Finding a restaurant that satisfies the whole family can feel like a bit of a nightmare – especially when teenagers are involved. They have officially outgrown the colouring sheets and happy meals, but they still want somewhere fun, high-energy, and packed with food they actually want to eat.
Fortunately, the Cambridgeshire food scene has stepped up its game. From interactive tableside cooking and vibrant street food hubs to hidden rooms and retro arcade games, the county is packed with fantastic independent gems and standout spots that make eating out an absolute blast for older kids.
Whether you are celebrating a birthday, rewarding exam results, or just trying to get them away from a screen for an hour, here are the absolute best places to take teenagers for a meal in Cambridgeshire.
The Tivoli (Chesterton Road)
Huge 14-inch pizzas, excellent smash burgers, and an indoor mini-golf course – honestly, what more could you possibly want? Located on Chesterton Road, this vibrant, multi-floor spot is perfect for a lively family meal. It is packed with character, boasts an incredible rooftop terrace with brilliant views looking right over Jesus Green and the River Cam, and serves up fantastic, crowd-pleasing street food that hits the spot for both kids and parents.
For: All ages
Make sure you try: Their 14″ sharing pizzas
Kibou (Jesus Lane)
KIBOU offers a colourful, stylish, and high-energy dining experience with a huge menu covering all sorts of fun and exciting Japanese dishes – from bao buns and dumplings to fresh sushi and classic katsu curry. It is a visually stunning spot packed with eye-catching murals and digital animations, making it a truly unique environment that teenagers will love. The menu has plenty of crowd-pleasers alongside more adventurous options, meaning there is something to satisfy everyone at the table.
For: Teenagers
Make sure you try: Spicy tuna uramaki
Yori Korean BBQ (Green Street)
You can entertain your teenagers and teach them a few cooking skills at the same time by taking them to Yori. This popular Korean barbecue spot features a built-in grill right at the centre of each table, where you are given a great selection of different meats and vegetables to cook yourself as you go. It is a brilliant, interactive way to have some fun, get stuck into some messy food, and really bond over a meal.
Make sure you try: The Yori Selection
For: Teenagers
Pizza Pilgrims (Sydney Street)
Pizza Pilgrims offers a fun and colourful dining experience with fantastic Neapolitan pizza right in the centre of town. With its vibrant, playful Italian decor and incredibly enthusiastic staff, the restaurant has a great energy that makes it ideal for birthday parties and casual social gatherings between friends. The menu is packed with crowd-pleasing options, and the big, puffy pizza crusts are practically made for sharing alongside their excellent side dishes.
Make sure you try: smoked mozzarella bites.
For: All ages
Ranya Grill (Chesterton Road)
Ranya Grill is a spot I would not have normally thought about, but it has been a resounding success with the teenagers I have brought along. Beyond serving first-rate Middle Eastern cuisine, the restaurant features hidden rooms at the back with traditional sit-down seating. These areas offer a touch of cultural immersion, providing a fantastic, relaxed vibe and a nice sense of privacy for your meal.
Their menu is impressive, and I highly recommend their milkshakes, which certainly pack a serious punch. Just a quick tip for your visit: make sure everyone is wearing clean socks, as there is a strict no-shoes policy in the traditional seating area!
For: Teenagers
Make sure you try: their indoor swing 🤣
Mina Steakhouse (Brook gate, by the train station)
Mina Steakhouse sure knows how to put on a show. Their huge menu offers everything you could want, from top-tier steaks and massive burgers to a vibrant selection of mocktails. It is a brilliant experiential restaurant that is perfect for a celebration, giving off a lively, contemporary energy that teenagers absolutely love. You can expect plenty of theatrical tableside presentation, from dry ice smoke displays to candyfloss fire bubbles and sparklers, which always adds a great bit of excitement to the evening.
Make sure you try: Billionaires Boy Burger OG – a burger wrapped in gold!
For: Teenagers
Butch Annie’s (Market Street)
Located right in the depths of a basement in central Cambridge, Butch Annie’s offers some of the best burgers and grass-fed steaks in the city. The vibrant underground space features a fantastic, relaxed vibe with urban graffiti-style décor on the walls. They focus entirely on simple, high-quality ingredients, sourcing all of their exceptional beef from a single small farm in the Midlands.
Make sure you try: The burgers…obviously
For: Teenagers
Further afield…
Herbie’s American Diner (A14, Swavesy)
As the only authentic American diner experience in Cambridgeshire, Herbies Diner is a fantastic step back in time. Located just off the A1307 at Swavesey, this family-run spot hits all the right notes for a fun family meal, serving up massive dirty burgers, hot dogs, and an incredible selection of thick milkshakes in flavours like Oreo and Reese’s. The inside is packed with retro Americana charm, complete with cozy booth seating and retro arcade games that will keep the kids thoroughly entertained while they wait for their food.
Make sure you try: Their wide range of American style milkshakes.
For: All ages
Chaii Hub (St Neots)
Chaii Hub in St Neots is a fantastic spot for families, offering a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere that is perfect for both children and parents. The cafe is especially great for kids because it features a dedicated toddler play area where little ones can safely enjoy themselves while the parents catch up over a cup of chaii. For slightly older kids (or over growth man-children like myself) there is a separate gaming room equipped with retro arcade machines, board games, and a tabletop football table, providing a fun environment to hang out together.
For: All ages
Wildwood (Ely)
I have long been on record about Wildwood in Ely being a fantastic choice for parents and kids alike. A standout feature for families is their brilliant dedicated playroom, complete with a tabletop football game and a ball pit, which keeps the kids thoroughly entertained and gives parents a rare chance to dine in peace. The restaurant offers competitive prices alongside an excellent value children’s menu, yet the venue itself remains stylish enough to completely pull off a date night. It perfectly balances the great value of a chain restaurant while maintaining a modern, welcoming atmosphere that makes you feel like you are out as fully functioning adults.
For: Children & parents wanting 5 minutes peace
Make sure you try: their artisan pizzas
Johnson’s Of Old Hurst (Old Hurst)
Johnson’s of Old Hurst is not only home to some of the best steaks in Cambridgeshire, but it is also an entire family day out. You can head over to look at the lions, wander through the woodland walk, and carefully tread through the crocodile farm before ending the day with a fantastic meal at their steakhouse. Afterwards, make sure to head through their farm shop – which is one of the largest butcheries in the UK – to pick up some exotic meat like crocodile or wild boar to take home.
For: All ages
Make sure you try: Their rump steak
The Yard (Ely)
The Yard is a fantastic, vibrant space filled with repurposed shipping containers that house everything from independent food joints and cocktail bars to top-tier speciality coffee shops. A brilliant, small indoor play area is perfect for keeping younger children entertained, while the general quirkiness of the venue itself makes it a genuinely interesting spot to explore. It has a great, relaxed energy that is engaging enough to hold the attention of even the most phone-obsessed teenager with a short attention span and the entire venue is self contained.
For: All ages
Goodluck!
Feeding teenagers doesn’t have to mean compromising on quality or settling for dull, uninspired menus. Whether you are letting them take the reins at a Korean barbecue grill, treating them to a spectacular theatrical dining experience, or pairing a great burger with a round of mini-golf, these spots prove that eating out can be genuinely exciting for everyone at the table.
Every single one of these locations brings something completely unique to the county, offering a brilliant atmosphere alongside top-notch food. So, skip the standard drive-thru, grab the family, and head out to support some of these incredible local venues.
Do you have a favourite spot to take your teenagers that didn’t make the list? Drop your recommendations in The Cambridge Foodies!
You must be logged in to post a comment.