I have walked past Hanami on Burleigh Street a thousand times and never visited, so today I finally decided to take the plunge as part of my Xiao Spots series. Despite occupying a fairly large building, this Japanese restaurant manages to blend completely into the background with its minimalist white exterior and signage. I have already had several people tell me that they walk past frequently or literally work across the street and have always thought it was closed down, making this quite literally a hidden gem.

Their main dish is the poké bowl, which you can customise from scratch to have any way you like. Now, we all know poké bowls are originally Hawaiian, but few know that the Japanese embraced them lovingly after immigrating over to Hawaii in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, which resulted in their own exciting take on the dish. Travelling across Japan many years ago, I never used to see them in the cities, but would occasionally see them pop up in the coastal towns and islands.

Other than the corporate chains (Moana Poke at the Grand Arcade, for example), finding this independent, family-run café serving them up right in the city centre is a real win for local foodies. Their ethos sums it up best: “We eat a finite number of meals in our life, so let’s not waste a single one.”

The Vibe

Inside, the restaurant has a quiet tranquility to it that I haven’t quite found anywhere else in Cambridge. It is light, airy, and offers great views for a bit of people-watching down Burleigh Street. Walking in, I spotted people having quiet business catch-ups alongside students studying, and no wonder – it is peaceful, chilled, and genuinely pleasant. They even have a dedicated quiet study space upstairs, making it a brilliant spot to escape the bustle of the city centre for an hour.

Build your own Poke Bowl

Sticking true to that Japanese-influenced style rather than the traditional Hawaiian approach, Hanami lets you build your own bowl from scratch by choosing your base, toppings, protein, sauce, and crispies. I went for sushi rice as my base, loaded with breaded katsu chicken, sweetcorn, and edamame beans. The portion size was generous, the ingredients were fresh, and it delivered that satisfying, clean hit you want from a proper poké bowl.

If you are unsure what to order, there is even a little bit on the menu that says you can pick your protein and base and the staff can recommend what else goes with it.

Chicken Udon Noodle Soup

My son ordered the chicken udon noodle soup, and it was a real winner. The bowl came loaded to the brim with thick, bouncy udon noodles sitting in a deep, rich broth, topped with the same crispy, breaded chicken I had in my poké bowl. You can tell the kitchen takes their time with every dish – everything is freshly made to order rather than rushed out, and the quality really shines through.

Gochujang Cookie

​I couldn’t resist grabbing one of their homemade gochujang cookies on my way out. I will be honest: on the first bite, I didn’t enjoy it, but the more I ate, the more that sweet-and-savoury Korean chilli kick grew on me. It had a brittle texture that turned into a caramel-like chewiness the more I ate it. By the time I finished the last crumb, I was actually itching for another one! I highly recommend giving these a try as they are as fun as they are unusual.

Milkshake

We also tried their milkshakes. They were perfectly enjoyable, but nothing to write home about. At £5 to £6 each depending on what you order, I thought they were a little steep for what you get, but each one was freshly made and nice enough.

What a find!

Hanami is a proper hidden gem tucked away in plain sight. With generous portions, friendly family service, and a calm, tranquil atmosphere, it is a fantastic independent alternative to big chain dining. Whether you need a quick lunch, a custom poké bowl, or just a quiet place to sit back with a brew and a gochujang cookie, it is well worth popping in.

Thanks for reading! 👍