creamy sauce mixed in with it. The blend of beef and pork together created a captivating depth of flavour, with the beef providing an intensely meaty foundation while the pork contributed a delicate sweetness and a rich porky taste.

I loved the fact you had the option to order the meatballs mild or spicy, naturally, I asked for them EXTRA spicy. This added a real satisfying kick and a bit of excitement to the meal.

These might just be my new favourite meatballs in Cambridge!

Anchovies on Toast

From their seafood selection, I ordered white anchovies on toast. This salty fish was generously covered on a slice of (what I think was) fried bread. The salsa was also scattered liberally, adding a refreshing taste. I ordered this dish out of curiosity. I have never tried it before and I was not sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend giving it a go for anyone looking for something a little different.

Conclusion

Cambridge’s tapas scene might be relatively small but I’ve been consistently impressed by the quality of the restaurants I have visited. La Raza, in particular, is now a firm favourite, especially when factoring in their excellent Tuesday Tapas promotion. I was pleasantly surprised by the generous portion sizes and the quality of each dish was evident. Despite the al fresco area not being a sun-drenched haven, the dining experience outdoors was still enjoyable and surprisingly peaceful given its central Cambridge location.

There’s no doubt but I’ll be back!

Thanks for reading.